- Lots of practical tips and tools for improving long-term health.
- Easy to read, fun and moves quickly.
- Well organized and explains difficult concepts well.
- Ignores complexity of behavior changes.
- Supplement advice gets complicated.
- Could be overwhelming to some readers.
- Illustrations, call-out boxes and cartoons make the sometimes complex discussions of physiology more interesting.
- A 14-day plan (in part II) to help get you started in healthy living.
- The book has large type and is easy-to-read. You'll be turning pages and making progress.
This is probably the single best book on healthy aging out there. Roizen and Oz simply dive into human anatomy and physiology to help the reader understand what aging really is and what can be done about it. They dispel myths around aging (like the impact of genetics) and give a concrete 14-day action plan at the end.
My main critique is that they underestimate and seem to ignore (to a degree) how very difficult it is for people to make behavior changes. It is one thing to tell people the reasons to exercise, but it is another altogether to help them create a lasting habit. There are hundreds of tips and suggestions in this book, but readers still have to find ways to incorporate them into their daily lives.
My advice is to read this book slowly and focus on making changes. Just getting through the book won't improve your health. As you read, imagine yourself doing the suggestions and tips. Focus on supporting yourself in making these changes. Do the 14-day plan, but be gentle with yourself if you aren't 100%. It takes time to make change.
