From Publishers Weekly
Old age gets a bad rap, argues geriatric specialist Lipschitz. The senior years do not inevitably mean loss of mental or physical prowess, he maintains: in fact, the cliched advice to "take it easy, you're not as young as you were" is exactly the wrong approach. Lipschitz cites studies showing that exercise is beneficial to the elderly, and that sexually active seniors live longer than celibate ones. He even decries the obsession to lose weight, claiming that "thin isn't healthy," since "pleasingly plump" (but not obese) people live longer. Lipschitz's approach is balanced and well reasoned, never fanatical. He argues against invasive surgery for most coronary disease, contending that if a person has no symptoms, surgery can cause more problems than it solves. However, he goes on to list specific conditions that do warrant surgical intervention. Many seniors are over-medicated, he notes, which leads to negative side effects, and he offers specific advice for replacing dozens of medications with a few carefully chosen ones. The host of a public television series called Aging Successfully with Doctor David, Lipschitz is articulate and entertaining, and he clearly explains medical terms and procedures for the layman. His upbeat book reassures seniors that if they look after themselves, their golden years can be their most rewarding. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Forget failing eyesight and fragile bones-forget everything you thought you knew about aging; it's out of line with what the leading researchers know. And David Lipschitz-PBS's beloved Dr. Dave-is here to shatter some of the biggest myths, and to outline a new way to understand and manage the aging process. The big news? There are things you can do right now to dramatically reduce or eliminate the most common afflictions of old age. But they're not what you think!

For example, don't lose that excess weight. The fact is, beyond your 50s dieting is a bad idea; a little extra weight will help you live longer and feel better. And consider medical tests. The 10 most common tests requested by doctors do utterly nothing for you. Here, Dr. Dave tells you why you should insist on 10 different tests instead, explaining the rationale for each in detail.

Dr. Dave also examines the ailments commonly associated with aging-memory loss, vision impairment, Alzheimer's disease, etc.-and gives an in-depth review of their causes, risk factors, and treatments. He includes valuable meal plans for total nutritional health-the number one factor that will keep you active beyond your 80s.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly