Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum’s Heart Book: Every Woman’s Guide to a Heart-Healthy Life

Get out of your head and live in your heart, Lenox Hill Hospital cardiologist Steinbaum urges in this chatty “you go girl” guide to getting and staying on the right health track. Steinbaum decries the “heartsickness” that runs rampant in today’s world, putting increasingly younger women at risk for cardiac disease, an ailment that kills more women than all forms of cancer, lung disease, Alzheimer’s, and accidents combined. Mental stress—encompassing anxiety, depression, hostility, and social isolation—is very damaging; essentially, “the heart is suffering from oxygen deprivation every time you” allocate blood to the brain to deal with stress. Steinbaum illuminates the mechanics of heart disease and counsels women on how they can help themselves, from eating healthy and exercising to keeping a detailed “heart book.” While nimbly tackling the technical aspects of heart disease and preventive measures, Steinbaum’s greatest strength is her ability to connect with readers. “When I say, ‘Live from the heart,’ I’m saying ‘Live from that place of who you are,’ ” she writes. “It’s about really understanding your best qualities and letting them shine.” Her big-sister approach is just what the doctor ordered. Agent: Sarah Jane Freymann, Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. (Feb.)