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You: The Owner's Manual
Book

You: The Owner's Manual

An Insider's Guide to the Body That Will Make You Healthier and Younger

William Morrow, 2005
First Edition: 2005 more...

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

In the words of Oprah’s favorite doctor, Mehmet C. Oz, and his co-author, Michael F. Roizen, “We’re not going to make the science simplistic; we’re going to make it simple.” Their book describes how your body works in understandable, engaging terms and gives you an easy-to-follow strategy for making adjustments that will extend your life and improve your health. Roizen and Oz take you on a tour of your body, beginning with the heart and covering all the organs. They include a realistic diet and workout plan, fun illustrations and answers to common questions. getAbstract recommends this guide to all those well-intentioned people who know they should eat right and exercise more, but want to understand why.

Summary

The Top Five List

Most people have only a vague sense of how their body works. Yet, if you gain a clear understanding of how your body functions, you’ll be able to maintain it and make it stronger. You’ll know how to avoid the things that harm your health and well-being and become an active participant in your body’s maintenance. Do these five things to increase your longevity and improve your quality of life:

  1. “Control your blood pressure.”
  2. “Avoid cigarettes.”
  3. “Exercise 30 minutes a day.”
  4. “Control stress.”
  5. “Follow an easy-to-love, healthy diet.”

You can’t halt the aging process, but you can influence it. Although you can’t change your genetic heritage, you have some control over how long you will live and how healthy you will be. For example, by making the right kinds of lifestyle choices, a fit, nonsmoking 50-year-old can have the “RealAge” body of a 38-year-old. Conversely, if you smoke and are overweight, you may have the body of a 65-year-old. Age-related disease and the aging process depend on three factors:

  1. “Your heart and blood vessels.”

About the Authors

Michael F. Roizen, M.D., is author of The New York Times bestseller, RealAge: Are You as Young as You Can Be? He is the chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic. Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., is a regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He is the vice chairman of surgery at Columbia University and a director at New York Presbyterian Hospital.


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