Description
Review
Jones, a retired cardiovascular surgeon and visiting professor of medicine and medical ethics at Baylor College of Medicine, employs his professional expertise as well as his personal experiences in this practical and sound book on aging in good health. Jones applies a 'free will concept' to health, arguing that lifestyle choices can make a crucial difference in 'keeping the golden years golden.' According to Jones, many chronic diseases are lifestyle-related and not an inevitable part of aging; he also points out that 74–77% of diseases are not genetically based. The book is divided into three parts: 'The Aging Body,' 'Lifestyle Changes and Prevention,' and 'Medical Care and Management.' In various chapters, Jones examines such ailments as vascular disease, inflammation, and dementia, and concludes that exercise, diet, and socializing are the keys to aging well. A section on improving medical care and choosing a good doctor may be of particular interest to those negotiating the medical maze (one suggestion is to opt for experience over personality). Interspersing health tips with nuggets of wisdom on various subjects, including happiness, religion, and remembering prescription schedules, Jones urges readers to apply 'grit' and discipline to their lifestyles, and to weigh immediate gratification against future benefits. Older readers seeking straightforward advice will enjoy and learn from Jones’s sage approach to quality aging., Publishers Weekly
James Jones provides a practical and helpful guide to healthy aging. Well-written and supported by the most current research, readers will find the information they need to live well while they age. -- Sudipto Banerjee, PhD, Research Associate at Employee Benefit Research Institute
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Obviously, reasonable people want to enjoy robust lives, free from the ravages of aging and aging-related diseases. The question is how to secure that admirable goal. Numerous books address preserving health but none is comprehensive and approaches successful aging from a scientific evidence-based methodology. Invariably, piecemeal attempts to describe aspects of attaining health from fitness, emotional aspects, or, most common diet and they offer authoritative opinions.
This effort’s resolve is to provide the reader with a primer that includes principles necessary for living a better life. We’re all familiar with the idea that all things happen for a reason. Amazingly, we generally apply that wisdom to everything in our lives, except our bodies, and yet we should. If we concentrate on the reasons certain behaviors are beneficial or harmful, we can better address our health issues. With scientific evidence-based facts, people can design their best life-style approach. Readers are not automatons expected to follow a specific program; instead, they will learn to understand the underpinnings of aging and then they will better understand how to age successfully.