What I Wish People Knew About Dementia by Wendy Mitchell review – a book of hope

Wendy Mitchell’s good-humoured practical guide to living with dementia has a deeper, more existential message for all of us: connect, forgive, accept and live

The big idea: is going vegan enough to make you – and the planet – healthier?

Simply avoiding meat and dairy isn’t going to cut it if you still turn to ultra-processed foods

Sweat by Bill Hayes review – a history of the physical that gets personal

An all-encompassing book about bodies and exercise through the ages that leaves you hungry for more

Smile: The Story of a Face by Sarah Ruhl review – a bruising battle with Bell’s palsy

The playwright’s fascinating book shows how a decade-long struggle with the condition profoundly affected her sense of self

Can a sick note make you better? Dr Gavin Francis on the power of convalescence

After serious illness, busy lives mean a proper convalescence is now a rarity. But a full and proper recovery takes time. GP and writer Gavin Francis reveals why a sick note can be a ‘powerful prescription’

Easy wins: better than a warm cup of milk, read for six minutes before bed for good sleep

Committing to six minutes of reading a night before bed sounds easy – and it is. Not only can it improve sleep and reduce stress, but you’ll be better read too

Recovery: The Lost Art of Convalescence by Dr Gavin Francis review – the art of getting better

This helpful history and guide reveals that the sometimes difficult healing process is part of what makes us human

Smile by Sarah Ruhl review – what if you could no longer look happy?

Robbed of her smile by Bell’s palsy, the playwright is forced to confront difficult truths in this moving and subtle memoir

A moment that changed me: I was crippled by negative thoughts – then I bought a silver bracelet

My self-esteem was at rock bottom, but on a break from my academic job I found myself in Paris. As I wandered through the city, an impulse buy gave me hope I could value myself again

Pick the habit: the best podcasts to get you into a new hobby

Want to learn a language, start gardening, read more, or make running and meditation a habit for the new year? There’s a podcast for that …