It may not sound like a New Year’s resolution, but Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel is serving up some unusual advice as you start out 2026: Eat your ice cream. “Ice cream will make you happy, and that’s very important,” he explained.

I asked, “Why would I live longer eating ice cream?”

“Ice cream is a good dairy product; it’s got protein, its saturated fats are in a globule, so it doesn’t affect you as much as saturated fats in meats and other things,” he said. “Plus, you typically do it socially with someone else. And you know, being happy is a very important part of living a long time.”

“I feel like your saying ‘eat your ice cream’ is like ‘Don’t stress out as much about life. Be more social,'” I said.

“We’re here for only 75, 85, 90 years. You’ve got to make life enjoyable. You’ve got to make it fulfilling,” he said.

The prominent oncologist and health policy expert is taking a different approach in his new wellness book, called, “Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules For a Long and Healthy Life” (to be published Tuesday by W.W. Norton & Co.). He said, “I want people to stop obsessing. make it part of your life. You should like exercising, you should like eating well. Otherwise, you’re not going to do it for years and years and decades, which is what’s necessary for a long, healthy life.”

The doctor’s health handbook does include the basics of what to eat, how to exercise, and the all-important reminder that sleep is fundamental to wellness. But it goes beyond that, with behaviors that include “Don’t be a schmuck.”

“One of the things that is I think core to the book is, stop doing things that aren’t good for your health,” Emanuel said. “‘Don’t be a schmuck’ is my father’s reference to us when we were being stupid. And so, there are lots of things that we do as human beings that can be schmucky: smoking, vaping, doing drugs, not taking your vaccines. I don’t agree with the current administration, and they’re dead wrong on this.”

Also on the so-called schmuck list: alcohol.

I asked, “This is what everybody wants to know about: the right amount of alcohol, or no alcohol?”

Emanuel said, “There has been a lot of research on alcohol, so here’s the way I distill it: The safest level is probably zero. There are some studies, and we should be clear, where it’s half a cup a day, three cups a week.”

“Nobody drinks a half a glass of wine,” I said.

“So, you drink every other day,” Emanuel said. “On the other hand, 60, 65% of the public drinks. You’re not going from 65% to zero. So, you have to give people reasonable advice. And the reasonable advice is, first of all, no binge drinking, that’s really bad for you. Don’t drink alone. That’s really bad for you. If you’re using alcohol as a lubricant for social interaction, which many people do, that’s probably good; you’re getting some benefit from the social interaction.”

Social interactions – a consistent theme for Emanuel – is something he learned at a young age, growing up with brother Ari, a super-agent in Hollywood, and his other brother Rahm, the former mayor of Chicago and ambassador, who may be running for president of the United States.

I asked, “What is it that your parents taught all of you that has led you, I mean, you’re all incredibly successful?”

“Now you’re gonna make me cry,” Emanuel said, “because every time I talk about my parents and our growing up, I tend to cry. They taught us how to be social and interact with people. They also taught us how to be responsible. One of the things my mom did in raising us is, you know, get out of the house and go occupy yourself. Rahm and I went to school, I was six in first grade, and he was in nursery school. I had to take him from school, walk two blocks across a busy street, get on a bus, pay the car fare, get off at the right spot. I learned a huge amount of responsibility, taking care of my brothers.

“The other thing I think they did, which was super-important for us, is we all slept in the same bedroom. We were a unit. Yes, we fought endlessly. And you know, I like to joke with people, we didn’t go to bed until there was blood, you know, because of all the fights. But we were also each other’s best friends.”

His takeaway: relationships matter.

Emanuel also lists lifestyle choices he considers “anti-wellness,” like chronic stress, a fast-food diet, social media, and dining alone.

“I think people would agree with all of those, with the exception of dining alone,” I said. “A lot of people go to a restaurant or get home from work, and dine alone.”

Emanuel said that should be an occasional thing: “Don’t make it every day. And you know, if you find yourself dining alone, what you should do is call up a friend. If you’re sitting at a bar, right, and you’re dining there, ask the person next to you, you know, ‘Have you been to this restaurant before? What do you do? Why are you here?’ Yeah, strike up a conversation. We underplay those casual conversations and how important they are for us.”

His book also discusses retirement: “Retirement leads to more rapid cognitive decline for people. I say to people, don’t retire. And if you’re gonna retire, you have to plan retirement well, so that you stay engaged, you stay mentally sharp. And that doesn’t mean, ‘Well, you know, I’m gonna try to play the saxophone one day.'”

“But Dr. Emanuel, a lot of retired people like to buy books, and watch ‘Sunday Morning,'” I said.

“Well, if they’re buying books and staying mentally engaged that way, if they’re going to volunteer, say, or they’re talking to friends, or they’re taking up a new hobby seriously, all of that is excellent, highly endorsed,” he replied.

“Meaning don’t retire the mind, or retire your social engagement?”

“Yes, and it’s very important, you’ve got to be deliberate about it. You can’t let nature take its course.”

So, what is his biggest piece of advice for us in 2026? “Build your social relationships,” he said. “It’s definitely the most important thing for long-lasting health and happiness.”

