experiencelifemag.com

Print › | Back ›

YOU: Staying Young

By Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD (Free Press, 2007)

In their latest collaboration, the side-splittingly funny doctors Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz (authors of the best-selling You: The Owner’s Manual) explain the science of aging in all its glorious (and gory) detail: They cover arteries and how they clog; memory and why it fails; plus, sleep, stress, sex hormones and the heart-saving power of dental floss. They also argue that the effects of aging, while not entirely avoidable, can be extremely variable — and that you’ll enjoy your later years much more if you heed even a little of their advice. Each chapter begins with an accessible explanation of its aging-related subject matter (from heart health to cancer to menopause) followed by a wealth of tips and tools to improve your lifestyle habits and increase your body’s overall capacity for repair and regeneration. The list of recommended behaviors is long but easily achievable: Walk 30 minutes a day, tell jokes (it’s good for the brain), and be extra sure you’re getting your omega-3 fats. The weighty topics are lightened by cartoons and diagrams, and made more practical with a 14-day “starter program” that condenses key points, helping you jump-start healthy-aging habits with a little step-by-step guidance. An excellent primer on the nuts and bolts of graceful aging.