May 2025
The 2025 Summer Reading List
I used to cringe when I heard the words "summer reading" as a kid. It meant buying books in June, ignoring them all summer, and then panic-reading them in a sweaty sprint the week before school. Now I actually look forward to having the time to slow down and read.
If youāre like me and are planning trips, vacations, or general downtime and looking for a solid book to enjoy, here are some of my top picks:
š Practical Learning
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom
š§ Health & Wellness
Boundless (updated version) by Ben Greenfield
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
š” Psychology & Human Behavior
Build the Life You Want by Arthur Brooks and Oprah
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
š„ Inspiring
Fearless by Eric Blehm
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
šØāš©āš§ Parenting
The Self-Driven Child by Ned Johnson & William Stixrud
How to Raise Kids Who Arenāt Assholes by Melinda Wenner Moyer
š Miscellaneous
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Killing Patton by Bill OāReilly
Got any suggestions? Leave them in the comment section of shoot me an email.
āBrian
š Stuff of the Month
šļø Articles
Top 5 Sensory Play Ideas That Boost Gross Motor Skills in Special Needs Kids
How Can You Tell If Your Childās Reading Delay Is More Than Just a Phase?
Ultimate List of My Favorite Running Gear for All Conditions
Functional Medicine Approach to Plantar Fasciitis Beyond Stretching
Non-Toxic Living: The Laundry Room (Detergents, Stain Removers, & More)
How to Sleep Better Without Pills or Apps: Grounding Sheets 101
Stoicism in the Modern World: Practical Wisdom from Ancient Philosophy
šļø The Growth Kit (Podcast)
š„ Best of the Month
āMarriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard.
Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Choose your hard.
Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard.
Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.
Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. But we can choose our hard. Pick wisely.ā
-Unknown
š§ Podcast: What Sports Betting is Really Doing to Players, Games and Fans by Art of Manliness
š Book: Everything Is F*cked by Mark Manson
š Product: Moonbird. A handheld breathing device that expands and contracts in your hand to guide slow, paced breathing. Iāve been using this a lot lately, especially on my commutes to work and before bed.
ā Question of the Month
Q: Do I really need 8 glasses of water a day?
A: The "8 glasses a day" rule comes from an old-school 1945 recommendation. For one, itās amazing it stuck around and says a lot about confusion about hydration. Two, the recommendation didnāt account for individual differences. Three, science has advanced since then.
Hydration needs depend on factors like activity level, temperature, humidity, your size, and even your diet. A good rule of thumb is to drink to thirst or slightly more. If youāre unusually hungry, drink first since your body can often confuse hydration with hunger. Here are some other points to consider:
Salt matters too: Excess salt can dehydrate you, while too little affects how your body retains water. Itās all about balanceāwater and electrolytes work together.
Stay flexible: Drink when you're thirsty, and adjust for heat, exercise, or salt intake. The two times of year when I need the most water are in January (driest) and July (hottest).
Food counts: Fruits and veggies provide hydration.
Coffee as a diuretic: Coffee can have a mild diuretic effect, but only if you drink it in large amounts. In moderation, it can actually contribute to hydration.
Urine color is key: Light yellow urine usually means you're hydrated; dark urine is a sign to drink more.
Got a question? Email me: contact@mindbodydad.com.
š” Things Iāve Learned
š§ Mind
The 4 Psychological Traits of Political Extremes
Across both ends of the political spectrum, extremists tend to share key psychological traits:
Higher psychological distress
Simplistic thinking
Overconfidence
Intolerance
This review found that both left- and right-wing extremists are more anxious about the future, see issues in black-and-white terms, are certain their views are superior, and are less tolerant of opposing beliefs. These patterns hold across countries and political systems and suggest that extremism thrives during uncertainty and drives polarization, not just in what people believe, but in how they think. Paradoxically, extremists on either side of the aisle probably have more in common than those who are less extreme.
Do this: Be mindful of emotional triggers like fear, anger, or moral superiority in political conversations. Practicing nuance, humility, and open-minded dialogue helps reduce the rigidity that fuels extremism on both sides.
More D, Less Depressionā¦Up to a Point
A meta-analysis of 31 randomized controlled trials including over 24,000 adults found that vitamin D supplementation reduced depression symptoms in people with depression, with benefits increasing in a dose-dependent manner. The strongest effects were seen at doses up to 5,000 IU per day, though most trials were under 24 weeks. No benefit was found in participants with normal vitamin D levels or in trials lasting longer than 6 months. Higher doses beyond 8,000 IU showed unclear effects and may pose health risks if used long term.
Do this: If you struggle with depression and suspect low vitamin D, ask your doctor about testing and safe supplementation. Doses up to 4,000 IU per day may offer benefits, but long-term use above this should be monitored by a healthcare provider. This past winter, I took 5,000 IU of this brand as well as used a SAD lamp and a daily mushroom powder in my coffee to top off my D levels with great subjective and objective blood testing results.
