Healthy Aging

by Andrew Weil

Hugely informative, practical, and uplifting. Healthy Aging is infused with the engaging candor and common sense that have made Dr. Andrew Weil our most trusted source on healthy living.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

– The Anti-inflammatory following Dr. Weil's guide to eating right for a healthy lifestyle

– Separating myth from fact about vitamins, herbs, hormones, anti-aging "medicines," and other would-be elixirs of life extension

– Mastering exercise, breathing, and stress-management techniques to benefit your mind and body

– Understanding the science behind the aging process

– Sharing life lessons with your loved ones

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Food, Science, Reference, Audiobook

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Andrew Weil, M.D., is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a healing oriented approach to health care that encompasses body, mind, and spirit. He is the author of many scientific and popular articles and of 14 books: The Natural Mind, The Marriage of the Sun and Moon From Chocolate to Morphine (with Winifred Rosen) Health and Healing, Natural Health, Natural Medicine; and the international bestsellers, Spontaneous Healing and 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, Eating Well for Optimum Health: The Essential Guide to Food, Diet, and Nutrition The Healthy Kitchen: Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit (with Rosie Daley) Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being; and Why Our Health Matters: A Vision of Medicine That Can Transform Our Future (issued in paperback with new content as You Can’t Afford to Get Sick).

Combining a Harvard education and a lifetime of practicing natural and preventive medicine, Dr. Weil is Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he also holds the Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair in Integrative Rheumatology and is Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health. The Center is the leading effort in the world to develop a comprehensive curriculum in integrative medicine. Graduates serve as directors of integrative medicine programs throughout the United States, and through its Fellowship, the Center is now training doctors and nurse practitioners around the world.

Learn More:
Facebook.com/DrWeil
YouTube.com/DrWeil
Instagram.com/DrWeil
Flickr.com/DrWeil
Pinterest/DrWeil

Reviews

[Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading every health/fitness newsbite that comes along, so many books on the subject seem to be rehashes but with a lot more words, to pump up the price. There's a lot of that in this book: Get enough sleep? Well, duh!

That said, the explanation of the whole anti-inflammation thing was very well done, there is an excellent guide of things to look for in a vitamin supplement, and the section dealing with the inevitability of aging and death made the whole book worthwhile -- simply liberating.

This would be ideal for someone who is interested in their health as they grow older but haven't bothered to follow every new development.

[Josh Fish · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fairly health conscious person to begin with, Weil really cemented my resolve in maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well as teaching me a lot about the process of aging. I've been sort of on the band wagon lately of not eating many carbohydrates (per primal/palio diets) but this book really emphasized that the human body needs a variety of fruits and vegetables more than most anything else. We need protien and carbs for energy and tissue growth sure but for all of the good healthy nutrients, we must eat fruits and veggies. This is obvious I know but it's always good to be reminded and to remind oneself constantly.

I've adopted many of his habits and strategies and some supplements and I feel great after only about a week so far. Perhaps this is psychosomatic. Try it yourself and see.

[Madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh! It's like listening to someone read the dictionary.

It would be better as a reference novel, for glancing through on specific information.

[Shellie (Layers of Thought) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 starts actually.

The adage: "getting old is not for sissies" should be the subtitle for this book. Although Weil does so kindly and realistically the truth of the matter is there is nothing we can do to completely stop aging. But we can live a healthy life, a balanced life, a contemplative life.

This book is an overview of one of my favorite health, diet and well being books by this Physician/new age science guru who mixes Eastern and Western medical advice. He debunks a lot of myths, tells you what he thinks and gives the reader a real life plan that one can work with. Although strict it feels like if you do your best to follow this advice you will be that much healthier

I would recommend you skip this book and move onto the one linked below for a comprehensive guide to logical holistic health that will optimize your anti aging plan:

Eating Well for Optimal Health.

Now - Dr. Weil what's up with the Origin's cosmetic advocacy? I would not put that stuff on my skin, well maybe if you paid me loads of money... I guess that's the point.

