STOP AGING NOW

Friends,
Some time back I read a book "Stop Aging Now" by Jean Carper(Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1995) which treats aging as a curable disease. It contains lot of information on research findings on aging and its prevention/retardation through the use of appropriate vitamins and minerals. I am giving below a short review of the book. Hope this will inspire you to read this book and benefit from it.

STOP AGING NOW

By

Jean Carper

Harper Collins publishers, New York, 1995

This book is a layman’s survey of work done all over the world in the field of nutritional medicine. The Introduction describes the aging process and tells us how it can be slowed or even, reversed. It defines aging as a monumental progressive deficiency disease and asserts that aging can be dramatically reversed with appropriate nutrients. The “Free radical theory of aging” proposed in 1954 by Denham Harman explains the aging process as the manifestation of progressive cellular damage by the attack from chemical particles called free radicals. Free radicals are created by the life-sustaining energy production-a combustion process- using the oxygen we breath-in by the mitochondria of the cells in our body. They are molecules with missing electrons. These free radicals oxidize the cell material causing them to deteriorate or ‘corrode’. Free radicals can be neutralized by ‘anti-oxidants’, compounds that give up one of their electrons. Since anti-oxidants can block, interrupt or repair the free radical damage that promotes aging, they constitute a remedy to aging.

Anti-oxidants are present in the food we take. Fruits, vegetables and other ingredients of our food contain variable amounts of anti-oxidants. A balanced diet is generally sufficient to prevent excessive free radical damage and aging. However, most of us do not take a balanced diet and become prey to many of the current life-style diseases like diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease etc at progressively decreasing ages. The anti-oxidant deficiency in our diet must be corrected by taking supplements of vitamins and minerals containing high doses of anti-oxidants.

In the preceding chapters the book describes the beneficial effects of various vitamins, minerals and other substances. These include, the “anti-aging” vitamin E, the “quick-fix for senility” Vitamin B, the “longevity” vitamin C and the “all-round anti-aging anti-oxidant” Beta carotene. There are also chapters on metals/minerals like Chromium (passport to energetic longevity), Magnesium (youth-preserving metal), Zinc (Thymus-rejuvenator), Calcium (the anti-aging mineral must for everybody). and Selenium (the unique mineral that keeps you young). The book goes on to explain the action and benefits of Omega-3 (magic marine oil for cells), Glutathione (the master anti-oxidant), Garlic (ancient anti-aging star), Coenzyme Q-10 (amazing new aging terminator) and Soybean (anti-aging power pack). Jean Carper also advises us to avoid excessive iron-intake if we want to remain young.

The book closes with a list of anti-aging diets and essential doses of anti-aging supplements. There is also a long list of references.

On the whole, Jean Carper has presented us with a highly readable book which will benefit us immensely

TKG NAMBOODHIRI.