Reading Guide | The Health Sessions

Armchair Journey: 9 Travel Memoirs for a Mental Escape

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” – Mason Cooley

Great stories transport you to a different world. They can take you back in time, through different regions or even to a fictional universe. Especially travel memoirs will introduce you to exotic cultures and customs.

But a good travel memoir doesn’t just bring you on an imaginative trip around the world – it also reflects on how those experiences took the writer on transformative journey inwards. You won’t just get insights about tourist landmarks, foreign traditions and cuisines, but also about who you are and your place in this ever-changing world.

If you loved reading Eat Pray Love or Into The Wild, which other books could offer a mental escape? Take a look at this mix of classic and recent travel memoirs to take you on an armchair journey.

7 Inspiring Reads about Living with Chronic Illness

This article is written by Katherine Rundell.

Being diagnosed with a chronic condition is a huge challenge, often in unpredictable ways. As your life changes, it can be hard to know how to respond, and your loved ones often struggle how to help as well.

These books offer a wide range of perspectives into living with chronic illness. So whether you’re dealing with chronic illness yourself or someone you love, get reading, get learning and get empowered.

10 Summer Essentials for a Fun Staycation

Ok, you’ve got your bathing suit, shades and sunscreen covered. But which other summer essentials do you need to turn these warm months into a fun and relaxing time?

No matter if you’re hitting the beach or hanging out in your backyard, here are 10 must-have items for a summer to remember.

Women’s Wellness: 5 Reasons Why We Need Feminist Medicine

Chances are, you’re thinking: Feminism?! What’s that got to do with my health?

Well, more than you’d think.

Over the past century, women’s rights has gotten a long way in many countries around the world. From being able to vote to access to birth control and receiving equal wages, lots of effort has been made to close the gender gap.

But there’s one important area where there’s still work to be done: medicine.

And I’m not talking about having more female doctors in hospitals, although that of course would be great too. No, I’m referring to the fact that, until recently, the medical world wrongfully assumed that women and men were pretty much the same health wise.

Historically, women have been discouraged from taking part in clinical trials. Except for obvious areas like gynecology and breast cancer, the (white) male body has long been the standard for the human body. That meant that half of the population was overlooked when it came to developing new meds and diagnostic guidelines.

Let’s take a closer look at 5 reasons why we still need feminist medicine today.

3 Inspiring True Stories about Overcoming Illness

One of the hardest things about chronic illness is that there’s no end date. You have no idea when, if ever, you’re going to feel better again.

On days when it feels like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, transformational stories can be powerful tools to keep hope alive. During my sickest periods, I turned to books and movies about epic quests and kick-ass heroines overcoming hardship against all odds to spark my determination. And what’s more motivational than reading true stories about what others have done to overcome illness?

Don’t get me wrong: regaining your former health may not always be possible. No matter how hard you try, your body may not be able to heal itself. And that may be a harsh fact to accept. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t improve your quality of life and reach your own definition of recovery.

So fuel your motivation and determination with these 3 inspirational memoirs about overcoming illness.