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Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life
An authoritative, practical, and entertaining guide to healthy living from one of America’s leading health experts.
Every day brings a torrent of articles, videos, and podcasts about health and longevity. The “Wellness Industrial Complex” offers conflicting advice and promises us more time to enjoy in the future—but it sure is demanding a lot of time right now. In Eat Your Ice Cream, renowned health expert Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel argues that life is not a competition to live the longest, and that “wellness” shouldn’t be difficult; it should be an invisible part of one’s lifestyle that yields maximum health benefits with the least work. Dr. Emanuel cuts through the noise with wit and good humor, giving readers just what they simple, high–impact, evidence–based guidelines to issues such as food and drink, exercise, sleep, mental acuity, and social engagement. Pairing common sense with uncommon wisdom based on his decades of expertise and experience, Dr. Emanuel helps readers decide which lifestyle changes are worth making and how to best implement them.
Every day brings a torrent of articles, videos, and podcasts about health and longevity. The “Wellness Industrial Complex” offers conflicting advice and promises us more time to enjoy in the future—but it sure is demanding a lot of time right now. In Eat Your Ice Cream, renowned health expert Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel argues that life is not a competition to live the longest, and that “wellness” shouldn’t be difficult; it should be an invisible part of one’s lifestyle that yields maximum health benefits with the least work. Dr. Emanuel cuts through the noise with wit and good humor, giving readers just what they simple, high–impact, evidence–based guidelines to issues such as food and drink, exercise, sleep, mental acuity, and social engagement. Pairing common sense with uncommon wisdom based on his decades of expertise and experience, Dr. Emanuel helps readers decide which lifestyle changes are worth making and how to best implement them.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published January 6, 2026
883 people are currently reading
7418 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
October 12, 2025
I have read many books on longevity, health and wellness.
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel does a terrific job putting everything in perspective so that readers don't need to consume massive amounts of books, articles, and podcasts to live a healthier, more purposeful and meaningful life.
He also allows for grace and not over-obsessing about doing everything 100% perfectly. He feels wellness should be an invisible part of your life. He pairs common sense with uncommon wisdom.
He encourages us to follow Thoreau's advice to live deep and suck all the marrow out of life.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I highly recommend.
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel does a terrific job putting everything in perspective so that readers don't need to consume massive amounts of books, articles, and podcasts to live a healthier, more purposeful and meaningful life.
He also allows for grace and not over-obsessing about doing everything 100% perfectly. He feels wellness should be an invisible part of your life. He pairs common sense with uncommon wisdom.
He encourages us to follow Thoreau's advice to live deep and suck all the marrow out of life.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I highly recommend.
October 8, 2025
Reading this was a breath of fresh air!
As a family medicine clinician, my days are filled with discussing lifestyle with patients while trying to combat all the misinformation and marketing that is....everywhere.
The book is laid out by 6 general principles to support a balanced lifestyle. It is written to simplify health and return back to the crucial, high yield elements that we all need to figure out to maintain a healthy, good life. The author's entire point, which I whole heartily agree with, is that wellness behaviors should just be woven into the fabric of our life (and in that they become more automatic and less cumbersome). This is what I try to teach and reinforce with my patients daily!
I genuinely think the general public would benefit from reading this book especially those that find themselves sucked into the new wellness trend or fad.
As a family medicine clinician, my days are filled with discussing lifestyle with patients while trying to combat all the misinformation and marketing that is....everywhere.
The book is laid out by 6 general principles to support a balanced lifestyle. It is written to simplify health and return back to the crucial, high yield elements that we all need to figure out to maintain a healthy, good life. The author's entire point, which I whole heartily agree with, is that wellness behaviors should just be woven into the fabric of our life (and in that they become more automatic and less cumbersome). This is what I try to teach and reinforce with my patients daily!
I genuinely think the general public would benefit from reading this book especially those that find themselves sucked into the new wellness trend or fad.
January 21, 2026
The author makes some good points about the problems with wellness discourse, and he’s clearly well-researched. However, for my taste, the book was lacking in political analysis. Ezekiel pays lip service to the economic factors that impact people’s health and lifestyle choices. In a time with such extreme health disparities across class and racial lines, these factors deserve more than lip service.