READ AN EXCERPT: “Eat Your Ice Cream” by Ezekiel J. Emanuel, M.D.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Extended interview – Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel (Video)

     
For more info:

     
Story produced by Julie Morse. Editor: Lauren Barnello. 

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Bitcoin is closing the fourth quarter of 2025 on a weak note, reinforcing concerns that the market’s correction phase is far from over. After peaking at around $126,200 in early October, the flagship cryptocurrency has slipped into a sustained downturn, losing 30% of its market value at press time. 

Since that peak, Bitcoin has struggled to decisively reclaim the $92,000 level, with repeated rejection at higher prices highlighting fading demand and growing caution among investors. Notably, crypto analyst GugaOnChain warns that the poor quarterly close could extend downside pressure into early 2026, as both on-chain data and sentiment indicators point to a continuation of bearish conditions.

Capitulation Indicators Signal Market Stress To Remain In 2026

According to GugaOnChain in the QuickTake post on Friday, the BTC: Quarterly Price Performance indicator reports a negative Q4 performance of -19.15%, which serves as the foundation of this bearish outlook. Furthermore, several key capitulation indicators also suggest that the market is unprepared for any form of bullish revival. 

For example, the Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) currently sits below 1 at 0.99, indicating that investors are selling Bitcoin at a loss, a common feature of bear market phases. Similarly, the Short-Term Holder MVRV (MVRV-STH) remains below 1 at 0.87, signaling that short-term holders are deeply underwater and more prone to capitulation at the moment.

Further reinforcing this narrative, GugaOnChain points to the elevated percentage of Bitcoin supply in loss, currently standing at 35.66%, pushing more BTC holders into significant loss positions, thereby reducing confidence and driving market stress. In addition to these metrics, the Fear & Greed Index has dropped into the “extreme fear” zone at 20, suggesting widespread pessimism and risk aversion among participants.

Bear Market Confirmation Indicators

Beyond capitulation metrics, GugaOnChain highlights additional confirmation indicators that suggest that downside risks will remain dominant in the near term. One of these indicators, the Market Cap Growth Rate, measured by the 30-day versus 365-day moving average gap ratio, is firmly negative at -11.65%, pointing to contracting market growth rather than expansion.

Institutional flows also reflect waning confidence. US Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded $825.7 million in net outflows between December 18 and December 24, 2025, highlighting reduced institutional appetite as the Q4 price struggles persist. Meanwhile, the Coinbase Premium Gap has remained negative at –66.11, signaling weaker demand from US-based investors compared to offshore markets.

In assessing these several metrics together, GugaOnChain concludes the crypto market is likely to remain in a bear phase for the next two to three months. Therefore, investors should anticipate further corrections in the first quarter of 2026 until the capitulation signals ease and demand is stabilized.

At press time, Bitcoin trades at $87,436, reflecting a slight market loss of 0.42% in the last day.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from Tradingview

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

Both provisions have the potential to be worth thousands of dollars, depending on the individual taxpayer’s situation and how much they earn. That fact is music to the ears of workers who are struggling to pay higher prices for just about everything.

But there is also the possibility they could cause tension among employees at the same company who could now be taxed differently, says says Marc Gerson, member at Miller & Chevalier and former majority tax counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee, and undermine tax fairness. Why should a server in a restaurant, for example, be exempt from paying taxes while a retail worker earning the same amount is not?

The provisions “arbitrarily reward some workers over others facing the same financial circumstances,” writes Abir Mandal, senior policy analyst at the right-leaning Tax Foundation. This, in turn, “disadvantages workers unable to access tipped or overtime-heavy roles, such as those with caregiving responsibilities or fixed schedules.”

Still, they have garnered widespread support among both Democrats and Republicans. Here’s what taxpayers need to know.

No tax on tips explained

For tipped workers, the legislation provides an above-the-line deduction for the first $25,000 in tips, meaning they can reduce their federal taxable income by that amount. Anything over that does not qualify, and this is not a total exclusion from paying taxes—where applicable, workers will still owe state, local, and payroll taxes that go toward Social Security and Medicare. That said, it could still be worth thousands of dollars a year in federal taxes that tipped workers no longer have to pay.

Exactly what service roles qualify under the legislation is still being hashed out. It is now up to the Treasury Department and IRS to write the regulations for businesses and individual taxpayers to follow, and to list the jobs that qualify for the deduction. The deduction does phase out for those who earn $150,000, and is available for tax years 2025 to 2028, when Trump leaves office. To qualify, the service worker—and their spouse, if they have one and file jointly—needs to list a Social Security Number, meaning many immigrants and those married to them may not qualify.

“To be a ‘qualified tip’ for purposes of the deduction, the amount must meet certain requirements, including being paid voluntarily and determined by the payor,” says Jennifer Karpchuk, co-chair of Holland & Knight’s state and local tax team. “Therefore, for instance, the deduction may not apply where a restaurant adds a mandated gratuity to the bill for parties over a certain size.”