[Karol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some very interesting information and I agree with the doctor's approach. However, for me, the first half of the book was a waste of time. That's because I do want to age gracefully, not reverse the aging process nor mask it with cosmetic surgery or expensive skin treatments. So the first half of the book, which scientifically explains the aging process, explains why it cannot be reversed, and debunks the effectiveness of expensive and popular attempts to mask the appearance of age was worthless to me. I was there already! And I wondered: based on the title, "Healthy AGING", would someone who did not want to age even bother to pick the book up? And if they did want to try and reverse or hide the aging process, would they really slog through the doctor's long arguments against that?

What I personally wanted to know was how to stay as healthy as I can for as long as I can given that I am, in fact, aging. The second half of the book very effectively addressed my questions about that.

[Richard Beaty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read this book. It is a good look at the processes one goes through as we age through life. It gives a good perspective on what happens with our bodies, minds and spirits as we grow older. It provides cultural perspectives on age. It provides suggestions for the care of one's self throughout life so that the time we spend will, for as long as possible, be healthy in all ways. It acknowledges that we all will come to the end of life - but it provides guidance on reaching that point is as good health as possible. Taking care of one's self throughout life is important. This includes physically, mentally, our attitudes & thoughts, etc. It was a good time for me to read this again.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weil has a down-to-earth approach on aging. This is a must-read for anyone over 35. I would even consider reading this every decade. He hammers home a few great points....
Mainly....we are all aging. It’s happening now. It will accelerate. Get used to it. Find joy, meaning and purpose. As always, the supplement recommendations are a bit much, but in my experience as a practicing Physician Assistant, every practitioner has their MVP of tools in the bag...for Weil, I believe it’s supplements.

I digress.

Great book. Will change some of your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly goals and help drive conversations with friends and family around aging and what that means.

[Janet Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this, even though much of the information was familiar to me. I like Weil's integrative approach to health--the science is sound, but pills and radical interventions are last choices, after working with diet, exercise, etc. I live a fairly healthy lifestyle, but this was a good reminder of what I'm doing right and wrong. Favorite new concept I encountered: the "ethical will," which is essentially a document bequeathing your accumulated thoughts, wisdom, and beliefs to those you love. I may actually take a stab at writing one of these.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every bit of it. There's some hard science for those who love it, lots of interesting stories from all around the world, lots of practical info and there's something for your spirit, too! Today's market is flooded with books about health which have close to zero scientific facts, this one has zero bologna and everything the author claims is backed up by research! Plus, his own age and health is a big piece of evidence he knows what's he's talking about!

[Rogine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is possibly one of the most informative source I came across regarding the topic of aging and longevity. I cannot emphasize how much this book helped me in understanding the process of aging and how one can face it with grace and acceptance. Dr. Andrew Weil covers the science and technicalities of aging as well as the personal and spiritual journey one faces in this process.

This is an interesting source for me because Weil did not only talk about the topic as a doctor but also as a person who is actually witnessing and going through the process of aging. He talks about his personal experiences and along with the scientific evidence that backs it, he also suggests his own ways and strategies of living a happy and healthy life as an aging man.

Unlike other books that promote longevity, Weil emphasizes that his goal with Healthy Aging is not to reverse or stop aging but to promote a physically, mentally, and healthy lifestyle, so one could continue to live life to the fullest. As a doctor, he approached the topic with a pair of scientific lenses, but he took into consideration personal factors like goals, dreams, and aspirations that the modern healthcare system tends to neglect when caring for the aged.

The ultimate purpose of this book is to inform the public (the elderly and their family members) that it is possible to continue living their lives to the fullest despite their ages. At the same time, he also wants to inform inform healthcare professionals of what their goal is: to promote the well-being of their patients. He speaks as a doctor and a patient, which provided a well-rounded opinion on how the healthcare system should improve their ways in approaching geriatric patients.

This helped me develop a better understanding of the topic, for I am interested in learning about how healthcare providers can help geriatric patients improve their quality of life. Weil gives the obvious ways like living a physically active life and eating right, but he also provides strategies that a lot of people tend to forget like accepting aging as a natural process and making the most of what they have left in their hands.