Another issue for me is that Ezekiel’s target audience is the absolute average person as he imagines them. He gives generalized advice without caveats. For example, he makes the sweeping claim that supplements are “probably a waste of money,” without acknowledging that for people with specific health conditions, supplements can be hugely beneficial. He’s not thinking about people with chronic illnesses or disabilities, and in fact uses language that implies that fatness, disability and even autism are conditions to be unequivocally avoided. He also uses binary language about gender, making statements about what “women” need and what “men” need. In other words, he’s behind the times with regard to body positivity, neurodivergence, and gender as a spectrum.
If you’re an able-bodied, cis, upper-middle class person who is at the total beginning of your health and wellness journey, this book might be a good place to start for some concrete next steps.
Another issue for me is that Ezekiel’s target audience is the absolute average person as he imagines them. He gives generalized advice without caveats. For example, he makes the sweeping claim that supplements are “probably a waste of money,” without acknowledging that for people with specific health conditions, supplements can be hugely beneficial. He’s not thinking about people with chronic illnesses or disabilities, and in fact uses language that implies that fatness, disability and even autism are conditions to be unequivocally avoided. He also uses binary language about gender, making statements about what “women” need and what “men” need. In other words, he’s behind the times with regard to body positivity, neurodivergence, and gender as a spectrum.
If you’re an able-bodied, cis, upper-middle class person who is at the total beginning of your health and wellness journey, this book might be a good place to start for some concrete next steps.
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February 1, 2026I really liked the main sentiment of this book: that wellness is not about any one thing (particularly diet or exercise) and that it should not be an obsession or your main focus in life.
“Wellness ought to be in the background: an unconscious part of your lifestyle, not an obsession.”
“the pervasive notion that wellness is all about the physical—eating, exercising, and sleeping—is wrong. In popular culture, the most important wellness and longevity behaviors—the social and mental—are forgotten or deemphasized in favor of the physical. . . . Cultivating social relations and staying mentally engaged are even more important than eating well or exercising.”
Overall there were several points in this book that will help my own health and that of my patients. I loved that he points out that typically in the wellness world we are told that we can only be healthy if we make one very specific change perfectly (exercise like this or you aren’t healthy, eat this very specific diet perfectly) and benefits of social interactions not mentioned (and often the wellness obsessions are at the detriment of social interactions).
For various reasons I cannot give it 5 stars. Here are the main ones:
Having just read Ben Goldacre’s Bad Science, I couldn’t help but notice some flawed conclusions of research findings, particularly in the nutrition chapter. As with the whole book, I liked the overall sentiment of the nutrition chapter, but it had some problems.
Starting with the title of your book- Eat Your Ice Cream. The sentiment is great. You can eat ice cream and still be healthy. But let’s not mix up correlation with causation here.
“…’among diabetics, eating half a cup of ice cream a day was associated with a lower risk of heart problems.’ Yes, you read it right, ice cream lowered the risk of heart problems.”
No… it was *associated* with lower risk of heart problems. We still cannot say it actually lowers the risk or if there is another explanation.
Similarly, after an overall balanced view on alcohol, he makes the claim that “Overall, this suggests that between zero and 1 drink per day is the limit before you tip into anti-wellness, unless you happen to be a middle-aged man for whom moderate alcohol use protects against heart disease.”
No… moderate alcohol use is *associated* with lower rates of heart disease in middle-aged men. Maybe men who drink alcohol at this age are inherently healthier (haven’t been told to stop due to a health condition or are not completely sober due to a history of heavy drinking). He words this as if middle aged men should go out of their way to drink more. I’m probably being too picky and he probably didn’t really mean this but I think the wording should have been more clear.
There is also the preposterous claim that there are 1000 calories in 2 cups of beans (depending on the bean this is 500 calories at most).
“consuming the same amount of protein as in 4 ounces of meat would require about 2 cups of beans at roughly 1,000 calories.”
*dried* beans, maybe, but considering the amount of protein in 2 cups of cooked beans equals 4 oz of meat I don’t think that’s what he meant. He actually suggests a diet with limited amounts of meat and encourages beans so I found this mistake to be very odd.
There are also several other bold claims based solely on his opinions.
Finally, I can’t in good conscience rate a book 5 stars that hates on potatoes! (thankfully he admits this is controversial)
“Wellness ought to be in the background: an unconscious part of your lifestyle, not an obsession.”
