Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Health & Longevity

“What if wellness wasn’t a series of isolated battles against symptoms but a strategic campaign for vitality?” asks Yang (Achieving Health Equity), a health policy professor at George Washington University, in this comprehensive manual. Yang applies the ancient wisdom of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War to health, arguing “your body is not a battlefield where you wage war against disease, but a kingdom you must wisely govern and protect.” Just as Sun Tzu encouraged “moral law,” or harmony between people and their leader, for example, Yang encourages readers to have a food philosophy that aligns with their values. That could look like eating meals that prioritize environmental sustainability, animal welfare, or religious beliefs. Yang cautions against becoming fixated on health metrics, like step counts and heart rate variability scores, while neglecting keys to overall health, like sleep, relationships, and life purpose. Throughout, Yang passionately makes the case for actively taking control of one’s well-being and shares relatable case studies of people like Sarah, who by approaching her multiple sclerosis “not as an enemy to be vanquished but as a territory to be intimately known” found relief. This is an innovative approach to self-care. (Mar.)