How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older

In today's information age, discerning reliable health advice can feel like navigating a minefield. Powerful industries manipulate public opinion, while self-proclaimed "experts" peddle misinformation for personal gain. In this cacophony, Dr. Michael Greger emerges as a rare beacon of clarity and honesty, a modern-day saint battling a tide of myths, lies, and misleading information. Dr. Greger, a medical doctor and renowned nutrition researcher, champions an evidence-based approach to health and longevity. He cuts through the noise and focuses on what the science truly reveals. His book, "How Not to Age," is a treasure trove for anyone seeking to stay healthy and active into old age, prevent chronic illnesses, or simply access truthful, science-backed health information. Too often, we base our dietary choices on habit, emotion, or outdated traditions. Dr. Greger empowers us to understand what's optimal for our health and well-being, allowing us to make informed decisions. His factual and evidence-driven approach is precisely what I admire. This book is not only one of the best health and longevity books ever published, but also one of the best books of the year across all categories. If you're unsure about optimizing your diet or are seeking practical tips to elevate your nutrition, I wholeheartedly recommend "How Not to Age." Addressing some recent reviews, I find concerns about the font size and darkness unfounded. The book uses a standard, easily readable font size (approx. 10.5pt) and ink density, unlike the smaller fonts (~9pt) found in many mass-market paperbacks. While thinner stock paper is used to reduce weight and ensure the book's manageable size (over 600 pages), it doesn't compromise readability -- it actually makes the book easier to hold. For readers with vision limitations, the Kindle version offers adjustable font size. Anyone comfortable reading a typical book will have no issues with the hardcover. By highlighting Dr. Greger's work and addressing unfounded criticism, I hope to encourage readers to explore this invaluable resource and take their health into their own hands.

The best thing about Dr Greger's books is that he uses a huge number of scientific studies to help you decide the best nutrition and lifestyle choices for you, complete with plenty of Dad-joke style wordplay along the way. He teaches his readers why some studies are so trustworthy, while others fall short. You'll feel empowered to read some of the source studies yourself. And if you're not a details person, his book summarizes the findings of these studies, giving you solid evidence to help you make smart dietary choices. This book is an amazing resource for those of us hoping to live long, full, healthy lives. The foundation is what we've always known... healthy diet and exercise. Dr Greger recommends a diet of whole, minimally processed, plant foods. But this book goes far beyond that, giving you suggestions for the richest sources of the nutrients for longevity and dozens of life-promoting behaviors. He even goes into skin care! All of his suggestions are inexpensive and easy. Dr Gregor has transformed the way I live my life. If this is his first book you will read, order How Not to Die and How Not to Diet for the full journey. I really hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

I'm bad at reading so this mostly just sits on my bookshelf but I'm happy to support Dr. Greger in all his endeavors! I'm still aging though likely slower than before I skimmed through this book. Definitely buy if you're interested in nutrition and don't have the attention span of a squirrel.

Excellent book with references to thousands of scientific papers that the reader can access. This way, you know his points are supported by actual research. And if you like dad-jokes, this book is sprinkled with it! LOL!