“the pervasive notion that wellness is all about the physical—eating, exercising, and sleeping—is wrong. In popular culture, the most important wellness and longevity behaviors—the social and mental—are forgotten or deemphasized in favor of the physical. . . . Cultivating social relations and staying mentally engaged are even more important than eating well or exercising.”
Overall there were several points in this book that will help my own health and that of my patients. I loved that he points out that typically in the wellness world we are told that we can only be healthy if we make one very specific change perfectly (exercise like this or you aren’t healthy, eat this very specific diet perfectly) and benefits of social interactions not mentioned (and often the wellness obsessions are at the detriment of social interactions).
For various reasons I cannot give it 5 stars. Here are the main ones:
Having just read Ben Goldacre’s Bad Science, I couldn’t help but notice some flawed conclusions of research findings, particularly in the nutrition chapter. As with the whole book, I liked the overall sentiment of the nutrition chapter, but it had some problems.
Starting with the title of your book- Eat Your Ice Cream. The sentiment is great. You can eat ice cream and still be healthy. But let’s not mix up correlation with causation here.
“…’among diabetics, eating half a cup of ice cream a day was associated with a lower risk of heart problems.’ Yes, you read it right, ice cream lowered the risk of heart problems.”
No… it was *associated* with lower risk of heart problems. We still cannot say it actually lowers the risk or if there is another explanation.
Similarly, after an overall balanced view on alcohol, he makes the claim that “Overall, this suggests that between zero and 1 drink per day is the limit before you tip into anti-wellness, unless you happen to be a middle-aged man for whom moderate alcohol use protects against heart disease.”
No… moderate alcohol use is *associated* with lower rates of heart disease in middle-aged men. Maybe men who drink alcohol at this age are inherently healthier (haven’t been told to stop due to a health condition or are not completely sober due to a history of heavy drinking). He words this as if middle aged men should go out of their way to drink more. I’m probably being too picky and he probably didn’t really mean this but I think the wording should have been more clear.
There is also the preposterous claim that there are 1000 calories in 2 cups of beans (depending on the bean this is 500 calories at most).
“consuming the same amount of protein as in 4 ounces of meat would require about 2 cups of beans at roughly 1,000 calories.”
*dried* beans, maybe, but considering the amount of protein in 2 cups of cooked beans equals 4 oz of meat I don’t think that’s what he meant. He actually suggests a diet with limited amounts of meat and encourages beans so I found this mistake to be very odd.
There are also several other bold claims based solely on his opinions.
Finally, I can’t in good conscience rate a book 5 stars that hates on potatoes! (thankfully he admits this is controversial)
November 28, 2025
Yes! This book is wonderful. The author is level headed and provides a non shaming reading experience for those of us who want to live long lives- because we want to live full lives and not lives consumed by strict rules or unrealistic goals.
This is a health book for those who are tired of the influencer culture and the hamster wheel of wellness recommendations. This book is great for anyone looking for a healthy reset or just confirmation that they are doing their best! Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!
This is a health book for those who are tired of the influencer culture and the hamster wheel of wellness recommendations. This book is great for anyone looking for a healthy reset or just confirmation that they are doing their best! Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy!
February 5, 2026
Sending gobs of appreciation to Ezekiel J. Emanuel for researching and writing such an accessible, approachable, and helpful overview of how to live a better and healthier life. Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life is both simple AND profoundly helpful.
This is not a long book, and there are NO miracle cures or quack fads to be found in Emanuel’s book. In fact, one of the best themes of the book is to avoid major unsustainable changes, avoid obsessing over one health or longevity metric, and to forgive oneself for minor slips.
Since Emanuel is so forthright and cuts to the chase, here's a quick review of his six commonsense practices for a longer, better, and more fulfilling life:
This is not a long book, and there are NO miracle cures or quack fads to be found in Emanuel’s book. In fact, one of the best themes of the book is to avoid major unsustainable changes, avoid obsessing over one health or longevity metric, and to forgive oneself for minor slips.
Since Emanuel is so forthright and cuts to the chase, here's a quick review of his six commonsense practices for a longer, better, and more fulfilling life:
Because wellness is simple, this book is simple. It focuses on the six fundamental wellness behaviors that yield the maximum benefits with the least work:Definitely recommend! 4.8 out of 5 stars!
