Staying Young: How to Prevent, Slow, or Reverse More Than 60 Signs of Aging

The desire to hold on to youth has led countless authors to publish volumes on keeping age at bay. This one wants readers to realize that aging does not have to mean slowing down or growing feeble. Monte and his collaborating editors encourage fighting back, and this spirit of activism in the face of aging resonates throughout the book. ``We can halt much of the deterioration--both mental and physical--that we blame on aging,'' the authors explain. They stress that retaining ``vigor, alertness, muscle tone and a strong immune system in the later years'' is doable. All that's needed are regular exercise, healthful eating and habits and a bit of care; the book, divided into three sections, offers a step-by-step guide. Part One supplies suggestions from experts on how to prevent and cope with conditions ranging from high blood pressure and back and neck pain to diverticular disease. The second section offers tips on how to avoid age spots (slather on the sunscreen) and other offenders of vanity. ``Thinking and Feeling Young,'' the third and final section, emphasizes the importance of keeping the mind nimble by getting enough sleep and taking B vitamins to increase memory and problem-solving skills. And keeping a positive outlook also has health benefits: ``pessimistic men started to come down with diseases of middle age earlier and more severely than optimistic men,'' notes one aging expert. Monte and his coauthors offer clear counsel on growing gray gracefully. (May)