I have loved to read since I was a little kid and am never lonely if I have a good book. As we kick off the new year, I wanted to share a few favorites, including health books, cookbooks, and fiction.

The Good Gut (Drs. Justin and Erica Sonnenburg)
I love this book written by the Sonnenburgs, who are leading experts on the gut microbiome and have a lab at Stanford University. Learn the connection between your gut and chronic disease, weight, mood, and overall health. It's an easy and fascinating read.

Breaking The Age Code (Dr. Becca Levy)
Becca Levy is a Professor of Psychology at Yale University and a leading authority on the psychology of aging. In this book, Dr. Levy explores the ways in which our beliefs about aging determine how well and long we live. Learn how your perception of aging can positively influence the aging process, including the way genes operate and the extension of life expectancy by 7.5 years.

The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer's Through Food (Annie Fenn, MD)
Many of you will recognize Annie Fenn's name from our Wellness Wednesdays. She is a physician, author, and culinary instructor, and she just published a one-of-a-kind cookbook. It is chock-full of 100 brain healthy recipes plus gorgeous photos and tips about foods to eat (or avoid) to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. (Annie will return to Wellness Wednesdays on May 24!)

Remarkably Bright Creatures (Shelby Van Pelt)
This quirky, funny, heartwarming (and at times, heartbreaking) story is about a friendship between a 70-year-old cleaning woman at an aquarium and a very bright octopus. Sounds strange, I know, but this has been my favorite novel in the past few years. This book will delight you.