1) Don't be a schmuck. Avoid self-destructive risks.
2) Talk to people. Cultivate family, friends, and other social relations.
3) Expand your mind. Stay mentally sharp.
4) Eat your ice cream. Consume healthy food and drink.
5) Move it! Exercise well and regularly.
6) Sleep like a baby. Get the rest you need.
February 12, 2026
I liked the general definition this book gives to wellness- that it is a wholistic idea that we need to strive for constituting of physical, mental, and very importantly, social. I appreciated the interesting studies and facts brought up in the book, but there were quite a lot that much of our eduction doesn’t agree with.
For example, saying that ALL supplements are a waste of money unless you are trying to get pregnant or old is a very skewed view, and there were many supplements and benefits that the author missed, such as iron, biotin, zinc, etc. This also may not apply to many people with chronic disease or other issues, even anemia. He also says that all forms of potatoes are bad and gives the evidence of very specific studies that support his findings. Potatoes are very common in many diets and are said to have many nutrients including potassium and vitamin C, and even more in sweet potatoes.
While I did enjoy some of the chapters and recommendations, they seemed to come from a pigeon-hole view. This book is written for a very specific demographic, and doesn’t mention diverse communities at all. The assumption is very much that you have a stable lifestyle where you can afford to put money into high quality food, spend time to socialize, and have time and ability to exercise regularly. While he mentions those in lower SES or people with injuries, these topics are not delved into. I am surprised since the author is involved in many public health efforts and I didn’t feel like he wrote with that lens.
I also liked how in almost each recommendation, the effect of technology and social media is clearly shown. With diet, exercise, cognition, sleep, and socialization, our phones have negatively impacted our wellness.
I didn’t learn too much from this book in terms of what to do, but it does remind me to not look at numbers and focus on the impacts. I don’t need to count protein or fiber, but just be intentional about it. It does do a great job of breaking down the 6 things that are most important to prioritize which made me realize the inane number of fads that social media has brought to us.
For example, saying that ALL supplements are a waste of money unless you are trying to get pregnant or old is a very skewed view, and there were many supplements and benefits that the author missed, such as iron, biotin, zinc, etc. This also may not apply to many people with chronic disease or other issues, even anemia. He also says that all forms of potatoes are bad and gives the evidence of very specific studies that support his findings. Potatoes are very common in many diets and are said to have many nutrients including potassium and vitamin C, and even more in sweet potatoes.
While I did enjoy some of the chapters and recommendations, they seemed to come from a pigeon-hole view. This book is written for a very specific demographic, and doesn’t mention diverse communities at all. The assumption is very much that you have a stable lifestyle where you can afford to put money into high quality food, spend time to socialize, and have time and ability to exercise regularly. While he mentions those in lower SES or people with injuries, these topics are not delved into. I am surprised since the author is involved in many public health efforts and I didn’t feel like he wrote with that lens.
I also liked how in almost each recommendation, the effect of technology and social media is clearly shown. With diet, exercise, cognition, sleep, and socialization, our phones have negatively impacted our wellness.
I didn’t learn too much from this book in terms of what to do, but it does remind me to not look at numbers and focus on the impacts. I don’t need to count protein or fiber, but just be intentional about it. It does do a great job of breaking down the 6 things that are most important to prioritize which made me realize the inane number of fads that social media has brought to us.
April 19, 2026
If you’re somewhat informed about health, fitness & longevity I don’t think you’ll find anything here that you don’t already know. What makes this book different is that Emanuel argues against obsessive wellness and promotes a more common sense approach to leading a balanced life focused on pleasure and longevity rather than self-denial and experimentation.
He advocates enjoying life, social connections, and simple habits over complex and rigid health routines. The focus is on living well rather than just maximizing lifespan.
Dr. Emanuel’s 6 Key Rules for a Long & Healthy Life:
* Don't be a schmuck: Avoid self-destructive risks.
* Talk to people: Nurture social connections, family, and friends.
* Expand your mind: Keep your brain active and engaged.
* Eat your ice cream: Enjoy food and pleasure; don't obsess over restriction.
* Move it!: Incorporate regular, moderate exercise.
