August 20, 2007
Liponis, a corporate medical doctor, theorizes that it isn't aging that kills a person: it's their immune system. According to the book, “Immune system hyperactivity” can be stopped at any age by incorporating healthy lifestyle changes. An interesting quiz (“How Fast Are You Aging?”) points to major factors in an overactive immune system. Smoking, poor air quality, being overweight, overuse of antibiotics, low birth weight, loneliness and stress all have a negative impact on your score, while eating right, getting enough sleep and exercise, having a pet and a good sex life will put you in the plus column. Liponis renders the complicated immune system understandable by comparing it to our nation's Homeland Security—investigating intruders and warding off potential threats. His seven steps to a healthy system (breathe, eat, sleep, dance, love, soothe, enhance) are well reasoned and sensible. However, the eight-day meal plan may not be to everyone's liking, and Liponis occasionally lapses into a touchy-feely, new-age tone that may turn off some readers.
August 1, 2007
In the latest book on aging well and reducing or minimizing degenerative disorders associated with aging, Liponis (medical director, Canyon Ranch Spa; coauthor, "Ultraprevention") claims that an overactive immune system causes arthritis, diabetes, irritable-bowel disorders, asthma, and so on. C-reactive proteins (CRPs) indicate the level of immune system activity; Liponis cites studies that have shown how CRP levels can be lowered. As John Robbins did in "Healthy at 100" and Sanjay Gupta in "Chasing Life", Liponis focuses on ways to reduce wear and tear through healthy eating, regular exercise, social interaction, deep breathing, etc. His lengthy introduction to the immune system may be slow-going for some readers, but the program itself is easy to follow and supported by good documentation. Included are excellent recipes from the famed Canyon Ranch kitchen. Libraries that are building collections in this subject will definitely want to add this; recommended. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 5/15/07.]Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH
Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 25, 2003
Bets are on that pharmaceutical companies are not fans of doctors Mark Hyman and Mark Liponis, co-medical directors of Canyon Ranch, a practice affiliated with Harvard University. Their fact-packed book presents a convincing argument that most prescription and over-the-counter medications do nothing more than treat the symptoms of sickness, ignoring the root cause of illnesses like asthma, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. They also blame pharmaceutically indoctrinated doctors for neglecting their duty to examine the real causes of illness in their patients."If you have high blood pressure," they remark,"Doctors give you a high blood pressure pill, instead of trying to figure out why you might have high blood pressure in the first place." In lieu of such quick fixes, Hyman and Liponis suggest a plan of far-reaching life-style changes that combat"the five forces of illness" (i.e., malnutrition, impaired metabolism, inflammation, impaired detoxification and oxidative stress). For example, instead of treating arthritis with commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs that can"burn a hole in your stomach, your kidneys, or your liver" they suggest taking nutritional supplements like glucosamine and chondrotin. But Hyman and Liponis's six-week Ultra-Prevention Plan can be a bit overwhelming--one of its first steps requires that readers install a reverse osmosis water filter in their kitchens. It may be that only true believers, or otherwise very dedicated folks, will be determined enough to practice Hyman and Liponis's prescription for good health.