Healthy Aging

A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being

By: Andrew Weil

Narrated by: Andrew Weil

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Spontaneous Healing.... Eight Weeks to Optimum Health.... Eating Well for Optimum Health.... The Healthy Kitchen–in each of his widely acclaimed, best-selling books, Dr. Andrew Weil has been an authoritative and companionable guide through a uniquely effective combination of traditional and nontraditional approaches to health and healthy living. Now he gives us a book about aging that is unlike any other in the breadth and depth of its information and understanding. Hugely informative, practical, and uplifting, it is infused with the engaging candor and common sense that have been the hallmarks of all his books.

At the heart of Healthy Aging is Dr. Weil’s belief that although aging is an irreversible process, there are myriad things we can do to keep our minds and bodies in good working order through all phases of life. To that end, he draws on the new science of biogerentology (the biology of aging) as well as on the secrets of healthy longevity–diet, activity, and attitude–that he has gathered firsthand from cultures around the world.

In Part One–“The Science and Philosophy of Healthy Aging”–he explains how the body ages, and he explores the impact of gender, genes, environment, and lifestyle on an individual’s experience and perception of the process of aging. He describes the various would-be elixirs of life extension–herbs, hormones, and antiaging “medicines”–separating myth from fact and clearly delineating the difference between the spurious notions of preventing or reversing the process of aging and the real possibilities of inhibiting or delaying the onset of diseases that become more likely as we age. He writes movingly about the ways in which an acceptance of aging can be a significant part of doing it well, and of recognizing and appreciating the great rewards of growing older: depth and richness of experience, complexity of being, serenity, wisdom, and its own kind of power and grace.

In Part Two–“How to Age Gracefully”–Weil details an easy-to-implement Anti-inflammatory Diet that will protect the immune system and aid your body in resisting and adapting to the changes that time brings. And he provides extensive practical advice on exercise; preventive health care; stress management; physical, mental, and emotional flexibility; and spiritual enhancement–all of which can help you achieve and maintain the best health throughout the lifelong process of aging.

Healthy Aging–a book for people of all ages–is Andrew Weil’s most important and far-reaching book yet.

©2005 Andrew Weil (P)2005 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Dr. Weil has arguably become American’s best-known doctor.” —The New York Times Magazine

“Forget plastic surgery. Skip the pricey face creams and the drugs for creaky bodies. Natural-medicine champion Weil, who’s now in his sixties, covers longevity research, aging, and how he’s embracing the experience.” —Life Magazine

“Weil wants us to be sensible about growing old. . . . He argues that we should not fight aging. There’s no winning that war. Instead, we should concentrate on aging well. —The Washington Post

Good content, monotonous reading

The content is good. But the author shouldn't be reading his own books. He has a pleasant voice, but it is mostly monotone and I found my mind wandering often as he droned on.

Back to basics

Basics found in all Dr Weils Books.

Listen to your body. It can't be repeated enough

Eat more vegetables and fruits.

Go natural go organic

Let common sense prevail

enjoyed your book

I really enjoyed your book. I am glad you chose to narrate it you self. we tend to enjoy talking about those things we truly believe in. rudy67

Very informative

Would you listen to Healthy Aging again? Why?

Yes, reading it again would only give you a deeper insight into the info

What did you like best about this story?

All the great information

What about Andrew Weil’s performance did you like?

Great, I love it when the author reads his own work

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Happy and healthy throughout life

good info.

Healthy Aging has a lot of good information for anyone looking to have a healthier lifestyle. Easy listen and well read.

not what the title led me to expect

I must say, I'm rather disappointed.

What I expected: Lots and lots of practical advice.

What I got: Half(!) the book (4 hrs.) was dedicated to the defense of aging as a natural phenomenon that should not be combatted. Including the description of cheese and wine and stuff as positive examples of the aging process. Pleeeeaaaase!! I agree whole-heartedly, but that's hardly what I bought the book for. Maybe that is necessary for an US target audience, I wouldn't know. But it simply is not what the title and the blurb led me to expect.
Finally, in the last third, Weil got around to mentioning practical matters. So out of over 8 hours, I got about 3 hours' worth of what the title led me to expect...

If you think aging is something to be avoided, this book might be for you. For practical tips and advice on aging, forget it.

Concise

A fabulous presentation of all aspects of integrative health. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, especially young people.

Too boring on audio

I just couldn't get through much of this book while listening on audio. Not sure I would purchase in paperback.

waste of money

Rehash of the s ame old stuff. Also, you would have to be as wealthy as the author to follow some of his recommendations. Waste of money.

Likes to talk about totally unhelpful info.

Not helpful and depressing. The author is very knowledgeable and impressed with himself but book does. It match.