Zibby's Most Anticipated List: Fall 2026
A 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist
"An engaging and accessible approach to living a happier, less stressful life."
- Kirkus
Twenty years ago, Beth Ricanati, MD, felt overwhelmed as a physician, wife, and mother of three children under the age of six devoted to doing her best at everything. When she started to suffer intermittent chest pain, she attributed her symptoms to heart disease. Then, her physician diagnosed the real culprit: stress. Struck by the toll on her health, Dr. Ricanati sought out a way to manage her stress for the long haul and found the answer in a bowl of dough in her kitchen.
In THE BRAIDED PRESCRIPTION: Seven Practices for Living Well from the Ancient Ritual of Making Challah (She Writes Press; September 1, 2026), Beth Ricanati expands on the story, which she began in her memoir Braided, of how she experienced solace and a newfound centeredness in making the traditional braided bread served in Jewish households on Shabbat each Friday. Eager to share how her weekly commitment to this hands-on activity transformed her health and her life, she launched a unique stress management practice. Since then, she has conducted more than one hundred challah-making workshops with thousands of attendees all over North America and beyond. In her new book, Dr. Ricanati distills and codifies the seven practices that have most resonated with her workshop participants, beginning with Act with Intention, and shows how to apply them to everyday life outside of the kitchen. She also offers doses of medical knowledge and plenty of food for thought.
To bring each of these powerful practices to life, Dr. Ricanati tells the uplifting stories of various people who have embraced her challah ritual, both Jews and non-Jews, including rabbis and a Presbyterian pastor in Texas, sisters and daughters, husbands and wives, medical and high school students, and a judge in her nineties. “In a world where we cannot control so many things,” the author reflects, “the realization that I can modify my stress and therefore impact my health with lifestyle, and that I can teach others to do the same thing, is phenomenal.”
Along with illuminating the seven practices at the heart of THE BRAIDED PRESCRIPTION, Beth Ricanati, MD, can discuss:
What separates a ritual from a routine, and why practicing a ritual like making challah is so powerful and beneficial to the body, mind, and spirit.
The science of intention-setting, a practice that activates mindful awareness while fostering a positive outlook and compassion for others.
Why food truly is medicine and her commonsense take on nutrition: use real ingredients that are easy to pronounce and enjoy almost everything, including sugar, in moderation.
The importance of the tactile arts—working with our hands—and making peace with imperfection.
How to use challah to build bridges—different backgrounds, different faiths, same dough—and use technology and social media for good.
by Beth Ricanati MD A Zibby Owens Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2026
“An engaging and accessible approach to living a happier, less stressful life.”—Kirkus Reviews
For fans of celebrated self-help books The Power of Now and Atomic Habits, an MD's soulful exploration of healing, tradition, and spirituality through the grounding and nourishing habit of baking challah.
What if an ancient ritual could transform the way you live today?
In her beloved first book, Braided, Dr. Beth Ricanati shared how making sacred bread, challah, every Friday for over a decade transformed her life. Now, in The Braided Prescription, she shares insights from her subsequent challah workshops with groups all over America and even abroad, distilling what she’s learned into seven attainable and powerful practices for managing stress in our daily lives.
Blending personal stories, scientific research, and timeless wisdom, Ricanati demonstrates how these seven practices can restore presence in a distracted world, strengthen bonds with family and community, and teach resilience through imperfection. With warmth and wisdom, she shows how the weekly ritual of making challah bread can help us mend what feels frayed, anchor what feels uncertain, and create space for what truly matters.
For readers from every walk of life—including those who have never made dough or even seen yeast—The Braided Prescription is a powerful reminder that small acts, repeated with care, can lead to profound transformation.
BETH RICANATI, MD, is a board-certified internist, expert on women’s health, and author of the multi-award-winning memoir Braided: A Journey of a Thousand Challahs (2018). She has spent her career focused on improving the well-being and lives of her patients in traditional medical clinics and wellness programs, and now also as an author and speaker. She lives in Southern California with her family.
As research shows, lifestyle modifications—including stress management—can reduce the incidence and progression of chronic diseases by as much as 80 percent. Reinforcing this vital fact, THE BRAIDED PRESCRIPTION integrates medical findings with self-help, revered spiritual traditions, and engaging storytelling. I look forward to exploring interview and feature possibilities.
