Publisher: William Morrow
Published: February 9, 2021
Source: Publisher
Summary:
From Dr. Jennifer Ashton—the Chief Medical Correspondent at ABC News covering breaking medical news for Good Morning America and GMA3: What You Need to Know—comes a doctor’s guide to finding resilience in the time of COVID, while staying safe and sane in a rapidly changing world.
In March 2020, “normal” life changed, perhaps forever. In its place we were confronted with life and routines that were unusual and different: the new normal. As we’ve all learned since then, the new normal isn’t just about wearing masks and standing six feet apart—it’s about recognizing how to stay safe and sane in a world that is suddenly unfamiliar. And no one understands this evolving landscape better than Dr. Jennifer Ashton. As ABC’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Ashton has been reporting on the novel coronavirus daily, helping Americans comprehend the urgent medical updates that have shaped the nation’s continued response to this public health crisis.
Now in The New Normal, Dr. Ashton offers the essential toolkit for life in this unfamiliar reality. Rooted in her reporting on COVID-19 and the understanding that the virus isn’t going anywhere overnight, The New Normal is built on a simple foundation: thriving in this evolving world demands accepting the new normal for what it is, not what we want it to be. No longer is wellness a buzzword, but an imperative for surviving this unprecedented time. Using her trademark practical, easy-to-follow advice, Dr. Ashton gives you all the necessary information to reclaim control of your life and live safely—from exercise, to diet, to general health—showing how to prepare your body and mind for challenges such as:
– Taking proper medical precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones
– Exercising during the pandemic, even if you no longer feel safe at the gym
– Finding emotional balance through these uncertain times
– Deciphering complicated medical news to learn what to trust and what to ignore
With these straightforward and accessible strategies and many more, Dr. Ashton helps empower you to make the unexpectedly hard decisions about socializing, food-shopping, seeing doctors, and most of all, finding normalcy. At once reassuring and urgent, The New Normal is a holistic roadmap through the ongoing struggles of the pandemic, providing the guidance you need to navigate this unsettling time and take charge of your future wellbeing.
My thoughts:
As soon as I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it. I don’t often gravitate towards nonfiction, and I certainly do not read a ton of medical/self-help/psychology books, but after all that we have gone through since the beginning of this pandemic, I knew this was a book I wanted/needed to read. And I respect Dr. Jennifer Ashton. I may not always catch her when she is on television, but I know she is a trusted source.
I loved how accessible and practical this book is. It is not filled with medical jargon, but rather broken down into easy to digest parts that make you want to read the book. Whether you decide to read it cover-to-cover, or read parts here and there, it is definitely one that I am glad I now have in my collection. She presents information and allows you to then decide how you should proceed in your life. She doesn’t make the decisions for you. She isn’t telling you what you should or should not be doing.
I think the number one take-away from this book is self-care. You cannot get through anything is you don’t take care of yourself and what I love is that she uses her own life to show the importance of this. She shares anecdotal stories of how she coped during the height of the pandemic, which just makes the book all the more relatable.
I know this book is one that I will reference again and again. As it was written prior to vaccines coming out, there is no talk about that, but it is chock full of other very practical, helpful guidance.
