One of the universal inevitabilities of life is that we will all need medical care at some point. Whether it’s illness, injury, pregnancy, or even just a basic check-up, we’re all at the mercy of medicine at some point. But how much do you know about the practice? Unless you studied medicine or a related field or watched a lot of Grey’s Anatomy, chances are your knowledge is limited to your personal experiences. That’s where books can fill the gap. Nonfiction books about health will give you insight from other points of view, like those of patients, doctors, corporations, etc. In the article written below, you will find a list of nonfiction books about medicine.
List of the Best nonfiction books about Health
The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Let’s start the list of the Best nonfiction books about Health with The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee is a nonfiction novel best known for its straightforward explanation of complex concepts in science and heredity. The book explains concepts like science and the human body.
It dwells on how the human body works under evolution and how history still plays a significant part in the behaviour and characteristics of present-day human beings. The book is an eye-opener for both experts and the general audience.
Siddhartha Mukherjee was a great writer who thrived in health-related non-fiction when these books were published. The book was released in 2016. And it made millions over the years. This could be one of the best books to start your nonfiction about health.
The Brain That Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge
Our brain is the most essential organ of the human body, and that is why the second on the list of Best nonfiction books about Health is Norman Doidge’s The Brain That Changes. We are understanding how the brain works and what could be done to have complete control. The brain is a fantastic organ with tremendous power and strength to change itself.
We need to be aware of everything a healthy brain can do. If it weren’t for science, these could be wonders as well. It is a fantastic novel written about neurology. It started with some real-life cases when people who were dated for death because of brain diseases lived far more than the dated time.
The book explains the ability of our brain to understand and adapt itself for our good. The brain isn’t the only organ that’s responsible for our well-being. We control the brain and adjust it when we demand it to do something; this understanding of adaptability could take humans to another level of intelligence.
The book was released in 2007 and was a big hit, even among the general audience—one of the most outstanding books about the brain.
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
The book was released in 2017 and eventually peaked. As we know, sleep is a vital process to keep the human body working well. There are countless problems when sleep is deprived, which could worsen if we continue to go sleepless without knowing the importance of it.
Scientifically, sleep has many commitments besides making us feel fresh. It’s when the body starts to heal, and the more time you can give yourself to sleep, the better the healing and revitalization of the body takes place. The book talks about sleep and how a lack of it crashes the immune system and the overall functioning of our body.
How to maintain it, what it takes to lose sleep emotionally, what role it plays in character and behavior, body changes, mental health wellness, and many more complex ideas and information are available through this book.
One of the most important concepts, one of the most well-written books, and one of the most timeless pieces of information about sleep. This book is a must-read for everyone.
Understanding sleep means understanding mental health. Health would be complete with sleep help books, and this book is just that.
How Not to Die by Michael Greger, MD
How Not to Die by Michael Greger, MD, is an excellent novel about health. It explains how a man could prevent chronic diseases and live peacefully. The book talks about many other medical theories and concepts that could help with regular human life.
The book was released in 2015 and has received mostly positive reviews among the audience. It has a nutritious diet and real-life examples for readers to understand and articulate the book’s purpose. When it comes to nutrition and health, it is easier for a book to explain itself without complicating the language or terms for all kinds of audiences, and this book is one of those.
The book explains complex cases and results with the concepts without confusing or stuffing the audience with medical terms and difficult vocabulary. It’s easy to read and very easy to understand. Hence, a great read serves you if you need to know better about health.
Being Mortal: Medicine And What Matters In The End by Atul Gawande
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande is a book about health, aging, and mortality. It’s written in such simple and patient-friendly language that every reader will understand the complexities and tricks of living as a mortal.
Most of this book is inspired by the concept of mortality, how this world and our bodies react to aging, and how things and bodies change, which would impact our lives forever. The book was published in 2014, and the author, of course, is a medicine expert.
Atul Gawande is a surgeon who talks about diseases and their prevention and cure concepts to the audience in an informative and helpful style. It’s a good read to start your nonfiction health book journey.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a timeless nonfiction novel about medicine and health. It recorded a terrific scientific event and the aftermath of it. It’s not the story of a complete medical process. Instead, it’s a book discussing the beginning of a greater medicinal empire.
The book is about Henrietta Lacks, who dies because of cancer, and the doctors make an amazing discovery. They find out that her cells can survive even outside the human body. They find this an opportunity to develop the medical industry and use her cells for research and experimental purposes.
