Shortform Books

Top Fitness and Workout Apps for Beginners

Do you need help picking a fitness app? What are the top fitness and workout apps for beginners? With so many fitness and workout apps out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with choices. The best app for your needs is not necessarily the one that has the most features (unless that’s what you want!), but one that offers the functionality that is most relevant to your goals. As a beginner, you’ll want exercise break-downs, simple routines, and an interface to track your progress, at the very least. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of top fitness and workout

Do Doctors Really Care About Their Patients?

Do doctors really care about their patients? How much of health care is about the appearance of care as opposed to substantive help? In The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life, Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson say that many of our social systems are driven by ulterior motives. That means that some of our most important institutions—including health care—are built around goals we’re not even aware of. Keep reading for the authors’ argument on institutional hidden motives.

Best Parenting Advice for Raising Confident, Happy Kids

What is the best parenting advice for raising children today? What’s most important to know if you want to raise confident, happy kids? In Unconditional Parenting, author and lecturer Alfie Kohn argues that we should throw away the standard parenting rulebook and replace it with a new approach built on unconditional support, acceptance, and understanding. Kohn’s approach requires rethinking standard parenting, which traditionally emphasizes a system of punishment and rewards when raising children. Read on to learn Kohn’s best parenting advice and why following standard parenting advice might be risky.

Racial Disparities in the Healthcare Industry

Why are Black Americans more prone to disease? What is the main factor behind the racial disparities in the healthcare industry? Black Americans are more prone to illness due to segregated living conditions, and they receive poor treatment in hospitals due to misinformation and racist beliefs that exist in the healthcare industry. This state of affairs is largely a remnant of the slavery and Jim Crow eras. Here’s how racist systems make Black Americans more prone to illness.

Jason Fung: Intermittent Fasting for Obesity

Does intermittent fasting work for obesity? How long should you fast to induce weight loss? According to Canadian nephrologist Jason Fung, intermittent fasting is the key to beating obesity. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern wherein you intentionally stop eating for a stretch of time. Research has shown that regular fasting reduces insulin resistance, lowering your set weight and allowing you to steadily lose fat. Here’s how intermittent fasting can help you put an end to obesity once and for all.

Trouble Concentrating? You’re Not Alone

Do you have trouble concentrating? Why can’t people focus anymore? Stolen Focus by Johann Hari argues that our attention crisis is the result of outside forces stealing our focus. Hari says that there’s obvious proof many people can’t focus: people aren’t reading as much and our minds wander too much. Read below the signs that many people are having trouble concentrating.

3 Rewarding Benefits of Being Mindful

What are the benefits of being mindful? How is your health affected by mindfulness? According to Dr. Judson Brewer in Unwinding Anxiety, there’s a reliable way to recognize and dismantle anxiety and the harmful habits it spawns. He suggests mindfulness—the practice of paying close attention to the present moment without analyzing or judging it. Here are the top benefits of practicing mindfulness.

What Is a Forest Ecosystem? The Science Explained

What is a forest ecosystem? Are forests technically societies? Suzanne Simard’s research suggests that cooperation is the defining nature of the relationship between trees and other plant life. Her book Finding the Mother Tree suggests that a forest ecosystem is very similar to human societies. Read more to learn what a forest ecosystem is and how it’s similar to human societies.

Naked Statistics: Book Review and Commentary

What is Charles Wheelan’s Naked Statistics about? What statistics does Wheelan cover in the book? Statistics help us use data to make sense of the world, and statistical insights help guide modern society, informing medical practices, public and fiscal policy, education initiatives, business and marketing decisions, and so on. But many people find statistics intimidating. In his book Naked Statistics, Charles Wheelan aims to demystify statistics to make them more accessible for non-mathematical audiences. Keep reading for our review of Naked Statistics, including the author’s background and commentary on the book’s approach.

The Common Types of Bias in Statistics

The 25 Cognitive Biases: The Availability Bias

What are the different types of bias in statistics? What are some ways bias can creep into a research project? As individuals and as a society, we rely on scientific research to make informed decisions and to understand the world around us. Therefore, researchers have an ethical obligation to identify and address sources of bias in their research. Statistical bias can make its way into a research project anywhere along the way, from the study’s conception to the research question, the data collection, the statistical analysis, the reporting of findings, and the study’s publication. Keep reading to learn about the