Books that motivate you to live well

This month’s health books talk about the link between the body and the gut, how to care for your toddler, overcome challenging health conditions and more

January 19, 2022 11:28 am | Updated 08:08 pm IST

Heart from a book page against a beautiful sunset.

Heart from a book page against a beautiful sunset.

Yuktahaar: The Belly and Brain Diet By Munmun Ganeriwal ,

Penguin Random House

In spite of a continuing fling with fad diets, many people remain unsuccessful in shedding weight. Nutritionist Munmun Ganeriwal says it is because the diets focus on the individual and that defeats the purpose of dieting. Instead, it pays to understand the connection between an individual and his/her gut health.

The objective of taking to low carb, low-fat or vegan diets should never be a person's weight loss. Rather the aim should be to improve one's gut health because that is where every chronic ailment is rooted. The author explains when someone suffers a jelly-belly following a diet plan, it indicates an imbalanced microbiome. "The failure to connect the reason can have an adverse impact on the body such as mood swings, behavioural change, diminishing sense of well being and happiness and even weight gain," she writes.

The nutrition and exercise consultant suggests an actionable 10-week science-based holistic program for readers to encourage them to maintain a gut balancing lifestyle. A combination of healthy and traditional Indian foods, right amount of exercise including yoga, good sleep hygiene, adequate sunshine and neural retraining collectively strengthens the body to fight diseases," she says and describes the microbial balance of the body as a functional medicine that keeps weight related issues under control .

Unbeatable - Celebrating Life With Cerebral Palsy By Shikhi Sharma, Silverspun

An engineer-turned-banker, Shikhi Sharma was inspired by the true life-story of a young boy, Tapasvi suffering from cerebral palsy. Passionate about writing, She decided to tell the world his story to motivate children and parents who live and struggle with Cerebral Palsy (CP) daily.

Unbeatable is a rollercoaster ride through setbacks, accomplishments and the power of unconditional love. The book shows how it is possible to achieve the impossible with a positive mind, hard work and an unbeatable spirit, and creates hope.

Young dreamer, Tapasvi, and his devoted father, Ajay, journey through the challenges of CP and learn life lessons while navigating their way through a sceptical and closed society. It is possible due to The father's resolve to make his son feel second to none and he makes Tapasvi believe there is nothing more liberating than breaking your own boundaries

While celebrating life against all odds, the author also talks in detail about what causes CP, the risk factors and the early signs. She shares anecdotes from medical professionals and special educators for a comprehensive understanding of the condition.

It's Your Baby By Dr.Saroja Balan,Harper Collins India

The book is written specifically for Indian parents and to find answers to their FAQs. What paediatrician-cum-neonatologist Dr.Saroja Balan experienced and learnt in 34 years of her clinical practice are compiled in a very conversational and readable style in the book to help parents figure out things on their own about their babies. and not necessarily rush to a doctor for every little thing.

Covering the basics like sleep, breastfeeding, common ailments and up-to-date information on vaccines and COVID-19, Dr.Balan shares her experience of raising a child in England with no family support. She writes that as a young mother, she only had the Nelson Textbook of Paediatrics to fall back on and sensed how a ready reckoner could help young parents to navigate the first two years of their toddlers with ease and confidence.

This prompted her to write the essential guide for parents on raising a safe and healthy child and it also works as a complete book for paediatricians beginning their practice. The author says it is normal for every new mother to have millions of questions and high levels of anxiety because parenting can be both terrifying and exciting. Excess information from internet, helpful advice from well-meaning grandmothers and old wives' tales can often be confusing. While most parents try to be hands-on, a little help with simple, filtered and authoritative inputs can go a long way.

According to her, babies are the best support for their parents and reminds that a healthy baby means happy and confident parents. Dr.Balan has tried to provide a solution to possible concerns of a new parent -- from what to expect during delivery, care of the newborn baby, vaccinations, normal growth and development milestones.

Smarter Tomorrow By Elizabeth R Ricker;Hachette India

There is a growing global movement of neurohackers who are revolutionising their careers and relationships. The book introduces Olympic athletes, game show contestants, CEOs and scientists who have unlocked success by exploring romping through the cutting-edge world of neuroscience and biohacking.

The author explains self-improvement projects fail owing to excessive brain-based reasoning; Simple channelising of thoughts, regulating emotions, learning and strengthening memory and being creative are the four key areas that can help to achieve success in work and relationships. He says it is possible to supercharge one's mental performance by focusing on these areas with research-tested tools.

The book details how one can work better, think faster and get more done with low-tech (a surprising new mindset) to downright futuristic (an electrical device for at-home brain stimulation) and offers 20 customizable self-experiments . Based on interviews and research studies across the world, Elizabeth Ricker has charted a 12-week schedule after testing it on herself. Some experiments failed hilariously but others transformed her cognition, she writes. From video games and meditation to nicotine or a little-known beverage from the Pacific islands, things that helped her to sharpen her memory, increase her attention span, boost her mood, and clear her brain fog have been listed.

The Age of A.I And Our Human Future By Henry A Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, Daniel Huttenlocher, Hachette India

health Health

health Health

Three accomplished and deep thinkers have come together to explore Artificial Intelligence (AI), the way it is transforming human society and what it means for us. They say we have to be alert to how we approach knowledge, politics, economics and even warfare because things are changing profoundly and rapidly.

To cite Examples include AI learning to win chess by making moves human grand masters could not had never conceive; AI discovered a new antibiotic by analysing molecular properties human scientists did not understand; AI-powered jets are defeating experienced human pilots in simulated dogfights; AI is coming online in searching, streaming, education, and other fields and also predicting and diagnosing diseases. And in all this, it will change societies in which we live and transform how we experience reality.

According to the three authors -- 1973 Nobel Peace Prize winner Henry Kissinger, Google's CEO from 2001 to 2011 Eric Schmidt and the founder Dean of MIT Schwarzman College of Computing Daniel Huttenlocher, it is wise to be future-ready and their book is an essential roadmap to our present and our future.

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