Healthy Aging

Dr. Weil has raised dispensing health advice to an art form. Instead of making his audience feel inadequate or guilty about bad habits, he seems to subconsciously convince readers to do better merely by presenting health facts in a non-threatening way. Healthy Aging is his most scientifically technical book yet (you'll learn all about enzymes like telomerase and cell division and the chemistry behind phytonutrients like indole-3-carbinol, and the connection between cancer and other degenerative diseases like diabetes) yet by far his most fascinating.

His main mission here is to recommend "ageing gracefully," which he considers accepting the process instead of fighting it. With no surprise he focuses on proper nutrition, moderate exercise, meditation and rest among his 12-point program for healthy ageing. He occasionally references his earlier works, including 8 Weeks to Optimum Health. But the most eye-opening sections are those that discuss the spirituality of ageing and its emotional aspects. At 63, Weil is still a bit shy of senior status, but is ageing well indeed, with the legacy of his late 93-year-old mother (who's touchingly eulogised by Weil in this book) to guide him.