Applying Dr. Gregor’s recommendations from his earlier book “How Not to Die” took me from one illness (including cancer) to another to being vibrantly healthy, energetic and astonishing my doctors that I’m so healthy and youthful “at my age.” My cardiologist told me I didn’t need to come back. My dermatologist told me I didn’t need to come back. Even my eye doctor told me I didn’t need to come back, despite my family history of macular degeneration. I’m going back to the eye doctor anyway because I’m overly cautious. I aced my cancer checks and no longer need to go back there either. Yea! (Gregor doesn’t claim to cure cancer-or anything else-but diet changes can substantially reduce risk.) This book updates his earlier book and takes it to a whole new level. Read a little every day and it will probably be the highest paying job you ever have in terms of the medical, prescription drug and eventual nursing home bills you’ll save. I’ve already cut out one supplement, after learning from this book it might be harmful, both protecting me from the supplement marketers and saving me some cash. And you’ll look better! Think about it-do sick people look good? Plus learning to fix delicious, healthy food is way more fun than sickness, surgery and nursing homes. (I like Dr Fuhrman’s “Eat to Live Quick and Easy Cookbook” TOO for that.) Part IV of this book sums up the big eight things that make the most difference, so some people will probably start there. It seems okay to skip around in this book, but, I’m not exaggerating, every word in this book will pay off for you. I’m also listening to it on Audible, which is helping me get through it because I can listen to it while driving, cooking, etc. I’m finding I listen on Audible and go back to the book for details I forgot and to use the index to find something I’ve wondered about. The index is detailed and very useful to me. I agree with another reviewer that this is a book to be read slowly. It’s too much to incorporate the information all at once, but each piece of it life enhancing. Please invest in yourself and read this book. You can probably find it at your local library, including an audio version, if you want to check it out before buying it. His free podcasts and videos are excellent too, but this book gives the big picture. I think it’s worth a free audible trial, if you don’t have Audible, to listen to it. I set Audible at 75% speed with parts of this book, to slow down the information that’s new to me and more difficult to take in. I’ve been sick and I’ve been healthy- and healthy was way better, and worth the time and effort of reading Dr. Gregor’s books. Update after 6 months: 1. Some of my changes since reading this book include putting coffee back on my menu, and even decaf and instant is great. But not dark roast! I guess the higher heat destroys some of the beneficial stuff. And paper filtered is way better. 2. I’ve tweaked some foods to increase my spermidine intake, such as eating more tempeh and opting for green peas and lentils more often. And, no, spermidine is not what it sounds like, but it’s very beneficial. 3. I eat at least a half cup of strawberries every day because they are for now the highest known source of fisetin. Fisetin helps prevent DNA damage beyond repair. Blueberries and blackberries are still on the menu, of course, but not for fisetin.

Dr. Michael Greger’s How Not to Age is a monster of a book — meticulously researched, bursting at the seams with scientific studies, and laser-focused on the biology of aging. The core message is simple enough: eat plants, move your body, and steer clear of ultra-processed junk. But what makes this book stand out is the sheer depth of actionable insights, all backed by a mountain of data (not kidding, literally half of the book is dedicated to quoting references and studies). The Science of Aging — And How to Hack It Greger breaks aging down into eleven biological pathways — things like inflammation, oxidative stress, and glycation — then offers concrete ways to slow their roll. A few standout takeaways: 🧹 Activating Autophagy: Exercise (especially moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity) helps the body clean out damaged cells. Certain foods, like wheat germ, mushrooms, and tempeh, also support this process. Intense fasting activates it as well, but if you and I have to choose between fasting on water only for 5 days straight vs exercising, I think the choice is clear. 🥔 Managing Glycation (Blood Sugar Spikes): Ever heard of the “nip-and-nuke” method? Apparently, chilling and reheating potatoes cuts their glycemic impact by 40%. Spices like turmeric and cinnamon also help stabilize blood sugar. This is a great hack because you can chill your potato, and eat it too (haha). 🔥 Fighting Inflammation: Turmeric, ginger, and garlic top the anti-inflammatory food list, with green and black tea taking the crown for beverages. Fiber — especially from legumes and whole grains — plays a massive role in keeping chronic inflammation in check. Apparently, our ancestors, the earliest humans used to get around 80 grams of fiber a day. I can bet that you barely get 30 grams. What I personally do, but something the good Doctor doesn’t recommend, is drink psyllium husk. 🔋 Boosting Mitochondrial Health: Eating less methionine (mostly found in animal products) and exercising regularly makes mitochondria more efficient, reducing cellular stress. Mitochon-what? It is the power generator of your cell. The more efficient it is, the better for you. 🌱 The Power of Hormesis: Stress, in the right doses, makes us stronger. Turns out, this applies to plants too. Wild strawberries, drought-stressed grapes, and other “stressed” plants contain more antioxidants and phytonutrients than their pampered, conventionally grown counterparts. We have been told, time and again, that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? A Realistic Look at Diet and Longevity Greger is firmly in the plant-based camp, arguing that a predominantly plant-based diet is the key to slowing aging. The science is solid, but as someone managing Type 2 diabetes, I know that a fully plant-based diet can be tricky because of its higher carb content — even from “healthy” sources like legumes and whole grains. My assertion is backed by real data, albeit just my own. I joined a group of my colleagues for a one month vegan challenge, and I was wearing a continuous glucose monitor during the challenge. Not only did I notice a lot of blood spikes after meals, my A1C level also went up. I am back to eating dairy and eggs, but I am trying really hard to limit my animal food intake to 20% or less of my total calories. That said, his advice is totally doable with a few tweaks, like prioritizing low-glycemic plant foods and syncing exercise with meals to help regulate blood sugar. His approach aligns closely with the Blue Zones way of eating — mostly plants, daily beans, minimal processed food, and a cutback on animal products. Some of his recommendations, like ditching eggs and dairy entirely, might feel extreme, but the core principle — eat real food, mostly plants, and not too much — is solid and adaptable for most people (Michael Pollen’s famous 3 rules for eating). Final Verdict How Not to Age is an invaluable guide for anyone looking to extend their healthspan. You don’t need to follow every single recommendation to benefit — just implementing a few of Greger’s strategies can make a real difference. Aging is inevitable, but how fast (and how well) we age, is something we have a lot more control over than we think. Moreover, I beg you, to eat real food, mostly plants and not too much. Not for the planet, not for PETA, but for YOU (would be great if you did it for the planet and for the love of animals)!

