Great Reading!!

We are all students, whether we are returning to high school or taking an adult education course in the evenings. Of course not all learning is in a formal setting like the classroom. Most of us continue to soak up knowledge from life experience, smart friends, or good books. I have recently come across several manuscripts that are not only interesting reading but also provide excellent medical advice. Specifically I want to recommend three books that directly and practically address the broad topic of healthy aging.
It is a misnomer to talk of anti-aging concoctions or secrets because everyone and everything ages. In spite of late night infomercial’s claims, we all are going to get older. Time travel has yet to be perfected and that would truly be the only way to thwart the aging process. Between you and me I wouldn’t want to go back to the seventies even if it was possible. Disco gave me headaches and Puka beads clashed with my acne. The point is that aging is an unalterable law of physiology. What we really crave are tools for slowing the process or aging in such a way that minimizes morbidity. I think an admirable and achievable goal is to live as long as possible, but live it well. It is in that spirit that I offer three books that capture this philosophy, each specific to their own concentration, but unified in that they all agree that living a long life is valuable if it can be done in a way that allows for physical and emotional independence and productivity.
In 2008 Dr.John Ratey published Spark: The Revolutionary Science of Exercise and the Brain. I know, it sounds like some science fiction account of monkey brain experiments, but it is a masterful explanation of why those of us who exercise feel the way we do, and more importantly why those who don’t exercise, should! Ratey embarks upon a fascinating and entertaining journey through the mind-body connection, presenting startling research to prove that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to Alzheimer's disease. “Spark is the first book to explore comprehensively the connection between exercise and the brain. It will change forever the way you think about your morning run---or, for that matter, simply the way you think”, states a review from Amazon.com. It is chock full of case histories from real persons who have transformed their lives by incorporating exercise as part of both prevention and treatment of disease. It will motivate you to get off “the couch of doom”, throw away your bag of Cheesie Poofs, and get moving…literally.
The China Study by world renown epidemiologist T.Colin Campbell,PhD, is a groundbreaking description of the findings of one of the largest studies ever done on nutrition, disease and longevity. This should be distinguished from The China Syndrome which was a very bad movie with Jane Fonda that watching can actually shorten your life…but I digress. This study examines more than 350 variables of health and nutrition with surveys from 6,500 adults in more than 2,500 counties across China and Taiwan, and conclusively demonstrates the link between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. While revealing that proper nutrition can have a dramatic effect on reducing and reversing these ailments as well as curbing obesity, this text calls into question the practices of many of the current dietary programs, such as the Atkins diet, that are widely popular in the West. The bottom line in this book (not to spoil it for you I hope) is that a whole-food, vegetarian based diet is unquestionably the most healthy and, along with overall calorie restriction, associated with longevity. Finally some validation that my tofu casserole surprise is the master food!
The final must read to ruin your family’s dinnertime is The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner. This is the most recent book by National Geographic explorer (and husband of Cheryl Tiegs) that focuses on several areas in the world that have an unusually high number of people over 100 years old. What I found fascinating is that even in diverse cultures, the basic principles of longevity are congruent. Exercise, stress control, dietary discipline, and having a sense of purpose all headline ways to age well. The strength of this book lies in the vigorous and voluminous data collection and the personal approach to telling the story. Translated: it’s a fun read that leaves you with some important insights.
So pack a lunch of bean sprouts and cabbage, hop on your bike, and merrily peddle off into longevity and don’t forget to tote these three books along with you as your guides to living well for a long, long time.