“Young Forever: The Secrets to Living Your Longest, Healthiest Life,” published in 2023, is a book by Mark Hyman, a working medical doctor.
(I want to point out at the start that books promising longer, healthier lives are popular and therefore published very often. (Many by Dr. Hyman.) Some of them even agree on strategies. See notes at the bottom for extensive references. I will concentrate on a relatively impartial report on the contents of the book.)
NOTE: Mark Hyman is the director of Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and a practicing family physician who has written many books.
In Young Forever, Hyman argues that aging is not a disease, but rather a process that can be slowed down and even reversed.
He provides a number of strategies for achieving this, including diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management.
Gut Health
Hyman also discusses the importance of gut health and the microbiome. He argues that the gut is the foundation of health, and that by improving gut health, we can improve our overall health and well-being.
Young Forever is, as only to be expected from a popular author, well-written and highly informative.
Hyman provides a wealth of information on the latest scientific research on aging and longevity. He also provides several practical tips for making changes to our lifestyle that can help us live longer, healthier lives.
However, Young Forever sometimes makes sweeping generalizations about the science of aging, and he does not always provide enough evidence to support his claims.
Controversial Diets
Additionally, some of the dietary advice in the book is controversial, and it may not be appropriate for everyone.
Reading this book may not help you live longer or better but is useful for anyone interested in learning more about aging and longevity.
Not Actual Medical Advice
However, it is important to remember that the book is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
If you are considering changing your lifestyle, it is important to talk to your doctor first.
Here are some of the things I liked about the book:
- Hyman is a well-respected doctor and researcher, and he provides a wealth of information on the latest scientific research on aging and longevity. You don’t even work at The Cleveland Clinic if you aren’t tops in your field, let alone head a division.
- The book is an easy read and could be a summer beach book.
- Hyman provides a number of practical tips for making changes to our lifestyle that can help us live longer, healthier lives.
There were a lot of things I didn’t like about the book:
- Hyman makes sweeping generalizations about the science of aging, and he does not always provide enough evidence to support his claims.
- Some of the dietary advice in the book is controversial and probably not appropriate for everyone.
- The book is very wordy for the amount of actual information, and it should have been condensed.
Overall, I enjoyed Young Forever. It is a useful book for anyone who is interested in learning more about aging and longevity.
The book is over 300 pages but is not particularly expensive and some may find the verbose style makes the book easier to read.
However, I feel it is important to repeat, it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is important to talk to your doctor first, especially if you have any existing medical conditions.
Expert Sources
The Lancet medical journal says, “ageing is a normal process experienced by all, as opposed to a disease state experienced only by some.”
When asked if aging is a disease, Google said, “Aging, once thought to be a natural and universal process, is increasingly being characterized as a disease. The formal recognition of aging as a disease is imperative to the development of therapeutic interventions targeting aging and aging-related diseases.”
For a medical paper with additional information links, go to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4471741/
The Authors’ conclusion in the medical paper is, “We believe that aging should be seen as a disease, albeit as a disease that is a universal and multisystemic process. Our current healthcare system doesn’t recognize the aging process as the underlying cause for the chronic diseases affecting the elderly. As such, the system is setup to be reactionary and therefore about 32% of total Medicare spending in the United States goes to the last 2 years of life of patients with chronic illnesses, without any significant improvement to their quality of life ”
See Also John McCormick’s Medical Blog https://criticalmedicalnews.blogspot.com/ where only occasional important notes are published.
