Randy Pausch passed away yesterday of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 47. Pausch was the terminally ill computer science professor whose poignant farewell lecture at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University became a viral video phenomenon and then a best-selling book (see link below). He symbolized living life to the fullest. »more»

"Body Electric" is a companion book to the long-running PBS show of the same name and contains every buzzword that one could want in a fitness program including "convenient, affordable, effective, and enjoyable." Margaret Richard's resistance exercises can all be done at home and are aimed at countering age-related afflictions such as osteoporosis, stiff joints and of course weight gain. »more»

"Skin in the Game" is about fixing the broken health care system in the United States and the first thing I noticed about the book was the praised it was receiving from people like Mark Hurd of Hewlett-Packard, one of America's top CEOs and biggest employers. »more»

Economists look at the world in terms of incentives and disincentives. Telling people to do one thing while providing them incentives to do something else will almost always fail. Welfare programs are the classic example of this quandary. Obesity in America is a multi-billion dollar issue that impacts all facets of the economy so it is not surprising that economists have been studying it. Furthermore, since economics is the study of decision making, they are well positioned to help shed light on the root causes of the epidemic. »more»

Can a book make you smarter? Perhaps not, but "Illusion of Certainty" by Erik Rifkin and Edward Bouwer can certainly help you make smarter decisions--especially when it comes to personal health decisions. »more»

Three recent books about longevity couldn't be more different in their approaches. One is a look at the science, similar to a well-written textbook; one seems prepped for mass media presentation; and one is casually informative. »more»

What would happen if someone attempted to follow the advice of twenty-nine self-help experts over a 2-year period in an effort to be a happier person? »more»

The Cleveland Clinic has released a new book covering the health issues women face at midlife.

"Women's Health: Your Body, Your Hormones, Your Choices" is said to provide "a wealth of information on how women can improve their vitality, longevity, and quality of life." »more»

At its most basic level, the only way to lose weight is to consume less calories than you burn. To burn more calories one must increase physical activity but there is often a limit (both physical and logistical) on how much people can do. Thus the burden for losing weight falls on figuring out how to take-in fewer calories. »more»

From the Fifty-Something Women blog:

A new book by Harvard University sleep expert Dr Sara Mednick, Take a Nap! Change Your Life, describes the simple process of taking a nap as a “lifesaving habit”. »more»