Taking the Heat: How Climate Change Is Affecting Your Mind, Body, and Spirit and What You Can Do About It

The climate crisis is impacting peoples’ well-being, argues meteorologist Schneider (Extreme Weather) in this powerful guide to personal and planetary health. She begins by laying out why readers should take the climate crisis seriously and do everything they can to mitigate it: “The existing and forecasted global rises in temperature pose enormous environmental risks for your personal health and well-being.” To mitigate, she touches on a wealth of areas that are impacted by a changing climate. She examines how climate change is making some autoimmune disorders flare (especially lupus, which is triggered by UV light); describes how infectious diseases such as Lyme are rapidly increasing as mosquitos and ticks are flourishing (and offers a guide to what to do if one finds a tick on their body); and explains how rising temperatures in large cities will lead to an increase in heat-related deaths. She offers plenty of tips for dealing with eco-anxiety, as well: practicing gratitude can help, as can walking mindfully in nature and engaging with the outdoors via gardening. For those interested in staying well while the planet changes, this is a must-read. (Jan.)