Here's the latest book review Joyce Schwarz posted on Amazon.com --
on FANTASTIC VOYAGE by Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman...live long enough to live forever...by Joyce Schwarz (book review by Joyce Schwarz)....
This is a seminal book. It's amazing what these authors cover in this jam-packed guide to living longer and possibly living forever.
Ray Kurzweil if you don't know him is one of the leading scientist/inventors of our time (the synthesizer & more). You may know him from his popular non-fiction book THE AGE OF SPIRITUAL MACHINES --which talks about how smart machines will be by 2020.
What I didn't know was his own health challenges-- diabetic etc. And how he hooked up with Dr. Terry Grossman founder of the forward thinking Frontier MEdical Institute in Colorado-- a leading longevity clinic. The umbrella theory of this book is that there are three bridges that could lead you to possible immortality and they include a) present day therapies --what they call Ray & Terry's Longevity Program -- b)Biotech revolution developments -- that will evolve from such things as genetic and protein codes and of how to turn off disease and aging and reach human potential c) Nanotechnology--AI (intelligence revolution) --new tech that will enable us (or those who can afford it at least) the ability to rebuild their bodies and brains eve at the molecular level.
What fascinates and scares me as a reader of this tome-- and believe me it is a BIG book 452 fairly dense pages is that a) immortality may be in reach for an elite group who can afford it b) a great divide between the haves and have-nots may becoming stronger because of biotech advancements. Some elite members of our society or those who have biotech/medical insider contacts may cut corners to achieve some of the results that are becoming possible -- ie organ purchase, stem cell therapy etc.
The book spans 23 chapters and includes a nice epilogue and an extensive resources and contact info section that links up via an online website to complement and hopefully keep updated the info. An extensive notes section is fascinating to read since many of the findings cited in the book are at least for this reader new or covered more indepth than I've seen in the popular press.
Chapter topics go beyond the expected -- and because Terry and Ray talk about their personal and in some cases family health issues the chapters include personal case histories making it more interesting. HOw did Ray beat Diabetes etc. Topics include: food and water -- drink alkaline water -- Ray tells you how/where to get a filter for your water. Eat no sugar, and max 80 carbs a day....very similar in fact to a modified Atkins diet or maybe to the South Beach diet--lots of emphasis on vegies etc. Balancing fats and proteins is crucial...understanding your digestion system and keeping it from turning into leaky gut syndrome is important.
I loved his chapter 8 -- Change Your Weight for Live in One Day -- yes -- okay spoiler here -- he says to start eating just the number of calories you need to maintain your ideal weight-- limit the high-glycemic load foods and you'll 'break the vicious cycle'. Makes TOTAL sense.
DANGERS OF BEING OBESE -- scary, scary scary stuff....enough to get you eating properly perhaps and exercising -- walking & weight training.
SUGAR AND INSULIN --per capita consumption of sugar and sugar sweeteners is 150 lbs per year for each American....YUCK...1 in 12 adults has type 2 diabetses....how to find out if you do and how you metabolize sugar etc is included. Lots of emphasis on blood and body testing...
INFLAMATION -- arthritis, Alzheimers, cancer and others-- all evolve from inflamation -- how to test for it and how to DECREASE it.
Methylation -- how important nutritional supplements are to removal of toxins to avoide disease...
GENOMICS -- what do your genes say....how is your heritage-- what you can do about the results and how to compensate.
Detoxification -- clean up toxins -- get rid of the effects of pollution, pesticide, chemicals and heavy metals etc...and your own body's inadequacies.
KEEP YOUR BRAIN POWER -- how to keep your brain active because it represents more than 1/2 of our biological complexity. Nutritional steps, maintaining power of ideas...how to discover the right ideas that can overcome problems and conquer challenges.
Hormone section is kind of kewl...once again both men and women are covered-- menopause and male middle age challenges...Sex Hormones get a whole chapter
Aggressive supplementation -- well Ray is taking 200 supplements a day plus spends a day a week in a lab -- getting intravenous supplements and detox treatments-- a bit too much? Extremist? Maybe but he's being his own guinea pig. Much better than being a couch or mouse potato that's for sure.
POWER OF EXERCISE -- they are big on walking...and having a healthy diet and lifestyle changes aerobic and anaerobic and stretching -- all crucial...
STRESS and BALANCE is the last chapter --Animate your life by the four c's challenge, commitment, curiosity and careativity...12 ways to manager stress and achive balance-- and this time no spoilers.
I
Comments