Spend your wealth before your body is spent.
Five Habits for a Happier, Longer Life
Tom Greene from Wit & Wisdom distills decades of happiness research into five clear habits that boost long-term well-being:
Prioritizing faith, family, friendship, and service-oriented work,
Creating meaningful memories early in life,
Understanding that happiness dips in midlife but rebounds later,
Delaying gratification to build resilience, and
Carving out time for solitude and reflection.
Despite cultural myths about success, research shows that fulfillment comes not from status, but from relationships, purpose, and intentional living.
Do this: Invest in relationships and service, spend your best years making memories, practice patience, accept lifeās ups and downs, and regularly unplug for quiet reflection. Read more about the Secrets of Happy People.
šŖ Body
Are Golf Courses Dangerous?
Obviously, pesticides are dangerous, but what if they're used on an incredible scale: golf courses. A brand new JAMA case-control study of over 5,500 individuals found that people living within 1 mile of a golf course had 126% higher odds of developing Parkinsonās disease compared to those more than 6 miles away.
A second, historical study backs this up. It analyzed 686 deceased golf course superintendents (1970ā1992) and found an alarming cancer trend: prostate cancer deaths were nearly triple the expected rate, while brain cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma were also sharply elevated. Respiratory disease mortality was 76% higher than expected, and emphysema was 86% higher. Deaths from diseases of the nervous system were also more than double the norm
Do this: The people in the first study who relied on groundwater were even more vulnerable, so this encourages the idea of making sure youāre using a reverse osmosis (RO) water filter in the home, reducing your overall toxic burden, and advocating for less pesticides if you are a neighbor or member.
Strength Training Cuts Cancer Risk by 31%
A pooled analysis of over 80,000 adults across 11 cohorts (1994ā2008) found that those who did strength-promoting exercise at least twice per week had a 31% lower risk of cancer mortality and 23% lower risk of all-cause mortality. While aerobic exercise also helped (reducing cardiovascular mortality by 22%), the best outcomes came from combining both strength and cardio.
Do this: Incorporate at least 2 sessions of resistance training per week, using weights, bands, or bodyweight movements. Combine with 150 minutes of moderate cardio for the strongest mortality protection.
Is That Receipt Worth It? Just 10 Seconds Can Cross the Safety Threshold
A new analysis by the Center for Environmental Health found that touching a single receipt for just 10 seconds can expose you to unsafe levels of Bisphenol S (BPS)āa known hormone disruptor. CEH has filed lawsuits against 90 companies including major retailers like Walmart and McDonaldās for high BPS levels in receipt paper. BPS can be absorbed through the skin and may disrupt metabolism, reproduction, and development.
Do this: Decline printed receipts when you can. If you must handle them regularly, wear gloves and avoid hand sanitizers which increase the absorption of BPS through the skin.
šÆ Dad
Teens Who Sleep Earlier and Longer Develop Stronger Brains
A study of over 3,200 adolescents from the ABCD study found that device-tracked sleep patterns were closely tied to differences in brain connectivity, structure, and cognition. Teens with later bedtimes, shorter sleep, and higher heart rates had lower brain volume and subcortical-cortical connectivity, while those with earlier, longer sleep showed stronger cognitive performance from ages 9 to 14. Researchers identified three āsleep biotypes,ā with Biotype 3 (early to bed, longer duration, lower heart rate) consistently outperforming others in cognition and brain development.
Do this: Encourage consistent, early bedtimes and sufficient sleep duration during adolescence. Aim for at least 8ā10 hours of quality sleep to support healthy brain development, especially during critical years of growth.
Low Seafood Intake in Kids Linked to Poorer Social Behavior
In a cohort of children from the ALSPAC study, those who ate little to no seafood at age 7 had 35 to 43 percent higher odds of suboptimal prosocial behavior by ages 7 and 9, compared to those who ate at least 190 grams per week. No significant link was found between seafood intake and IQ at age 8, but lower intake correlated with weaker social development. These findings highlight the potential role of nutrients like omega-3s, selenium, and iodine in early behavioral outcomes.
Do this: Include 2 to 3 servings of low-mercury seafood per week in your childās diet, such as salmon, sardines, or mackerel, to support brain and behavioral development.
Why Screen Time Matters More Than Exercise for Teen Mental Health
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open tracked 187 adolescents for eight years and found that limiting screen time had a stronger impact on reducing depressive symptoms than increasing physical activity. Excessive screen use, especially social media, was linked to higher stress, poorer sleep, and greater psychological distress. Teens who met recommended levels for screen time (under 2 hours/day) and sleep reported better mental health, even more so than those who only met exercise guidelines.
Do this: Set a daily screen time limit of under 2 hours, encourage at least 8 hours of sleep, and aim for 60 minutes of moderate movement per day. Take it a step further and encourage more outdoor, vigorous, and social play than screen time per day.for better mood, focus, and emotional well-being.
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