This list of the best-selling health and wellness books in Canada is part of our Shop The Street series. Our editors curate collections of new and noteworthy products (and let you know why you should add to cart). Know, though, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Listen, we won’t take it to heart if our stories about health and fitness aren’t enough for you. We just want what’s best for you: a healthy, happy life. So that’s why we are excited to launch this list of Canada’s best-selling health and wellness books (data provided by Audible). So, take a browse and see what you should suggest for your next self-help book club read.
The top 10 health and wellness books in Canada
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1. Atomic Habits by James Clear, narrated by the author (Penguin Audio)
Need a cheat sheet for decision-making? This practical book is all about building good habits and breaking the bad ones by recognizing your identity, stacking habits and patterns, and designing an environment to support you.
James Clear is an author, speaker and productivity expert who started blogging his habit secrets in 2012.
2. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, narrated by Sean Pratt and the author (Penguin Audio)
Give your digital detox purpose after reading this book – and it might even help you get over FOMO. Find out how our phones and social media feeds can trigger anxiety, depression and other mental health struggles. It also looks at device-free play for kids, overprotective parenting and excessive screen time and how it affects feelings of independence.
Social psychologist and NYU professor, Jonathan Haidt conducts research on morality, culture and social psychology and has written three other books. Sean Pratt is a professional book narrator.
3. The Courage to Be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi, narrated by Adrian Mulraney (Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd)
How freeing would it be not to care if you’re liked? Happiness comes from accepting yourself, letting go of trauma and focusing on personal freedom rather than seeking approval from others.
Japanese philosopher and psychologist Ichiro Kishimi and journalist Fumitake Koga have made Adlerian psychology (social interactions and feelings of belonging) accessible and understandable. Austrian voice actor Adrian Mulraney has narrated multiple books.
4. 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson, Norman Doidge MD, narrated by author (Random House Canada)
The book’s viral 12 rules for living life are a fan favourite among many Canadians. Some are good for the body and mind, and others are a bit tongue-in-cheek. Either way, it’s an entertaining and enlightening read.
Canadian psychologist and former U of T professor Jordan B. Peterson and Canadian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge take a balanced approach to the human mind and its impact on our lives.
5. Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, narrated by the author (Little, Brown & Company)
What is best for humankind? This book looks at how small actions can escalate into major societal shifts, including the COVID-19 pandemic. If you love social psychology, decision-making and human behaviour, you’ll love this.
Known for his impactful storytelling, Canadian journalist and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell wrote the original The Tipping Point, among others, to which this book is a follow-up.
6. We Who Wrestle with God by Jordan B. Peterson, narrated by the author (Penguin Audio)
What can you learn from Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and the Tower of Babel? It’s not just about good versus evil, as this book points out, but it also explores human nature, morality, and life’s meaning, serving as guides for personal and societal transformation.
This is Jordan B. Peterson’s second book on our best-selling book list this month.
7. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk MD, narrated by Sean Pratt (Penguin Audio)
We’re all healing, #amirite? Find out how trauma can affect the brain, the body and the mind in this book. And it doesn’t end there, as it also can impact our emotions, how we behave and ultimately our physical health. Learn about treatments, including mindfulness, EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and, yes, yoga.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a Dutch-American psychiatrist and researcher who specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sean Pratt is a voice actor and this is his second book reading on this list.
8. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie, narrated by Andrew MacMillan (Simon & Schuster Audio)
You don’t have to be a reality star on Big Brother or Traitors to see how having people on your side is a good thing. This how-to book shows how you can communicate effectively through compassion, empathy and honesty.
American writer and self-improvement instructor Dale Carnegie passed away in 1955 at the age of 66. This book was published in 1936. Andrew MacMillan is a voice actor.
9. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, narrated by Theo Solomon (Blackstone Publishing)
Read about the first-person experience of living in Nazi concentration camps, and how inmates typically go through three stages: shock, apathy and an emotional death. But that can be avoided by finding meaning.
Neurologist and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl founded logotherapy based on the idea that we look for meaning in life to survive. Theo Solomon is a voice actor.
10. Scattered Minds by Gabor Maté MD, narrated by Daniel Maté (Knopf Canada)
Recently lots has been written about ADHD and the role of genetics. But this book looks at how our social and emotional environments can be both a cause and cure for children and adults.
Canadian physician Gabor Maté is an expert in childhood development. Dr. Maté’s son, Daniel Maté has previously co-authored the book The Myth of Normal.