The lucky years
About the book: The Lucky Years is your guide to understanding the cutting-edge developments in medical science which are addressing society's most pressing health problems. While advances in genetics may seem to be the key to curing cancer, infertility and aging. This book shows that simple, sensible health strategies may more effectively improve the health and happiness of the world's population.
About the author: Dr. David B. Agus is a medical doctor and engineer, known as one of America's leading oncologists. He has founded a number of medical companies focused on offering personalized medication. He is also the author of other books such as The End of Illness and A Short Guide to a Long Life.
My highlights:
Genetics may hold the key to explaining why some people seem “younger” than their real age. Researchers at Boston University, for example, have come up with an online calculator that helps you determine your heart's biological age by answering a few questions
Genetics can help researchers work out which parts of human DNA are responsible for extending the biological youth of our bodies
Preventative medicine is both smart and sustainable, and too often ignored in Western culture. Preventative actions, in contrast, can keep a body healthy without the constant intake of drugs. In the end, however, each person must take the time to work out which solutions suit them best. Doctors and scientists thus are limited to making blanket statements about health.
Society often fails to recognize when weight issues become a problem, for both adults and children. 67 percent of American people are overweight – an astonishing statistic.Here's another data point that's even more surprising: just 36 percent of overweight people recognize that they are indeed overweight
Regular exercise can add years to your lifespan, but many people just can't or won't get off the couch. If you bump your walking to 7.5 hours per week, you can expect to add 4.5 years to your lifespan!The study also found that by actively exercising for at least two hours each week and maintaining a healthy weight, people can raise their life expectancy by as much as seven years.
Athletes can't perform at their peak without a good night's sleep. It turns out that neither can you. Individuals who sleep less than six hours each night are four times more likely to catch a cold compared to people who sleep eight hours.