Because many tipped workers are low-income, almost 40% already don’t pay federal taxes on their tips, says Meg Wheeler, certified public accountant and founder of the Equitable Money Project.

According to the Yale Budget Lab, around 4 million people—or around 2.5% of U.S. workers—are traditionally considered tipped workers. There is some worry among experts and economists that the policies could encourage some businesses and workers to change their pay structure to receive more in tips or overtime pay. Just when Americans are growing more and more fatigued at being asked to tip at seemingly every interaction, this change could supercharge the practice.

Businesses may also need to rework how they report tipped income on employee tax forms. Distinguishing between regular wages, tips, overtime, and bonuses adds additional work for employers to absorb, Mandal notes, as well as government revenue departments. At the same time, it could encourage employers not to raise base wages, he says, further shifting the burden of compensation away from the company. 

“It is a win for the business owner,” Karla Dennis, a tax strategist, previously told Fortune about the policy. “They may have more of their employees wanting to work the jobs that earn tips, and it may also help to get more people in these service-oriented jobs.”

No tax on overtime explained

Those earning overtime pay can deduct up to $12,500 ($25,000 for married couples filing jointly), depending on income. Like the tipped income provision, this is available for tax years 2025 through 2028 and phases out for income above $150,000 ($300,000 for couples).

Many of the nuances of the tipped provision also apply here, including that both the taxpayer and their spouse needs a SSN to qualify, experts say. Additionally, overtime deductions must receive overtime pay as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, says Karpchuk.

“It would not apply to overtime that is not required under the FLSA but is instead paid because of contractual provisions or because of more stringent state laws,” she says. For example, overtime promised under a collective bargaining agreement would fall under a contract, while California has a state law requiring daily overtime for hours worked in excess of eight in one day.

More information on exactly what jobs the provisions apply to will be made available in the months ahead.

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Popular crypto analyst with X pseudonym Plan D has shared an interesting prediction of Bitcoin backing the cryptocurrency to attain a $167,000 price target based on the concurrent formation of two bullish chart patterns. 

Notably, the Bitcoin market has been recently rocked by significant levels of volatility following a reawakening of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The flagship cryptocurrency crashed to below $103,000 on Friday, which was followed by a moderate price rebound. 

Bullish Pennant And Falling Wedge Formation: The Audacious $167,000 Target

In an X post on June 13, PlanD shares a rather intriguing Bitcoin price analysis hinting the premier cryptocurrency remains on course for a major price surge. According to the renowned trading expert, Bitcoin’s price action since the beginning of 2025 has consecutively created a falling wedge and bullish pennant formation.

Interesting, both are positive chart patterns indicating an impending price breakout. PlanD’s analysis shows the falling wedge formation is largely represented in the first trimester of 2025, where Bitcoin experienced a prolonged market correction before a double eventual price reversal that broke through the wedge at the $85,000 upper boundary. 

Following this rebound, Bitcoin embarked on a sensational price rally to achieve a new all-time high at $111,814 on May 22, representing the pole of a bullish flag pattern. However, since hitting this price peak, the premier cryptocurrency has slipped into a downward consolidatory pattern, forming a sideways channel over the past two weeks that represents the pennant.

In line with the initial falling wedge, PlanD’s analysis suggests Bitcoin is expected to attain a price target of $121,000.  However, the analyst notes that this bullish situation remains only valid provided the premier cryptocurrency stays above the lower boundary of the pennant at $102,300. 

If Bitcoin bulls are able to hold this price status, PlanD expects a gradual progress to $121,000 and even beyond to the bull flag price target of $167,000. Interestingly, the analyst boldly backs the prediction provided that the specified support is maintained regardless of news developments. 

Bitcoin Price Outlook

At press time, BTC trades at $104,960, reflecting a mere 0.15% decline in the past day. On longer timeframes, the premier cryptocurrency is up by 1.23% on the weekly chart and 2.10% on the monthly chart, suggesting that bullish forces still retain a fading control of the market. 

Related Reading: Bitcoin Flashes Early Buy Signal? – Advanced UTXO Ratio Drops Sharply After Local Peak

To re-enter a price discovery phase that sustains the ongoing crypto bull run, Bitcoin must break above its current all-time high. However, the asset is currently contending with a significant resistance level at the $110,000 zone, which has proven effective following two rejections in the past week.

BTC trading at $104,951 on the daily chart | Source: BTCUSDT in TradingView.com

Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

There’s no question that President Trump’s proposal to stop taxing tips has broad appeal. It’s popular in polling, lawmakers in both parties support it, and now a version of the idea is on its way to becoming law.

But the effect of the policy would actually be quite narrow. About 3 percent of American workers receive tips, but about a third of those employees would not see a gain from the change.

That’s because of the way Republicans structured the policy in the tax legislation they passed through the House recently. Here’s who would benefit under their plan — and who wouldn’t.

The proposal would leave out workers who are not tipped.

The tax break is good news for people in industries like dining, where tips are a big part of worker pay. But it also means that two employees making the same amount, one a bartender and one a retail salesperson, could soon face very different tax bills.