* Sleep like a baby: Ensure adequate rest.
He advocates enjoying life, social connections, and simple habits over complex and rigid health routines. The focus is on living well rather than just maximizing lifespan.
Dr. Emanuel’s 6 Key Rules for a Long & Healthy Life:
* Don't be a schmuck: Avoid self-destructive risks.
* Talk to people: Nurture social connections, family, and friends.
* Expand your mind: Keep your brain active and engaged.
* Eat your ice cream: Enjoy food and pleasure; don't obsess over restriction.
* Move it!: Incorporate regular, moderate exercise.
* Sleep like a baby: Ensure adequate rest.
March 5, 2026
He said eat more dairy and I said say less.
February 25, 2026
I like the no-nonsense truth that cuts through the noise of the nonsense that the wellness industry peddles. The author outlined six principles of simple lifestyle choices that all reinforce each other and result in wellness and longevity. He included none of the gadgets or potions or ridiculous systems. It isn’t sexy and won’t make anyone millions but just comes down to minimizing risky behavior, cultivating relationships, engaging in cognitive stimulation, eating real food, exercising, and sleeping. That’s it. The only truly absurd thing he mentioned was the blue zones. This work has been thoroughly debunked and I’m surprised and disappointed that he cited it. Same with his suggestion that intermittent fasting is a good idea. The data are clearly showing that it’s a hoax. It’s just too bad that he has a higher opinion of the general public to think they can embrace lifestyle choices to live better.
February 6, 2026
I really enjoyed this book … I mean how could you not with a title like that!
April 24, 2026
Love a high-level list of health improvements, and of things not to worry about it! Recommended to me by my dad 🍦
April 28, 2026
A little dense at points, but the research was appreciated and needed. A holistically framed wellness resource that actually increased my confidence and decreased anxiety. Plenty of points that I already knew, but a good grounded reminder especially with all those TikTok wellness influencers giving random advice 24/7.
Main practical takeaways:
- Eat yogurt
- Eat meals with other people
- Teach your children to cook
- Ice cream is a good treat!
- Sugar free or not, pop is just not good for you (SAD)
Main practical takeaways:
- Eat yogurt
- Eat meals with other people
- Teach your children to cook
- Ice cream is a good treat!
- Sugar free or not, pop is just not good for you (SAD)
February 11, 2026
Thanks to Ezekiel K. Emanuel, Netgalley, and Highbridge for a complimentary audio arc of this book in exchange for an honest reviews.
I don't tend to read self help books often but I saw this one pop up, and then read a review which said how the author (and narrator of the audiobook), was interviewed on television and came across as such a nice, down to earth guy, I decided to give this one a chance. As well, as being a pretty good self-help book in my eyes, which aligns quite well with a lot of my own values, this is also something of a critique of other self help books and courses out there.
Ezekiel's argument is that people often spend too much time obsessing and stressing about finding ways to live longer, trying diets, new fads and what other techniques are out there, when they could spend that time simply... living and enjoying life. The idea here is about quality of life over quantity, and this is something which I wholeheartedly agree with. The six tips themselves are fairly simple and explanatory but it was Ezekiel's own thoughts and opinions on the self help industry which really resonated with me here.
Overall, a great listen - Ezekiel is great at narrating his own words - and definitely made me think about the world of self-help through a more objective lens.
- note - dropped to a 3.5 as the latter side is a bit preachy.
I don't tend to read self help books often but I saw this one pop up, and then read a review which said how the author (and narrator of the audiobook), was interviewed on television and came across as such a nice, down to earth guy, I decided to give this one a chance. As well, as being a pretty good self-help book in my eyes, which aligns quite well with a lot of my own values, this is also something of a critique of other self help books and courses out there.
Ezekiel's argument is that people often spend too much time obsessing and stressing about finding ways to live longer, trying diets, new fads and what other techniques are out there, when they could spend that time simply... living and enjoying life. The idea here is about quality of life over quantity, and this is something which I wholeheartedly agree with. The six tips themselves are fairly simple and explanatory but it was Ezekiel's own thoughts and opinions on the self help industry which really resonated with me here.
Overall, a great listen - Ezekiel is great at narrating his own words - and definitely made me think about the world of self-help through a more objective lens.
- note - dropped to a 3.5 as the latter side is a bit preachy.
