Two new books for achieving well-being in 2026: physician Ezekiel J. Emanuel‘s Eat Your Ice Cream: and beloved celebrity Dick Van Dyke‘s
I. Eat Your Ice Cream
As no-nonsense journalist/podcaster Kara Swisher states in her review of Eat Your Ice Cream, “In a world of schmucks, dimwits, gluttons, couch potatoes, sheep counters, and tech bros touting all manner of solutions to extend your life, it’s a comfort that a highly qualified mensch like Ezekiel J. Emanuel is there to guide us through our health journey. This substantive, fact-rich, and funny account on how to be alive is must-reading for those who value expertise and wisdom.”
Although the six simple rules below aren’t really new to those who regularly seek health advice, they probably can’t be repeated often enough.
- Sleep Well
- Move Often
- Eat Well (without obsession)
- Connect Deeply
- Keep Learning
- Find Purpose (or a Mission)
Related mainly to number 4 but potentially to many of the others as well, Emanuel believes building your social network is actually the most important thing you can do.
Emanuel’s everything-in-moderation approach (that of course can apply to such treats as ice cream) is seen in his recent article (Time) about Dry January. “If your goal is better health, not a 31-day performance of virtue, the smarter play is to redesign how you drink for the next 12 months, rather than to white knuckle one of them.”
II. 100 Rules for Living to 100
As a recent achiever of the feat of living to 100, Dick Van Dyke is in an appropriate position to offer rules or life lessons.
“I’ve made it to one hundred, in no small part,” Van Dyke states, “because I have stubbornly refused to give in to the bad stuff in life: failures and defeats, personal losses, loneliness and bitterness, the physical and emotional pains of aging. That stuff is real, but I have not let it define me.”
Examples of his rules mirror some of Ezekiel’s: physical exercise, social connection, and ongoing learning/curiosity, for example. Others include the importance of daily singing, incorporating play into your life, positivity, and gratitude.
Publishers Weekly: “In 100 short, discursive chapters with titles like ‘Figure Out Who You Aren’t’ and ‘Speak Up for Your Family,’ Van Dyke marries wistful recollections with folksy wisdom.”
