Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being

I currently work in the field of psychology, but I was educated as a research scientist in the area of biochemistry. Prior to that period, I was a teaching fellow in physiology and have had a strong interest in integrative medicine as well as integral psychology. I think this is probably Dr. Weil's best book to date. The suggestions he make are very practical and wise. He also frames aging as something positive, which is unusual in our culture. I think his suggestions for supplementation are also quite good and he provides a lot of good references throughout the text. While the book is more technical than some of his earlier works, it is also very accessible. The technical material that is presented is fascinating and relevant. For the most part, this material is related to the aging process, particularly of cells. He also talks about how turning off these normal processes relate to cancer. I also like this book because it is well-rounded. It covers every sphere of life including exercise, diet, the need for touch, social connection and even spiritual needs. It is comprehensive, yet easy to follow and impliment. The advice seems very sound and responsible to me. This is a great owner's manual for aging. It's a very small investment for a potentially very high return. Also, it's not a lot of hype about staying young forever and making false assertions to prey on people's fear of aging. In short, it's very well done.

Dr. Weil is a pesco-lacto vegetarian. He is the author of a number of books on health, and he is a graceful writer. He is a physician who has one foot firmly planted in the scientific community and another in the world of alternative medicine. He is a man who believes in the scientific method but also believes in intuition and the spiritual nature of human beings. Here is his point of departure for this book: "So please forget about antiaging and avoid obsession with life extension. Instead, let's focus on preventing or minimizing the impact of age-related disease, on separating longevity and senescence, on learning how to live long and well, on how to age gracefully." (p. 85) He is now about 65 years old and much mellowed since the days when he wrote the bourgeois-shocking The Natural Mind: A New Way of Looking at Drugs and the Higher Consciousness (1972), a book that helped to persuade a generation of Americans to question the establishment's anti-drug mentality. The theme of that book was that human beings have a natural drive to explore other states of consciousness. Here he wants to guide us toward not only the acceptance of aging, but to help us make this magical time of our lives fulfilling and as free from illness as possible. To this end he recommends supplements and vitamins, exercise, meditation, etc. He warns us that there is no immorality likely to come our way, and he gives the argument from evolutionary biological and of course the evidence of history. This is the fourth book of his that I have read, and I can tell you that if there were a way to immortality, Weil would have discovered it! He is an expert in all things consumable, from exotic plants and herbs to mainstream medicines to hormonal substances to exotic cuisines from many parts of the globe. He has traveled widely and he reads the journals. He has practiced medicine and he has done research. He is a man I greatly admire. There are two parts to the book: "The Science and Philosophy of Healthy Aging," and "How to Age Gracefully." In the first part Weil explains why we age and warns against the kind of charlatans who would tell us that we can cheat death and avoid growing old. He emphasizes the positive aspects of aging and works to counter our culture's youth bias. In the second part he presents his agenda for aging gracefully. Prevention is emphasized, right habits, right attitude, living in harmony with an older body sensibly while making the most of our acquired wisdom and knowledge to help ourselves and others. He has a 12-point program beginning on page 239. There is a glossary, two appendices, one on "The Anti-Inflammatory Diet," and the other on suggested reading, resources and supplies. I couldn't find anything I would disagree with in the entire book, and I tend to the critical when evaluating books by physicians. But of course Dr. Weil is no ordinary doctor. He is an immensely learned man who is careful, and is himself the best adverti

What's realistic about this book is that it's based upon realistic concepts. Many of the old and recent "aging" books are re-hashed bombardments that focus on the perpetually futile attempt to "turn back the clock." We know this can't be done. Same now, as Ponce De Leon. Dr. Weil calmly and convincingly gravitates toward acceptance and realization, rather than denial. Botox injections and wrinkle creams may help those who use it. It's their choice, and it's fine as long as it's realized that these are cosmetic band-aids. Using food (nutrition), and the physical & mental, can provide ourselves with better quality years as we age. Better lifestyles, less ailments, less pain, lower medical bills, and more longevity. Convincingly, Weil notes basic nutrition, macro-nutrients, EFA Omegas 3 & 6, vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidents, and the G.I. Index and Load. Essential information for attaining a quality of life after the early and mid-sixties, when the body begins to reveal the natural effects of aging more significantly. Reducing stress levels via meditation, Yoga, and breathing exercises can be done at home and for free. Natural Ingredients and activities also act as an insurace policy. These Items and actions need not be expensive. And, they ward-off the negative consequences of neglecting ourselves. Dr. Andrew Weil advocates avoiding animal fats (saturated fats) and processed foods. (The food coloring chemical Tartrazine is in over 85% of processed food in the United States.) Hydrongenated oils (often in breads) are bad for us, and there is an explanation in laymens' terms of specifically, why. He did cite reasearch from areas of the world that have a high percentage of older populations. The author has a very pleasant and comforting writing style. Those with the basic nutritional and supplement knowledge may know many of the concepts and facts discussed, but there are lots of additional pieces of information and facts that can prove beneficial.