February 15, 2026
I trust Zeke w my life🤝
February 2, 2026
I found the subject of Eat Your Ice Cream fascinating. Ezekiel Emanuel provides a great deal of study-based data to support a healthy lifestyle, which makes it a really powerful tool for making informed decisions. While I didn't necessarily learn anything groundbreaking, it was an excellent reinforcement of the healthy habits I already try to follow.
However, I had two main issues that made it hard to fully connect with:
A "One-Size-Fits-All" Approach: The book focuses heavily on the "average" American. It doesn't really account for the realities of people dealing with low incomes, disabilities, mental health challenges, or learning difficulties. Because it stays so focused on a specific "standard" lifestyle, it can feel a bit out of touch and hard to relate to if you don't fit that exact mold.
The Audiobook Experience: I struggled with the format. The author narrates it himself, and with chapters running 30 to 45 minutes without many natural pauses, it was very difficult to stop and start during a busy day. It felt like a bit of a marathon listen rather than something I could easily digest on the go.
Final Thoughts: This is a good "back-to-basics" guide if you want scientific data to back up your habits, but it definitely has its limitations when it comes to inclusivity and production.
However, I had two main issues that made it hard to fully connect with:
A "One-Size-Fits-All" Approach: The book focuses heavily on the "average" American. It doesn't really account for the realities of people dealing with low incomes, disabilities, mental health challenges, or learning difficulties. Because it stays so focused on a specific "standard" lifestyle, it can feel a bit out of touch and hard to relate to if you don't fit that exact mold.
The Audiobook Experience: I struggled with the format. The author narrates it himself, and with chapters running 30 to 45 minutes without many natural pauses, it was very difficult to stop and start during a busy day. It felt like a bit of a marathon listen rather than something I could easily digest on the go.
Final Thoughts: This is a good "back-to-basics" guide if you want scientific data to back up your habits, but it definitely has its limitations when it comes to inclusivity and production.
February 9, 2026
I have strong and conflicting feeling about this book. I loved some chapters and found some others to be very frustrating. The author’s criticism of wellness culture and emphasis on social relationships is a much needed and important counter point to our obsession with fitness and nutrition.
However, a lot of the nutrition advice in this book felt a bit out of touch. Equating fat to unhealthy is an unhelpful oversimplification. As is rounding all packaged foods up to junk food. The offhand remark about how some packaged/processed foods (apparently anything in a package is processed and therefore junk) might be fine but it’s not worth our time to try to figure out which is which . Not all of us have time to cook “real” food meals for our families 3 means a day (which apparently we should be doing without any salt). So, the advice to just stop eating all processed foods was frustrating. Some other topics (intermittent fasting, sleep hygiene, even alcohol consumption) are explained with good deal of helpful nuance in the book, but packaged foods get none of that.
Additionally, despite mentioning at one point that correlational studies don’t show causation, most of the nutrition advice seemed to come from association studies. Words of caution about interpreting these association studies seem to be unequally applied to certain topics over others.
However, a lot of the nutrition advice in this book felt a bit out of touch. Equating fat to unhealthy is an unhelpful oversimplification. As is rounding all packaged foods up to junk food. The offhand remark about how some packaged/processed foods (apparently anything in a package is processed and therefore junk) might be fine but it’s not worth our time to try to figure out which is which . Not all of us have time to cook “real” food meals for our families 3 means a day (which apparently we should be doing without any salt). So, the advice to just stop eating all processed foods was frustrating. Some other topics (intermittent fasting, sleep hygiene, even alcohol consumption) are explained with good deal of helpful nuance in the book, but packaged foods get none of that.
Additionally, despite mentioning at one point that correlational studies don’t show causation, most of the nutrition advice seemed to come from association studies. Words of caution about interpreting these association studies seem to be unequally applied to certain topics over others.
