The 2026 book Eat Your Ice Cream by Dr Ezekiel Emanuel is a fast, fun, data-driven romp through obvious – and obviously important – information about how to live a healthier life. The best advice of all, buried in the middle of the chapter on diet (lightly edited for style and concision):
Don't obsess. Do what you can, and make it habit that fits into your life. Don't get overwhelmed and do nothing.
Some key points to remember (and practice!), as per the Table of Contents:
- Don't Be a Schmuck — Avoiding Self-Destructive Risks
- be sensible about self-care – don't smoke or vape, drink excessively or alone, do drugs, drive impaired, etc
- Talk to People — Cultivating Family, Friends, and Other Social Relations
- be bold in starting conversations and making new connections – "emotional wellness behaviors" are as important as exercise, diet, sleep, and other "physical wellness behaviors"
- Expand Your Mind — Staying Mentally Sharp
- be curious, keep learning, work on your weaknesses, explore and experiment
- Eat Your Ice Cream — Consuming Healthy Food and Drink
- be wary of sugary (or artificially-sweetened) drinks, snacks, and ultra-processed foods; eat less meat and salt; go for more fruit, dairy, and fermented foods
- Move It! — Exercising Well and Regularly
- be active across the spectrum of aerobic, strength, and balance-flexibility exercises – make them a habit, regularly and in moderation
- Sleep Like a Baby — Getting the Rest You Need
- be aware of practices that hinder the odds of good sleep – in the hours before bedtime get away from electronic distractions, control caffeine, avoid alcohol, etc
... and from the Afterword, Be a Mensch:
- wellness is about social relations and staying mentally engaged – more so than eating, exercising, and sleeping
- wellness is a lifestyle – a pattern of multiple behaviors that reinforce one another
- wellness is a means, not an end – the purpose is to enable a good life, full of useful activities and rich relationships
Dr Emanuel's bottom line:
Be a mensch. Keep sight of the reasons you want to live longer. Don't just try to accumulate years of life without appreciating their value.
And what's missing from this book? Besides the lack of an index, there's little or no discussion of sex, love, life-partnerships, poverty, or disease. Epidemiological data are presented inconsistently. The author's personal passions (e.g., chocolate and cooking) get more coverage than they merit. And the title is inaccurate and deceptive – Emanuel's actual advice about ice cream includes multiple caveats about not indulging often or to excess.
But those are all minor nits compared to the balanced, solid advice that Eat Your Ice Cream offers. The challenge, of course, is to do it!
(cf Franklin's Virtues (2008-05-23), Disease as Journey (2009-12-16), Happier and Healthier (2020-07-08), Retirement Mental Health Advice (2023-05-25), Recovery to Health (2023-09-18), Mantra - Community, Health, Adventure, Purpose (2024-02-18), Celebrate Healthy Habits (2025-01-07), Better Brains via Exercise, Diet, Thinking, and Friendship (2025-08-08), ...) - ^z - 2026-02-19