This book opened my eyes to different aspects of aging I didn't notice before. It not only helped me with my research regarding the topic, but it also helped me rethink about my own life and how I can improve it in order to achieve a healthier and happier aging process. Weil's words left me reflecting about my current lifestyle, and I just had the urge to get my life together and look at the world at a more optimistic and appreciative point of view.

[Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for any adult, regardless of age. Andrew Weil is a prolific writer on health, nutrition, and now aging. I was attracted to the writer by references from endurance athletes and realized he'd written a comprehensive guide on aging - gracefully; acceptingly; in mind, body and spirit; and with the greatest amount of satisfaction, good health, and awareness. I figured I could learn something to put to use for my aging mother as well as myself and family. If you can get through the first chapter on chemistry and molecular science, you'll breeze through the rest. I found that I was already following 90% of his advice through life-changes I'd made in the past 25 years, but I learned a great deal about the value of specific nutrition in maximizing good physical and mental health and resiliency. It will take a while to implement some of Dr. Weil's suggestions, but I look forward to trying.

[Mace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a follow up to his best seller Eight Weeks to Optimum Health and it includes many of his dietary suggestions outlined in his 8 week program. I enjoyed Dr. Weil's conclusions and case studies about longevity theory pertaining to Okinawan centurions in Japan.

Extraordinary longevity and documented cases, both male and females living in Okinawa, Japan. Key diet variables impacting this statistical mystery is their regular consumption of both Goya and Tumeric.

Goya (a bitter cucumber) is a well known Okinawan vegetable
It is a green color with bumps on the surface. It's prepared and cooked in goya champuru with tofu.

Turmeric has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger, and is best known as one of the ingredients used to make curry.

[AuthorsOnTourLive! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Andrew Weil, a graduate of Harvard Medical School, is the author of 10 previous books including Spontaneous Healing, Eight Weeks to Optimum Health, Eating Well for Optimum Health and, with Rosie Daley, The Healthy Kitchen. Now Dr. Weil gives us, Healthy Aging : A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being, 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.

We met Andrew Weil when he visited the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. You can listen to him talk about Healthy Aging : A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being here: http://www.authorsontourlive.com/?p=42

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best on the topics of living life well into your sunset years.

Healthy Aging details fitness and nutrition strategies and some of the current advice still holds true even though the copyright date is circa 2002 or 2005 if memory serves.

A classic guide to healthy aging.

I check all my books out of the library as I no longer have shelf space on my bookcase.

Will buy a Kindle Fire soon to be able to support authors by buying e-books.

I can at least buy e-books if I can't fit hard copies on the shelves.

So I recommend you BUY Healthy Aging.

It talks about compression of morbidity or staying healthy as long as you can with your ill years compressed into the last two or three years of your life.

You CAN age healthfully. Andrew Weil tells us how to do it.

To Prevail!

[Mike McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

TIMELESS. I've become a serious student of Health, Nutrition and Anti-aging information and it never ceases to amaze.me that most of the "new" information to me comes from studies done DECADES ago! All hail BIG PHARMA for their "nothing to see here" efforts. Thank God for the internet and books like this. For the beginner this is a great primer and to the advanced student this is a terrific refresher and you WILL pick up new info. Worth the investment (but only if you DO IT!). To your health!

[Helynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this study, the 60-plus Dr. Weil urges readers to forget about cosmetic surgeries and other fruitless ways to seek a modern-day fountain of youth, and instead, to respect the inevitable process of aging and take steps to make sure one’s advancing golden years are as healthy and comfortable as possible. He warns about the “unrelenting images and messages from the media that tell us that youth is where it’s at, that growing old is a disaster, that the worth of life peaks early,” (119-20), and hastens to add that he disagrees, and urges us all to develop our aging voices and authority as a living link to the past and to discover and realize the value of growing older. His first chapter describes the chemical and biological cellular aging process and assures us of the futility of seeking remedies to prevent ourselves from getting or looking older. “It’s one thing to work toward prevention, early diagnosis, reversal and modification of diseases that become more likely as people age,” he says. “It is something else entirely to talk about preventing or reversing the process of aging” (56). Weil’s chapters three and four analyze the reasons for as well as the denial of aging, but he hastens to put our advancing years in a positive light. “Because aging reminds us of our morality, it can be a primary stimulus to spiritual awakening and growth” (95). An interim chapter describes the life of Jenny Weil, the author’s charming, energetic mother, who was active and mentally sharp up until her death at age 93. Because she took care of herself in her later years, she managed to avoid the cancers and Alzheimer’s that plagued her parents and sisters. The second half of the book—“How to Age Gracefully”-- contains instructions on how to prepare ourselves for a healthy aging pattern like Jenny’s. Weil is adamant about the importance of exercise, although he warns that as people age, the same activities they once enjoyed might no longer be appropriate. (Nevertheless, the author admits that just before he wrote this book, he managed to do some “tornado chasing” in the Midwest and run with the bulls Hemingway-style in Pamplona, Spain—not something he would recommend for the rest of us). He suggests gentler aerobic activities such as walking and swimming as opposed to running and contact sports, and warns against the potentially harmful adage of “pushing through the pain.” The same caveat goes for sex. If our older bodies can still handle it, fine. If not, we should wax philosophical and not worry about it. The goal is not eternal youth, but “compressed morbidity—the ability to adapt to the changes that times bring and to arrive in old age with minimal deficits and discomforts. . .. to enjoy and share with others the genuine rewards that aging can bestow” (129). Subsequent chapters give detailed advice about the anti-inflammatory diet (Japanese and Mediterranean style—lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish; easy on the red meat, sugar and fat) and what supplements to take in pill form for optimum nutrition. Weil discusses the value of breath work, relaxation techniques, meditation, humor, and “learned optimism” in promoting healthy, relaxing later years. “Live in accordance with nature, unlearn the habit of judging everything as good or bad, distinguish what is within your power to change and what is not ” (214). As for the aging brain, he urges the use of mind-strengthening games and puzzles to ward off the threat of memory loss and diminishing mental power. In particular, he recommends learning to use a new computer operating system and/or learning a foreign language to keep the mind sharp. “Education compresses brain/mind morbidity” (221). His final two chapters contain advice on how to enhance one’s spiritual health and well being. “I believe in multiple realities. . . I believe in magic and mystery. I am also committed to scientific method and knowledge based on evidence . . .I operate from a both –and mentality, not an either-or one,” are Dr. Weil’s parting words just before the two-page appendix that contains "a Twelve-point Program for Healthy Aging."

[Dr. Ashori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book a 5-star review because the way the information is laid out and the way it is explained is quite professional. I am sure I could come up with a few points to argue with one thing or another but that doesn't mean Dr. Weil is wrong and I'm right.
Medicine is complicated and the art of medicine is very important. The explanation of chronic disease and how stress, diet, and exercise play a role is very good - better than most books you'll find on the topic. I would say that this is his several decades of experience condensed into a book - that's worth a lot of money.
I would bet that most people who purchase this book and read are already quite motivated. They will find the information to reaffirm what they are already doing and perhaps offer them some extra pearls to add extra alpha to their future potential gains.
There are no wild promises made here and he isn't saying that he's right and others are wrong. I appreciate that about this book.
The other group of people who read this likely will be overwhelmed and many will say that it's impossible to follow this drastic lifestyle. In fact, I think the process is more important than actually achieving what Dr. Weil has outlined.
I would recommend this book to anyone in their 30s who understands that their current investment in their health could pay off a lot in the next few decades. For anyone in their 50-70s I would recommend this book as a guide to help you understand why it's worth it to put in the effort to make lifestyle changes.

