A Short Guide to a Long Life Hardcover – January 7, 2014

This book is meant to be easy to read - and it is. Having said that it's simplistic to the point of being 'readers digest' material.Most things in the book make reasonable sense but some recommendations may not be based on reliable data.For example - Dr Agus' recommendation not to take vitamins may not be sound. Whilst the efficacy of vitamins is not entirely clear there are good reasons to take vitamin supplements. Refer Ben Greenfield - a top nutritional coaches view on vitamins below.Also; Dr Agus suggests taking zinc supplements in the form of lozenges to reduce the effects of a cold. As far as I can determine this advice is unsupporte. For your information I have copied Mayo clinics studies on zinc and colds below.Because of the above, and some other incongruities in this book,I suggest if you do choose to buy this book you question his conclusions and recommendations.Per Ben Greenfield - on the benefits of vitamin use.'So if you eat your fruits and vegetables, expose yourself to adequate sunlight, get plenty of sleep, and stay well hydrated, your body shouldn't really need a supplemental source of vitamins and minerals, right? Wrong. Here are 5 powerful reasons that you need to take dietary supplements, no matter how healthy your lifestyle may be.1. Nutrient depletion in the soil. Modern farming techniques utilize fertilizers that actually deplete the soil of essential nutrients. Agriculture relies on the elements in the soil for absorption of proper amounts of minerals, and when this process is interrupted, the plant does not contain essential minerals and cannot form essential vitamins. And if the plant doesn't have it then you're not going to get it from eating the plant!2. Your ability to absorb nutrients from food actually decreases as you age. So while growing children should absolutely be taking a multivitamin to support healthy tissue and bone formation, supplementation becomes equally important for the older population. Sure, you could just eat more food, but this introduces a problem with caloric balance. Beware that many medications also interfere with proper nutrient absorption.3. Commercial harvesting, shipping processes, long term food storage, processing, and addition of preservatives degrades the nutrient content of food. Therefore, unless you're eating a very fresh plant, it is a far different species at consumption than it was when initially harvested. In addition, compounds added to the food during many of these processes, such as MSG, saccharine, nutrasweet, splenda, colorings, and flavors will increase your body's need for nutrients to deal with these damaging synthetic derivatives.4. Pesticides, herbicides, and chemicals found in the modern food supply are combined with chemicals in water, environmental contamination from elements such as degraded plastic, air pollution from carbon monoxide, lead and mercury. These synergestic elements vastly increase our need for extra vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to combat formation of free radicals and the attack upon our metabolism and immune system.5. Exercise increases nutrient needs. Are you an athlete or frequent exerciser? The vast amount of extra oxygen and energy used by active individuals will necessitate nutrient consumption that far exceeds the typical RDA of the average population. Consuming just the stated RDA can actually limit your athletic performance.Per the Mayo clinic on the use of zinc to alleviate/shorten the effects of colds.'Zinc. The cold-fighting reputation of zinc has had its ups and downs. That's because many zinc studies -- both those that find the mineral beneficial and those that do not -- are flawed. The highest quality randomized trials generally show no benefit.'

I recently read an interesting article about David B Agus MD in Wired magazine about his clients and what he did for them. Many celebrities swear by his way of treating illness, cancer and promoting a healthier lifestyle. Among the many patients Dr. Agus treated were Steve Jobs, Neil Young, Robin Quivers, Ted Kennedy and Lance Armstrong. In fact, Howard Stern lauds Dr. Agus for saving Robin's life.I recieved my Kindle download and immediately started reading this 208 page book. A lot of information to digest and I'm sure I will go back to reference many sections and reread this book many times.Dr. Agus divides the book into three sections - What to DO, What to Avoid & Doctor's Orders. Each section has rules to live by, many you have heard before, some may be controversial, but all are explained in a simple, easy to read, fun to read, and expertly explained style. Some of my favorite rules were "Get Naked" and "Get off Your Butt More" and of course "Pick up a Pooch". Being a dog owner and lover, I found this very satisfying and certainly a confirmation of how I feel.In the Doctor's Orders section, Dr. Agus goes through a quick checklist of guidelines for keeping up with your health for each age group from the 20's to the 70's and beyond. Common sense guidelines like prostate exams for older men, routine breast exams for women to A1C diabetes blood tests in your 20's if you have a family history.The back section also has Top 10 lists, like Top 10 Foods High in Trans Fat or Top 11 Fish with Omega-3. I found these lists both interesting and useful, a tool to be referenced often.Some of Dr. Agus' rules are already part of my life and routine, but in reading this book I am sure to look more closely at what I'm doing, eating, thinking, my relationships with my doctors and my daily activities and how they affect my quality of life and possibilities for a longer life.Excellent, fast read. Highly recommended. I'll be buying copies for friends and relatives.

I heard Dr Agus interviewed on the Howard Stern show recently and immediately downloaded his book "A Short Guide to a Long Life". I also bought two extra copies, one for a good friend who shares my desire to live a long, healthy and happy life, and one for my father who (as I said in my note to him) I'd like to have around as long as possible.The temptation with a book like this is to celebrate the things you're already doing and not worry so much about what you're not doing. But while the reaffirmations are good, I want to make some real changes now to increase the likelihood that I have not, as of yet, reached my half way point. So while I'll pat myself on the back about not smoking, I have to fully admit I don't eat 5 servings a day of fruits and vegetables. And while I do try to stay active, when Dr Agus writes, "even two hours of exercise a day will not compensate for twenty-two hours of sitting on your derrière or lying in bed," it was a bit of a surprise. Agus followed that subtle point up with a more dramatic one: "if you are routinely sitting around all day you might as well be smoking."This is a quick and easy read that offers some practical advice. Some of it may be considered basic, others a little controversial, but all in all I enjoyed the book and have already made an appointment for a physical and DNA exam. Now, about those fruits and vegetables...

Bought this after reading an interview with Dr Agus in the clour supplement of the Times Sat March 1st 2014. Amreally impressed with the simplicity I think it's an important read for those who wish for a healthier time as the years roll on.dr Agus is a research scientist and Prof of medecine & Engineering at University of Southern California he was part of the team that discovered Vitamin C can fuel cancer because tumors can feed on it.NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THIS WITHOUT READING THE ARTICLE. BUT SO GLAD I DID.

If you are health conscious, then not too much in this easy-to-read book should be new. Doctor Agus is keen on aspirin and Statins but advises the reader to jettison the vitamins - the reasons seems sensible. His views on regularity and intensity of exercise seem consistent with the approaches advocated in The First Twenty Minutes. Other pearls such as keep lists and set medium and long term health goals together with the invitation to define good health - which he observes is highly personal - are useful and welcome. A handy primer or reminder.

I actually bought his previous No1 book before I read this one. His book The End Of Illness is brilliant and it gave me an insight in to many questions that I have constantly asked myself and looked at through life. A great insight in to life and illnesses, causes and preventative measures for mine and anyone else's future life. I have now implemented many of his suggestions in to my own life. A Short Guide to a Long Life reiterates this but in bite size knowledge. Both books I have recommended to friends, work colleagues and family. These books are an investment in LIFE, your LIFE

No great surprises here. I bought this book after hearing the author on the radio, and he did a very good job of selling it. I haven't quite finished it but he's told me nothing I didn't already know. It's all just a question of application. Who doesn't over eat the wrong foods from time to time? Who lives a stress free life? Life is tricky to live perfectly, even if we know how to do it.

Had this on wish list for a while. Finally bought and read in one weekend. Almost nothing in here that I didn't already know (I am a nurse though).Very Americanized, think the NHS is stretched enough without otherwise healthy people going to docs for random blood tests etc.