Even though the book is written entirely in the medicine industry, people find it hard to digest that all this research and discovery is being taken forward without the actual consent of the patient who is already dead.
The book covers everything about Henrietta’s home and family, including friends. This is a great novel about science and the development of the medical industry.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari is a timeless novel about almost everything. The book is an excellent compilation of information about how the world started and how sapiens were born.
As we know, homo-sapiens are the firstborn humans on earth; this book thoroughly explains them in detail, including how they were born and grew up. We also get to know their food and shelter habits and all other atomic information about their lifestyles.
There are detailed notes on what sapiens did and why they did it, according to Human Health. Understanding the beginning of Sapiens helps us understand what we’re doing without knowing the actual reasons. Understanding the start helps significantly in the journey, and this book does just that. Sapiens enlighten everyone about our history, body, health, and health evolution. The list would be empty without this excellent book.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
A pioneering researcher is transforming our understanding of trauma and offering a bold new paradigm for healing in this “Best nonfiction books about Health”.
Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families are dealing with the painful consequences of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; and one in three couples engaged in physical violence. One of the world’s leading experts on trauma is Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk. He has spent decades working with survivors. In this book, he has used many recent advancements to show how trauma reshapes our body and brain.
It explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new pathways to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on his own research and that of Dr. van der Kolk and other leading specialists, the book reveals the enormous power of our relationships—both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.
Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life
Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life could be considered a unique entry in the realm of best nonfiction books about health. This book delves into the science of female sexuality, using groundbreaking research and brain science to offer a fresh perspective.
A fundamental exploration of why and how female sexuality works—based on ground-breaking research and brain science—that will radically transform your sex life into one of confidence and joy.
In the past decades, researchers have been trying to develop a pink pill for women that will work like Viagra for men. So, where is it? Well, for reasons this book makes crystal clear, the pill will never exist—but as a result of the research that led to it, scientists have discovered more about how female sexuality works in the past few years than we ever thought possible. It is possible, and come on, explain it all.
Cutting-edge research across disciplines tells us that the most important factor for women in creating and maintaining a fulfilling sex life is not what you do in bed or how you do it, but how you feel while doing it. This means that stress, mood, confidence, and body image are not peripheral factors in a woman’s sexual well-being; they are central to her. Individuals can create a better sexual life once they get a better understanding of these factors and how one can influence them.
The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-term Health
The China Study: Unveiling the Diet-Disease Connection by T. Colin Campbell is a strong contender for the title of best nonfiction book about health. It tackles the crucial disconnect between our growing obsession with weight loss and the persistent health problems plaguing the nation.
Even today, as fad diets and weight loss crazes sweep the nation, two-thirds of adults are still obese, and children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, typically an “adult” disease, at an alarming rate. If we’re more obsessed with being thin than ever, why are Americans as affected by heart disease as we were 30 years ago?
In The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell details the link between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The report also examines the source of the nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities, and opportunistic scientists.
The China Study is not a diet book. Dr. Campbell cuts through the veil of misinformation and brings an insightful message to anyone living with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, or those dealing with the effects of aging.
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
Michael Pollan’s latest book and “Best nonfiction books about Health”, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, started a national conversation about the American way of eating; now In Defense of Food shows us how to change that, one meal at a time. Pollan gives a new answer to the question of what we should eat, which consists of seven simple words. Eat food.
Pollan’s bold and eloquent manifesto shows us how we can begin to make thoughtful food choices that enrich our lives, expand our sense of what it means to be healthy, and bring joy to eating.
Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar
Glucose Revolution: The Life-Changing Power of Balancing Your Blood Sugar by Jessie Inchauspé might be a great addition to your shelf of health books. As one of the best nonfiction books about health, it dives into the science of blood sugar management and its surprising impact on overall well-being.
One needs to make improvements in all areas of their health, like sleep, appetite, mood, energy, etc. This will slow down ageing by using simple science tricks, which will also manage your blood sugar level when you are eating the food you love to eat.
Glucose, or blood sugar, is a small molecule in our body that has a huge impact on our health. It enters our bloodstream through the starchy or sugary foods we eat. Most of us have an increased level of glucose in our bodies, and most of us don’t.
