Stop the Clock: The Optimal Anti-Aging Strategy

by P.D. Mangan

Aging can be slowed or reversed. The science of aging has made huge advances in recent years, and has found a number of interventions that can affect the aging process for the better. The program outlined in this book requires nothing expensive - and in fact costs next to nothing, other than some self-discipline - and is solidly backed by the latest research in anti-aging science. The evolutionary heritage of humans has caused us to be adapted to certain ways of life, but our modern world of instant gratification of our basic drives, most notably hunger, means that our genes are increasingly ill-adapted to our way of life. The quest for comfort and instant gratification leads to accelerated aging. Living more in tune with the ways of our ancestors in matters of food and physical activity can slow the aging process. Challenging ourselves intermittently makes us healthier and more likely to lead longer lives free of illness. Our bodies are like old structures must be torn down to make way for new ones in a continual process of renewal. In a youthful state, our bodies are fully capable of the process of self-renewal, but aging greatly weakens this process. Stop the Clock shows how, with a few relatively simple lifestyle changes, we can renew our capacity for self-renewal.

Genres: Health, Medical

115 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2015

Reviews

[Guillaume Belanger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good little book about anti-ageing. The essential aspects of the anti-ageing strategy presented here is threefold: 1) a low-carb diet with enough but not too much protein to keep insulin low and preserve/grow muscle tissue, 2) intermittent fasting to stimulate autophagy and neurogenesis, and 3) weight training for a youthful hormonal system, strong bones, and strong muscles. This is exactly the strategy that I implemented 10 years ago for exactly this purpose: optimal health and maximum healthspan.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

If a friend, eager to understand my obsession with longevity science, asked me to name a single book that summarises all the field currently knows about how to live a long and healthy life, I would recommend Mangan's Stop the Clock.

It has much to commend it.

It's short, actionable, cites its sources, is not so-technical-it's-boring, and lists only the most well-studied and effective interventions and supplements.

In brief, the author recommends: calorie restriction if you can handle it, intermittent fasting if you can't, resistance exercise and HIIT on non-fasting days, a low-carb, moderate-protein diet with lots of phytochemicals from non-starchy plants (while noting that, although we need protein to grow, too much protein accelerates ageing), safe daily amounts of unprotected sun exposure, maintaining a BMI of 20-21, and supplementing with resveratrol (outdated), turmeric, sulfurophane, quercetin, baby aspirin (questionable), omega 3 fatty acids, EGCG, nicotinamide, lithium orotate, and NAC and cysteine.

In essence: eat less food; eat food that doesn't trigger insulin such as phytochemical-rich, non-starchy vegetables and high-quality animal foods; fast; do exercises that grow lean muscle mass; and supplement safely.

The science is sound, the explanations clear, the recommendations simple.

This is a great introductory text for laypeople.

[Mon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty straightforward no-nonsense guide to what we currently understand to be the most up to date information on longevity. The author does a good job of explaining the suspected mechanisms which cause ageing and providing suggested remedies on how to mitigate their effects. I was hoping for a little more detailed suggestions on how to implement the various regimens, however he does still give a pretty comprehensive jumping-off point from which one can research further. I will definitely be taking some of these suggestions into practice.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but useful!

[PolicemanPrawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book says that the keys to anti-aging are: exercise, specifically weightlifting and some high-intensity interval training; diet, which should be unprocessed foods, including lots of meat, and minimising carbohydrates; and intermittent fasting, an ancient practice. Some of this information goes against mainstream advice, which is very likely to be wrong. This book is very likely to be correct. It appears that the powers that be have an interest in keeping people unhealthy and dependent on the big food and pharmaceutical corporations. The author, P D Mangan, runs an excellent Twitter account. For what it is worth, I do the things in this book and I look young.

[Петър Стойков · Rating 3 out of 5]

Като цяло полезни, но общи съвети. Този автор във всичките си книги повтаря все едно и също - нисковърглехидратно хранене, фитнес, фастинг.