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Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
USA TODAY BESTSELLLER
INDIE NATIONAL BESTSELLER
From one of America’s leading doctors, an authoritative, practical, and entertaining guide to living a full and healthy life.
Everyone wants to live a full and healthy life—and every day brings a tidal wave of attention-grabbing misinformation, faddish ideas from “wellness” influencers, and bizarre advice from news outlets over-extrapolating the results of tiny, outlier studies. The “Wellness Industrial Complex” prescribes conflicting and complicated regimens while promising us more time to enjoy in the future—though it sure is demanding a lot of time right now. But what actually matters most to our health and longevity? What has the most robust, actionable evidence? What’s the junk you can skip?
In Eat Your Ice Cream, renowned physician 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 on such issues as alcohol consumption, food and nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental acuity, and social engagement. Resisting the tide of the latest trends to extend life at all costs, Eat Your Ice Cream reveals that many of the tools for a long, healthy and meaningful life are already within reach.
Pairing common sense with uncommon wisdom based on his decades of expertise and experience, Dr. Emanuel helps us consider which lifestyle changes are worth making and how to most easily implement them for longer, healthier, and happier lives. Readers will come away with greater clarity and a deeper understanding of what really matters for well-being—connection, purpose, and sustainable choices backed by rigorous science.
USA TODAY BESTSELLLER
INDIE NATIONAL BESTSELLER
From one of America’s leading doctors, an authoritative, practical, and entertaining guide to living a full and healthy life.
Everyone wants to live a full and healthy life—and every day brings a tidal wave of attention-grabbing misinformation, faddish ideas from “wellness” influencers, and bizarre advice from news outlets over-extrapolating the results of tiny, outlier studies. The “Wellness Industrial Complex” prescribes conflicting and complicated regimens while promising us more time to enjoy in the future—though it sure is demanding a lot of time right now. But what actually matters most to our health and longevity? What has the most robust, actionable evidence? What’s the junk you can skip?
In Eat Your Ice Cream, renowned physician 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 on such issues as alcohol consumption, food and nutrition, exercise, sleep, mental acuity, and social engagement. Resisting the tide of the latest trends to extend life at all costs, Eat Your Ice Cream reveals that many of the tools for a long, healthy and meaningful life are already within reach.
Pairing common sense with uncommon wisdom based on his decades of expertise and experience, Dr. Emanuel helps us consider which lifestyle changes are worth making and how to most easily implement them for longer, healthier, and happier lives. Readers will come away with greater clarity and a deeper understanding of what really matters for well-being—connection, purpose, and sustainable choices backed by rigorous science.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 6, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 409 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.
September 26, 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.
January 26, 2026
I 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)
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.
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 4, 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.
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.
June 1, 2026
Bought and cooked 3 new vegetables, I’m unstoppable
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.
April 21, 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 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 5, 2026
Sprinkles of science on top os a huge pile of BS. Most horrible example being the science behind the title.
Avoid.
Avoid.
October 1, 2026
Damn, really wanted to love this one, but was disappointed, and sometimes even ragey. Based on the name, I’d hoped it would be about how “healthy living” can only get you so far in life, and that the quality of your life might be more important than the quantity.
Alas, it was a very simplistic listing of basic health rules, a few of which were fun and surprising, but all about how to have the best chance of living longer. I appreciate that it was focused on what is actually evidence-based, vs. all the transient wellness trends; I also appreciated him mentioning that wellness should be a background part of your life, not the primary goal. (I also think I’d enjoy hanging out with this guy, he’s fun!)
BUT I HAVE A MAJOR QUALM: As someone whose father followed these health rules but still died prematurely due to a rare cancer, and as someone whose genetic predisposition to cancer will likely render all these “rules of healthy living” totally meaningless, and who has multiple friends (I mean, so many!) who are afflicted with rare cancers and tumors and autoimmune disorders despite their extremely healthy lifestyles… I can’t believe he didn’t mention this truth AT ANY POINT. Dude. You can do all this and it can have no impact at all. You can also break all these rules and live a super long life. So like… eat your ice cream. I wish that had been the thesis, LOL.
* Enjoy: 2/5
* Quality: 2/3
* Eye-opening: 0/2
Total: 4/10 - 2 stars
Would I recommend to others? - Solid no - at least, not to anyone in my social circle, which is mostly comprised of educated adults all aware of basic health rules (not to be uppity about it).
Alas, it was a very simplistic listing of basic health rules, a few of which were fun and surprising, but all about how to have the best chance of living longer. I appreciate that it was focused on what is actually evidence-based, vs. all the transient wellness trends; I also appreciated him mentioning that wellness should be a background part of your life, not the primary goal. (I also think I’d enjoy hanging out with this guy, he’s fun!)
BUT I HAVE A MAJOR QUALM: As someone whose father followed these health rules but still died prematurely due to a rare cancer, and as someone whose genetic predisposition to cancer will likely render all these “rules of healthy living” totally meaningless, and who has multiple friends (I mean, so many!) who are afflicted with rare cancers and tumors and autoimmune disorders despite their extremely healthy lifestyles… I can’t believe he didn’t mention this truth AT ANY POINT. Dude. You can do all this and it can have no impact at all. You can also break all these rules and live a super long life. So like… eat your ice cream. I wish that had been the thesis, LOL.
* Enjoy: 2/5
* Quality: 2/3
* Eye-opening: 0/2
Total: 4/10 - 2 stars
Would I recommend to others? - Solid no - at least, not to anyone in my social circle, which is mostly comprised of educated adults all aware of basic health rules (not to be uppity about it).
September 13, 2026
This has been discussed ad nauseam, but when a book ends at under 70% -- c'mon. Give us some warning, or put it in the description.
That said, this was an interesting look at what actually helps us to live healthier lives. I like Emanuel's approach. He adds enough personal antidotes to keep you reading, though all of those medical studies... Ugh. Can't you just have a footnote that says, "click here for details on medical studies?" Ha! You can probably see why I'm not much of a NF reader.
Still, I came away with a couple of surprising ideas that I can implement, so if a book can do that... in my opinion, it is worth reading.
That said, this was an interesting look at what actually helps us to live healthier lives. I like Emanuel's approach. He adds enough personal antidotes to keep you reading, though all of those medical studies... Ugh. Can't you just have a footnote that says, "click here for details on medical studies?" Ha! You can probably see why I'm not much of a NF reader.
Still, I came away with a couple of surprising ideas that I can implement, so if a book can do that... in my opinion, it is worth reading.
February 6, 2026
I really enjoyed this book … I mean how could you not with a title like that!
May 13, 2026
I listened to this book on a car ride and mostly it contains information that I already knew. One thing I didn't know is that Dutch folks are tall bc they eat so much cheese. That was gouda news!
Read
May 24, 2026Solid back to basics guide for the upper middle class with a 9-5 work life. Appreciate that he doesn’t buy into the wellness woo. Learned a few new things.
August 22, 2026
Simple and easy to follow advice on wellness that emphasizes good enough instead of perfection.
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 15, 2026
I trust Zeke w my life🤝
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 🍦
August 25, 2026
Emanuel proves that being trained as an oncologist does not make someone a qualified nutritionist. He begins the book by pointing out that there are numerous specious claims made by the wellness industry. Then he goes on to write a book full of specious nutritional advice. He cherry picks studies that support his predetermined conclusions. Nutrition science is so squishy that you can find a study to support almost any belief. His over the top promotion of dairy, fermented foods and organic foods can be refuted by more studies than those that support his claims. Same with fasting. I think he came up with a lifestyle that works for him, then wrote a book to validate his own lifestyle while claiming the science supports his personal choices. The nutrition section reads like any other wellness industry advice. It extrapolates random studies into generalized advice without scientific consensus. I would not recommend this book.
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 12, 2026
This was just okay. Good information, but nothing I hadn't heard before.
Admittedly, I went into this blind, and based on the title I was excited for a lighter, maybe more philosophical read about wellness - "Eat your Ice Cream" as in "don't sweat the small stuff!" and a small part of this book is that, but the majority of it is info you've already been told, supported with *a lot* of statistics.
It's a quick listen, and I did enjoy the overall messaging, particularly the info on how important relationships (romantic and platonic alike) are for aging well, but I still don't think this is a book I'd recommend, especially for anyone who has already read up on ways to improve their health, wellness, or someone who has already taken a deep dive into how important sleep or diet is. There's nothing new here.
Admittedly, I went into this blind, and based on the title I was excited for a lighter, maybe more philosophical read about wellness - "Eat your Ice Cream" as in "don't sweat the small stuff!" and a small part of this book is that, but the majority of it is info you've already been told, supported with *a lot* of statistics.
It's a quick listen, and I did enjoy the overall messaging, particularly the info on how important relationships (romantic and platonic alike) are for aging well, but I still don't think this is a book I'd recommend, especially for anyone who has already read up on ways to improve their health, wellness, or someone who has already taken a deep dive into how important sleep or diet is. There's nothing new here.
January 20, 2026
He raises a number of good points and I’m generally in agreement with him about exercise sleep and alcohol. Some of what he talks about in the nutrition section I disagree with I think he’s pushing dairy unnecessarily and I will side with his former professor, Walter Willett and go against dairy. Also, he says that blueberries are a good source of B12 as far as I understand B12 can only be obtained from animal sources and if you’re a vegan, you know, it’s all about nutritional yeast to get your B12.
April 30, 2026
It took me quite some time to finish this book. Some parts were interesting while others felt downright preachy. His comments about PSA tests came off as reckless. My husband has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and had it not been for his PSA test, we would’ve never known. This man is an Oncologist???
April 27, 2026
This book is infuriating and ridiculous. In part wrong, simplistic, and very opinionated. Much better advice elsewhere.
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