February 11, 2026
This was… fine. As a book about the basics of wellness it was measured and research-based and not extreme or fear-mongering. But it also didn’t have too much to add to the conversation other than just basic, boring moderation. The most compelling parts of the book were the parts about social interaction… that was where I learned the most. I didn’t know that social relationships had such a major impact on health and longevity, even for introverts… it’s not something the wellness industry focuses on. Unfortunately it’s one of the areas where ‘self-improvement’ is the most difficult… by its very nature improving relationships requires other people to be on board, and isn’t easy to learn from books or the internet. He does have some tips on putting yourself out there, but that and the mental challenge chapter had me like ‘yeesh… I’ve gotta make a bunch of new friends and learn a second language or I’m going to die young?’ It kind of threw me for a loop. But that definitely doesn’t mean he’s wrong… when I think of the older folks I’d like to emulate as I age they are all socially open and mentally sharp. I’ve got work to do, and not in the obvious wellness areas!
February 8, 2026
This is a short book and it took me longer to get through it than I had anticipated. Only six chapters. I bought a hard copy after listening to an interview he did with Norah O'Donnell. I knew immediately it was a keeper and I would want to re-read it. I ended up taking my time and savoring it. I enjoyed it for its wisdom and common sense approach. There are no magic bullets. Diet, exercise, sleep as expected but also socialization. He's a straight shooter and tells it like it is. It's a book filled with hope- you can do this and don't be swayed by hype and false prophets.
March 13, 2026
I'm giving this book a 4 Star rating because I can make these small changes. It's pleasant to hear him say we don't need to obsess about wellness. This is a refreshing change from many other health-centric books.
Easy things I can do:
1. try kefir & kimchi
2. stop taking a multivitamin
Hard things I will attempt:
1. return to actual cooking, instead of the simple assembly of food that I've been doing since becoming blind in my left eye
2. spend less time on my phone, prioritize time with people
3. try a digital Sabbath, or at least an 18-hour digital "fast"
Easy things I can do:
1. try kefir & kimchi
2. stop taking a multivitamin
Hard things I will attempt:
1. return to actual cooking, instead of the simple assembly of food that I've been doing since becoming blind in my left eye
2. spend less time on my phone, prioritize time with people
3. try a digital Sabbath, or at least an 18-hour digital "fast"
April 28, 2026
Eat Your Ice Cream: Six simple rules for a long and healthy life
Finally, a scientifically accurate and intensely practical treatment of how to live longer. As a physician, I hardly ever see popular literature on health filled with good and often they are massively impractical (as well as ineffective.) Rarely, does a tome marry this much real science and common sense. Read this, read Designing a meaningful life, and the Anxious Generation. All absolutely outstanding!
Finally, a scientifically accurate and intensely practical treatment of how to live longer. As a physician, I hardly ever see popular literature on health filled with good and often they are massively impractical (as well as ineffective.) Rarely, does a tome marry this much real science and common sense. Read this, read Designing a meaningful life, and the Anxious Generation. All absolutely outstanding!
January 20, 2026
Non fiction interesting book, but try to get it at the library ( vs owning it)…. Don’t usually read books like this, but I saw the author on CBS Sunday morning and he was so cute I wanted to support him( do buy the book if you want to😂😂😂). His six simple rules for living a long and healthy life made me feel good about what I’m doing right. Some things are hard to change…but you’ll find enough information to probably make it worth your while( no matter your age). I have to give it 3⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 27, 2026
There's not a lot of new information or insight here, but i really appreciate the author's direct style of describing how different behaviors contribute to good health -- and he delivers all of that with a reminder that perfection in any health category is not the goal. The goal is a life well-lived and enjoyed.
March 18, 2026
I recently had cardiac bypass surgery and needed a different point of view about how to improve my habits. This was a good book to reinforce my needed changes. He simplified and humanized many of the concepts about healthy eating and sleep management. Worth a read.
April 30, 2026
Compress 20 other non-fictions into 1 book. It's prescriptive and opinionated. Each advice includes citation and the author made it clear if the research backing the advice is inconclusive. I enjoy this book more than I thought I would.
February 5, 2026
Sprinkles of science on top os a huge pile of BS. Most horrible example being the science behind the title.
Avoid.
Avoid.
February 12, 2026
Nothing really new here, but short and readable and good reminders.
February 14, 2026
The greatest book title ever. Enjoyed reading some helpful tips to live a long and healthy life. Eat your ice cream was obviously the most important advice provided.
February 22, 2026
Not much I didn’t already know, but simple and concise information amongst an over-saturated field
March 24, 2026
Good points to think about. Surprisingly, it was the socializing that made me think more about our current lifestyles.
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