[Bob Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Weil is amazing. Love to have a 1-hour audience with him to talk allergies and nutrition given my wierdo allergies. I didn't learn as much from the book (that I didn't already know) as I thought I might. This is probably a great first-read for some (older) one not familiar with Weil, Integrative Medicine, or who hasn't been paying attention to discourse on health. Recommended (for the right audience). I think I'll try 8 Weeks to Optimum Health next.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very informative book about how our bodies react to all kinds of stimulants and chemicals that we input on a daily basis. It was also a horrifying close up of the damage that we unknowingly do to ourselves and how diseases are affecting us. Do not read this if you do not want to know about the kinds of damage that can be caused by things we take as an everyday part of life. However, Weil does show us how we can try to better our life and how to take advantage of nature's gifts to help us live better and longer, nothing out of this world, just basics that anyone could do. Found it very informative if not a little scary.

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting take on living a healthy life. The book's basic message is that we should strive to feel our best at any age rather than attempting to cling to youth. This book has the same basic philosophies as Weil's other books. He believes all of us could benefit from supplements, but they can not replace healthy diet and lifestyle. He is vehemently against products that promise to reverse or stop the aging process. I find his advice works better for me in theory than in practice, but I do try to follow some of his advice.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan and groupie of Andrew Weil. I've read other books of his and seen programs by him, and he grabs me each time I read/see him. He teaches good common sense about getting older, and some techniques and foods, herbs, drugs, etc. that can help make that process a little kinder. Ways to avoid some of the hard diseases like cancer, alzheimers, and so forth make logical sense. Not foolproof, but a good thing to try. I think his knowledge and experience are great examples for us to listen to and perhaps try. Recommend this book! Excellent.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really awesome. I have always liked Dr. Weil's reasonable down-to-earth approach. His ideas about what he calls "compression of morbidity" (living most of life as a healthy and well person, with a rapid, short decline at the end of life, rather than hanging on and suffering with many old-age ailments) are explained well here and he has many sensible suggestions for how to start living now to try to attain this goal. (This book is not "just for old people!")

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I enjoyed the complete approach to aging well, which includes more than just diet and exercise (though those two topics are of course covered with much depth). Contrary to some reviews I read, I liked the intro of the book explaining how and why we age and driving home the point of accepting aging while trying to be as healthy as we can while it happens. I'm eager to read more from Dr. Weil now.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book recommended by my phisician. I finally have an understanding of the Omega-6 and Omega-3 fats in our diets. The chemistry is a little heavy but Dr. Weil tries to keep his topics gaged to the average reader; he promotes an anti-inflamatory approach to eating. He definitely has a great approach to aging--not the normal anti-aging search so popular in our society. This book would be helpful for anyone to read.

[Don Follett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book to try to understand the aging process and what I could do to better adapt myself to this naturally occurring process. It was well worth the read. I enjoy reading Dr. Weil's books. He writes so we can understand his points and gives sound advice you can either follow or ignore. The upside is that I know more now about the aging process than I did when I began reading this book.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book and I learned a lot about how our bodies work, use nutrients, what the aging mechanism is, etc. He makes a lot of sense. In fact, he explained a test my mother-in-law just had done and I'm hoping she will listen to it. I am also glad the author was the one reading the book, as he seemed to be explaining rather than reading. I will read more of his books.

[Kconrad2k · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a lot of valuable information on how to age gracefully which included the anti-inflammatory diet, supplements and physical activity among others. But I really liked his chapter on the value of aging chapter. There are some great corollaries between why we appreciate older whisky, wine, cheese, and antiques and seniors.

[Stephen Redwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable and sensible book about the aging process. Weill uses science rather than flaky optimism to show how pointless it is to be uptight about aging which can't be avoided. Rather, he focuses on what you can do to age healthily.

[Francine Apollo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice overview of Dr. Weil's philosophy and recommendations. I found it very helpful. If you are a person of a certain age, you might want to pick this up. Dr. Weil makes great sense and gives the readers tips on how to change your life.

[Randy Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information here. Lots of good stories too, one of those books you find hard to put down. I also found myself wanting to go back and re-read many chapters and takes some notes (that doesn't happen often..lol). In any case, a great read.