Entertaining, informative, and full of the latest scientific data, this book represents a new way of thinking about better health. The Glucose Revolution is full of tips that can drastically and immediately improve your life, regardless of your dietary preferences.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
A strong contender for one of the best nonfiction books about health, it explores the profound impact of proper breathing on our overall well-being. It doesn’t matter what you are eating, how you are exercising, or how your body is. Whether you are young or wise or are breathing properly, etc. Nothing is more important to our health and well-being than breathing: breathe in, breathe out, and repeat twenty-five thousand times a day. Yet humans, as a species, have lost the ability to breathe properly, with serious consequences.
Journalist James Nestor travels the world to find out what went wrong and how to fix it. The answers are not to be found in pulmonologist laboratories, as we might expect, but in the muddy excavations of ancient burial grounds, secret Soviet facilities, New Jersey choir schools, and the infested streets of Sao Paulo.
It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways
If you’re looking for the best nonfiction books about health that focus on dietary approaches, then It Starts With Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig is a great option. It Starts With Food outlines a clear, balanced, and sustainable plan to change the way you eat forever—and change your life in unexpected ways. Your success story begins with “The Whole30,” a powerful 30-day nutritional reset by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.
Over the past three years, their underground Whole30 program has quietly led tens of thousands of people to lose weight, improve their quality of life, and have a healthier relationship with food—along with stunning improvements in sleep, energy levels, mood, and confidence. More importantly, followers of their program have reported the “magical” elimination of hundreds of lifestyle-related diseases and conditions.
Infused with their signature wit, tough love, and common sense, It Starts With Food is based on the latest scientific research and real-world experience and includes success stories, a shopping guide, a meal planning template, and a 30-day meal plan. with creative, tasty recipes, and much more.
How Not to Diet
How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Dr. Michael Greger is one of the best nonfiction books about health that explores optimal weight loss through a food-centric lens. Dr. Greger dives deep into how what we eat impacts not just our waistline but also our overall health and longevity.
Dr. Greger focuses on optimal weight loss criteria while considering how these foods actually affect our health and longevity. It outlines the key ingredients of an ideal weight loss diet—factors such as calorie density, insulin index, and the effect of foods on our gut microbiome—and shows how a plant-based diet is critical to our success.
However, HOW NOT TO DIET goes beyond food to identify 21 weight loss accelerators available to our bodies and incorporates the latest discoveries in cutting-edge fields such as chronobiology to reveal the factors that maximise our natural fat-burning abilities. The ultimate weight loss guide was built by Dr. Greger from the ground up, using a timeless, proactive approach that can counter any new trend.
What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat
While traditionally health books focus on weight loss, a different perspective emerges in What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon, making it a valuable addition to the category of Best Nonfiction Books About Health. This book exposes the cultural attitudes and social systems that have led to people being denied basic needs because they are fat and calls for social justice movements to include plus-size people’s experiences. Unlike the recent wave of memoirs, which includes ending legal discrimination based on weight, ensuring equal access to health care for big people, increasing access to public spaces, and ending violence against fat, As she claims, I didn’t come to body positivity for self-esteem. I came to this for social justice.
By sharing her experiences and the experiences of others—from the mildly fat to the very fat—she concludes that being fat in our society must be seen as an undeniable failure, unloved, unforgivable, and morally reprehensible. Everyone needs to work toward promoting fat justice and changing prejudicial structures and attitudes. What we don’t talk about when we talk about fat is a critical tool to create a tectonic shift in the way we see, talk about, and treat our bodies, fat and thin.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande is one of the best nonfiction books about health that explores the limitations of medicine in the face of ageing and death. Medicine has turned childbirth, injury, and infectious disease from difficult to manage to manageable.
But in the inevitability of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too often to conflict with the interests of the human spirit. Concerned about safety, nursing homes strap patients to railings and wheelchairs. Hospitals isolate the dying and check vital signs long after the goals of treatment have become moot. Dedicated to prolonging life, doctors continue to perform devastating procedures that ultimately prolong suffering.
Gawande, a practising surgeon, addresses the ultimate limitation of his profession, arguing that quality of life is a desirable goal for patients and their families. Gawande offers examples of freer, socially fulfilling models of helping sick and dependent seniors and explores different types of hospice care to show that a person’s final weeks or months can be rich and dignified.
Conclusion
Understanding health is the trick to a free, healthy life. The list of Best nonfiction books about health mentioned above by Non-Fictional Books has changed many people’s perceptions and lives worldwide. Hopefully, they will change your life, too. If you found this book helpful, you might also love exploring our collection of 2024 Self Help Books. Discover even more resources to support your wellness journey!