Top 5 books to learn about your body

Have you been curious to learn more about your body, but not sure where to start? 

Don’t worry, you’re in the right place! This blog is a guide to the top 5 books that will help you learn more about your body. Not only will they spark curiosity, they will also give you the joy of connecting more deeply with yourself.

With so much information out there on the internet, it can get overwhelming to decide what to look at and trust. This list cuts through the noise and brings you thoughtful, accessible books, so that there’s truly something for everyone.

1. Pain and Prejudice- Gabrielle Jackson

First on this list is Gabrielle Jackson’s Pride and Prejudice, which dives into the conditioned sexism baked into modern healthcare. She shows how men’s health is often treated as the “default,” while women’s health, despite needing different approaches and treatments, is usually sidelined.

As an investigative journalist, Jackson brings a sharp and critical point of view on this subject, while also blending it very well with her own personal experience. 

This book will help you understand how deeply gender bias shapes the way women’s bodies are treated in healthcare, and why it matters for your own health.

What's great about this book is that it doesn’t just spotlight the problems in glaring detail, but also offers practical solutions for creating a safer, more inclusive healthcare system for women.

2. Alive: An Alternative Anatomy- Gabriel Weston

Gabriel Weston’s Alive: An Alternative Anatomy is a super interesting read because it takes a new look at the human body. While ‘anatomy’ literally means ‘to cut up’ the body, Alive takes us organ by organ, rethinking the role of each one through a feminist lens.

While you have usually learned the scientific aspect of a human body, the physical and emotional experience of what it feels like to “live in one,” is often not unexplored. 

That’s what makes this book so interesting, it takes a big, complicated experience and makes it easy and fun to understand! 

The Guardian called it ‘Bold, humane yet unsettling,’ so if that sounds like something you’re looking for, definitely check this out!

3. Sex Matters- Dr Alyson McGregor

Sex definitely matters, especially when it comes to healthcare.

Similar to the first book on the list, Dr. Alyson McGregor’s Sex Matters shows why women’s health needs its own approach, and how male-focused medicine has shaped the way women are treated.

With a title so simple, yet so powerful, this book highlights the hard truth of the system, but it also gives you the tools to understand it and tips to navigate it for yourself.

4. My Period: Find Your Flow and Feel Period Positive!- Milli Hill

We get it, starting your period can be both exciting and scary and you’re probably “happy, free, confused and lonely at the same time!” 

My Period: Find Your Flow and Feel Period Positive by Milli Hill is like a friendly guide that answers all your questions, from getting ready for your first period to handling everything that comes after.

She doesn’t just give you information, she shows you how amazing the female body really is, and what’s happening inside it each month. 

When you realise how incredibly strong our bodies are, you will really start appreciating it for taking care of you!

5. The Science of Menopause: Understand Your Body, Make the Right Choices- Phillipa Kaye

Menopause can be challenging and different for every woman, which makes it tricky to know what to expect. The Science of Menopause by Phillipa Kaye helps you understand your body and make the choices that work for you.  

This book features the latest research, backed with informative and beautiful illustrations that gives you a better understanding of menopause, what it is, the signs and symptoms to look out for, and how to navigate it with confidence.

If you’re someone going through perimenopause, menopause, post menopause or even if you’re nowhere close but want to know more, this book will be a great read. 

There's no limit to knowing more about your body, and in this case, the more you know, the better!

These five books have something for everyone, and the more you know about your body, the more empowering it can feel to live in it. 

Remember, a positive relationship with your body can go a long way!