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The best health books 2020, including the best healthy lifestyle books, the best gut health books, the best mental health books, the best healthy eating books, and the best anti-inflammatory books. With so many options to choose from, I’ll show you the best health books of 2020 to gift yourself or a loved one. 

The Best Health Books 2020

To make this as easy to read through as possible, I’ve divided this up into a few different categories. Of course my go-to would be the best healthy eating books – but as a health coach who deals with lots of health issues herself (talk about irony, right?!) I’d be remiss if I didn’t tackle other areas such as mental health, anti-inflammatory and also hormones. Let’s take a look:

Best Gut Health Books

Medical Medium: Cleanse to Heal.

The highly acclaimed author is at it again, this time offering everything that you need to know about doing a cleanse, why you should do a cleanse, and how to do one with success in his new book, Cleanse to Heal.

Think you don’t need a cleanse? Think again. “In today’s world, there are poisons and pathogens that threaten our health starting before we’re even born, and they continue to hold us back as we encounter them in our everyday life,” says author Anthony William. If you or a loved one suffers from anxiety, depression, acne, ecczema, Lyme, gut problems, brain fog, weight issues, migraines, bloating, vertigo or psoriasis, this could be just what you needed. 

The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health.

While not a new book of 2020, I’d be remiss if I didn’t note The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health. In The Mind-Gut Connection, Dr. Emeran Mayer offers a cutting-edge view into this developing science, showing us the full impact of how the brain, gut, and microbiome—the community of microorganisms that lives inside the digestive tract—communicate. When this communication system is out of balance, major health problems can crop up, including digestive disorders, obesity, depression, anxiety, food sensitivities, allergies, and fatigue

Best Healthy Hormone Books

Your Body in Balance

Right before the word seemed to shut down, Neal D Barnard MD FACC, was set to visit in Charlotte and give a talk on his new book, Your Body in Balance. The topics were showing how food contributed to many health issues (infertility, hot flashes, weight gain, hair loss, and more) that were fueled by hormones that are hiding in foods or are influenced by the foods we eat. I was ecstatic to hear the talk, yet alas it didn’t happen as travel and group gatherings weren’t an option, Lucky for us, we can all read Your Body in Balance and understand the delicious solution that improves health, reduces pain, and even helps to shed weight.

Best Mental Health Books

Brain Wash.

If you are a parent or if you love anyone – friend or family – give them this book! Living in our contemporary life, this book explores how our brains are being manipulated, resulting in behaviors that leave us more lonely, anxious, depressed, distrustful, illness-prone, and overweight than ever before. It’s alarming to think that our kids brains are still developing, leaving them beyond vulnerable. If you’ve wondered why you’ve felt more anxious or had decreased happiness and satisfaction in recent years, Brain Wash, complete with a 10-day bootcamp program, a meal plan and 40 delicious original recipes, may be the key to cultivating a more purposeful and fulfilling life. Definitely a different one, but one that was worthy of making my list of the best healthy books 2020.

This is Your Brain on Food

You likely know that what we eat affects how we feel, but  author Uma Naidoo, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist (Harvard Medical School), professional chef (Cambridge School of Culinary Arts), and nutrition specialist (Cornell University) breaks down just what foods may be contributing to your issues, and which foods (or vitamins) can help alleviate some symptoms.

As a mom of four kids, one who has diagnosed OCD and a mother who has Alzheimers, it’s important to me to really be mindful of paying attention to which foods I’m feeding my family. The ‘cheat sheets’ at the end of each chapter in This is Your Brain on Food were excellent (and quick references to which foods to optimize and reduce for various conditions).

Think Like a Monk.

After spending three years at a monastery and living as a monk, author Jay Shetty shares his wisdom and shows us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. If you or someone you know is looking to learn any of the following, then this book is for you:

-How to overcome negativity
-How to stop overthinking
-Why comparison kills love
-How to use your fear
-Why you can’t find happiness by looking for it
-How to learn from everyone you meet
-Why you are not your thoughts
-How to find your purpose

Best Healthy Eating Books

Intuitive Eating: 4th Edition

While you may or may not be familiar with the term Intuitive eating, the principle is simple:

Make peace with food.
Free yourself from chronic dieting forever.
Rediscover the pleasures of eating.

Authors Tribole and Resch break down the barriers in this 4th edition of Intuitive Eating and have helped so many to finally free themselves from unhealthy habits and relationships with food, to make smart food choices and find satisfaction within them, to give themselves grace about their feelings, bodies and themselves, and  to follow body positive feeds for inspiration and validation.

Food Babe Kitchen

I’ve known Vani Hari, aka Food Babe, for almost 10 years now, and it’s been such a pleasure to watch the explosive growth of her business. Her latest book, Food Babe Kitchen, is the newest addition to her lineup (which also includes my favorite protein powder and collagen, amongst a strong lineup of supplements and two other books, too).

This latest book offers 100 new recipes including Baja Fish Tacos, Grapefruit Goddess Salad, Luscious Lemon Bars, and even Homemade Doritos, along with tips on how to shop for the healthiest ingredients by breaking down every aisle in the grocery store with expert label-reading tips and simple swaps, plus a handy meal-planning guide and pantry list to stock your kitchen for success.I personally love the simple substitutions to accommodate vegan, dairy-free, grain-free, and other diets, too! Try Food Babe Kitchen – you won’t be disappointed.

Skinnytaste Meal Prep: Healthy Make-Ahead Meals and Freezer Recipes to Simplify Your Life

I’ve loved watching Gina Homolka, author and head blogger of the famous site, skinnytaste.com, grow her site and offerings over the years. Her recipes are easy, healthy and have beautiful photography – and this new book, Skinnytaste Meal Prep, is no exception.

In addition to sharing 120 healthy, diverse recipes, Homolka also shares time-saving strategies and kitchen hacks that can help you stay on track with your foods and be prepared on busy nights. This is a must for busy moms, working adults or anyone who wishes to eat better without spending lots of time.

Best Anti-inflammatory Books

Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep: 6 Weekly Plans and 80+ Recipes to Simplify Your Healing

Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of the concierge nutrition practice Champagne Nutrition, Ginger Hultin MS RDN CSO, penned the Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep to help anyone battling inflammation and wanting to reduce it. You may be asking – how do I know if I have inflammation? Inflammation is the base of many conditions, including auto-immune arthritis, fibromyalgia, IBD (Crohn’s or Colitis), can put you at risk for heart disease and/or cancer, diabetes, asthma and even Alzheimers’s Disease. So clearly it’s something to take note of. 

Whether you or someone you know has inflammation and is tackling it, this is the perfect book to help anyone ‘break up with processed foods’ through structured meal plans and healthy recipes. As an aside, you can read more about my story about why I’m on a grain-free diet – and spoiler alert – it has to do with inflammation!

The Clean Eating Kid 

So how about if your child has inflammation? How do you handle that one? For those with children who suffer from chronic health conditions like sensory conditions, ADD or ADHD, depression, anxiety, asthma, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, arthritis, respiratory conditions, poor digestion, food allergies, obesity, or developmental learning disorders, The Clean-Eating Kid reveals how all of those conditions may share the same root: inflammatory eating. Author Jenny Carr learned firsthand from her son how changing her child’s diet can have profound effects on his health and well-being. For any parent who has a child with any of the above issues – this book is a must.

So there you have it – my top 20 healthy books of 2020. I know there are so many other good ones out there. What have I missed??!