Subtitled How to Thrive to 100, Happy Healthy and Wise,
this book by three well-qualified doctors aims to help us
all live longer, healthier lives. They state upfront that
we all need to take personal responsibility for our health
- there will always be some step, however small, that we
can take to help us AGE TO PERFECTION. Our choices, such as
whether to smoke or be exposed to secondhand smoke, can
determine the outcome just as much as our genes or
environment.
Smoking kills a number of people in America equal to the
population of Sacramento, California, annually. This is
the number one killer, say the authors, and should be
avoided in any form. A poor diet is next on their list.
Due to current soil conditions it is hard to get all the
micronutrients we need from food alone. This means soil
which is cropped year after year without any rest by using
artificial fertilisers, so those eating an organically
farmed variety of foods will do much better. Elevated body
fat, high stress levels and a sedentary lifestyle go along
with the poor diet to put the body into bad shape.
Insufficient sleep - the body regenerates during sleep -
and an unhealthy environment with pollutants getting
absorbed by the system, then add to consumed toxins such as
alcohol to pile pressure on the body's immune system.
Populations which include more elderly persons are studied,
from Japan to Italy to Mormons. A general lack of processed
foods in their diet, a good variety of vegetables and
avoidance of toxins are shared factors. Healthy
relationships, exercise and higher education are also plus
signs. When most children in the modern world should see
their hundredth birthday, we need to start making good
choices early in order to realise our potential. It's never
too late to improve your health. Why spend years in a
nursing home when you can be active? Attitude is key, and a
positive outlook is always beneficial - both in the long
term and to overcome crises.
Medical specific advice includes getting your cholesterol
tested, not just for amount but for type as there is a more
harmful type; getting blood pressure and diabetes risk
assessed. Have regular screenings for the common cancers
and get a flu shot. Also recommended is supplementing your
diet, or ideally including in your diet, nutrients such as
CoQ10 and Vitamin D. The authors don't shy away from
telling us that research has found that an enjoyable,
monogamous sex life is beneficial to body and mind. They
add that of all the prescriptions they write, exercise has
the most benefits, and suggest ways to add it to the daily
routine. The most modern innovations, such as gene studies,
are also covered.
I enjoyed not only the straightforward book itself, and its
well-informed advice, but the wealth of quotes we can all
identify with and use for inspiration. AGE TO PERFECTION by
Doctors Mark Anderson, Walter Gaman and Judith Gaman, who
all live in Texas, is just the tonic for bodies and minds,
especially good for anyone over forty. My favourite quotes
were:
"You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get
old." - George Burns.
"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your
talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the
lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this
source, you will truly have defeated age." - Sophia Loren.
Ever wonder why some people live longer than others? Age to
Perfection is packed with sound medical advice and tips on
how you can live a longer and healthier life. This is a
preventative and proactive approach to longevity. Filled
with lists, charts, and helpful tools to help each reader
reach their 100th birthday happy, healthy and wise. Age to
Perfection concludes with interviews from several
centenarians who are living life to the fullest. A fun and
informative read on anti-aging that is different than
anything else on the market.