Read It: Dr. Frank Lipman's The New Health Rules

“This book is not meant to change you in a weekend.” This powerful statement is what opens The New Health Rules, the informative and easy-to-digest book published this month by Dr. Frank Lipman, the renowned integrative medicine physician and expert on health, wellness and better living. Lipman has teamed up with Danielle Claro (a known yogi and writer), and the result is a beautiful, straightforward book offering advice on everything from getting more sleep to taking the necessary daily supplements, and even reducing the chemical load in our day to day products around the home. In short, this book isn’t re-inventing the wheel, it is steering you in the right direction while on the path to a healthier and more well balanced lifestyle. Lipman is no stranger to wellbeing. From his private practice in New York City, the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center, he treats patients from all backgrounds with varying health and wellness concerns. With The New Health Rules, Lipman and Claro use stunning photography, pretty typeface and basic explanations for anyone ready to kick start the process of real, sustainable change.

Sign up for the Charlotte's Book newsletter to be entered to win a copy of The New Health Rules! Winner will be chosen on Monday, January 26, 2015 at 12 p.m.

Five Pillars To A Better You Lipman lays it bare: Manageable, life-changing tips and advice, backed by medical research and to-the-point explanations. Easy enough, yes. But in a typical day for a typical busy professional, it is often easier to reach for the cookies instead of the kale, or give in to that extra glass of red when your body is telling you “no, you really don’t need another glass”. Here are Lipman’s five to feel (and stay) alive: 1. Eating 2. Moving 3. Boosting 4. Healing 5. Living The saying goes “eat to live, don’t live to eat”. And The New Health Rules clearly tells you why and what to avoid. You love your morning coffee. So go for it. But leave the Splenda, Equal and other artificial sweeteners out of it. Come lunchtime, make that salad an organic and colorful one and don’t shy away from the “good” fats: ripe avocados, coconut oil and walnuts. We’ve read about the power of “fatty” fishes and Lipman lets us know why and how often we need them. Clean eating will ultimately lead to a clean body. Moving, as we know, is a fact of life. The digital age has ushered in a culture of “computer potatoes” and too many of us have become more sedentary than we want to admit. “Stay in shape with short bursts of intense exertion,” explains Lipman, “with periods of leisurely movement.” In short, take the stairs up when you can and walk home from the office if possible. Tip: Every hour, move for at least 5 minutes and you'll experience the difference.

Sign up for the Charlotte's Book newsletter to be entered to win a copy of The New Health Rules! Winner will be chosen on Monday, January 26, 2015 at 12 p.m.

Boosting, Healing and most importantly, Living! We all know Vitamin D is essential—a daily dose and then some if you are in an area with little or inconsistent sunshine. Sunscreen is of course a smart essential, but the sun in small doses can be helpful, too, given Vitamin D is hormonal we need a fair dose of it in our lives. We at Charlotte’s Book are fans of acupuncture and know both the healing and relieving powers of consistent treatment. Lipman tells us that much of what may be troubling our bodies—muscle pain, insomnia and even the occasional headache—can be eased or completely eradicated with the restorative flow that acupuncture provides. “Don’t be afraid of acupuncture,” the doctor states. Favorite takeaways from Dr. Lipman that team Charlotte’s Book will be incorporating more into our regimens in 2015: Water will be our new "default beverage”, we’ll be listening to more music, taking breaks from our laptop screens and making efforts to de-clutter our personal spaces. Sound advice that isn’t always easy, but with The New Health Rules as our guide, we know we are on the right course to wellbeing. In short, Dr. Lipman is making us want to get all the more healthy. Look to The New Health Rules in 2015 to not only motivate and educate yourself on better living, but to help you get back on what we believe is the right track. Per usual, any adjustment to your diet or exercise routine should be discussed with your physician and/or healthcare practioner. WORDS: According To Dawn