The Self-Care Solution

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, chief medical correspondent for ABC and an obstetrician-gynecologist, sets out to improve her own well-being in a way most people can manage. Her plan spreads a year of health changes into twelve separate challenges, each lasting one month, covering both emotional and physical wellness.

Each month she takes on a new focus, such as giving up alcohol, building up her push-up count, going to bed earlier, or stepping away from screens. She describes the difficulties she runs into, the rewards she notices, and the research behind each challenge. Because she is both the expert and the test subject, the book reads as a firsthand account as well as a health guide.

Alongside her own story, the book offers plain-language medical information meant to help readers understand why each change matters and how to keep with it. It also covers practical steps like adding cardio or learning to meditate, and it presents mindful living as a way to find a healthier balance. Photos and charts illustrate the text, and advice from other experts, case studies and practical tips appear throughout.

The overall goal is to help readers make lasting changes rather than short-lived resolutions. Written for anyone who wants a more active, healthier routine, the book shows how a series of small, manageable steps can add up over a year.