What does it take to defy aging, live longer and feel healthy and happy your whole life? Dr. Greger has done all the research for you so you can benefit from his wide ranging knowledge making this book a pleasure to read. Some of the questions this book answers include: How do you improve eyesight and brain health all at the same time? What should we do to slow aging and increase our lifespan? What is the real reason we should consume more fiber? What food and oil helps prevent hair loss? Is drinking coffee antiaging? What can eating an apple a day do for you? How can you save money when eating the recommended foods? What raises testosterone naturally? What are the natural oils that work for pain relief? How can you help your pets live longer? What I noticed about Dr. Greger is how witty and funny he is. While at times he dives deep into his topics, he makes sure you are enjoying the book. I learned quite a lot about how to lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol and what to drink to help with inflammation. This author often looks at both sides of the issues and draws logical conclusions. Often I was reading this book with a sense of awe. This book probably contains the most convincing case for healthier living that I've yet to come across and read. Who knew that drinking cocoa in coffee could increase muscle mass or that switching from one protein source to another could help lose visceral fat! Now I know! While reading this book I came to understand why some people make it past age 100 and it does seem there are things you can do that are key to being healthy longer. As for me, I think I need to create more balance in what I'm eating and indulge in more foods that can increase my health while not leaving me feeling deprived. To me this book is about how to combat the aging process and improve your life! I wrote down about 45 recommended foods that may help me live longer and I will try to incorporate more of them into my daily meals. I was pleased that I am doing a lot of the right things already! But now I know way more about how to deal with things my nurse is concerned about and wants me to improve. As you get older there are way more things to worry about! My nurse was impressed that I lowered my cholesterol after my last blood tests so I'm learning a lot by reading books! So I'm hoping I can learn from Dr. Greger and will read additional books. Reading this book was well worth the effort to help me live longer. The next time I went to the grocery store I sure bought a lot more blueberries, a sweet potato and other healthy foods. This book did change a lot of the way I shop immediately. Because now I have the health reasons behind the food suggestions. The paper and print quality is also fine! I read this book with my regular reading glasses and I'm over 55! I also have realized that I'm a lot happier when I eat great foods. My mood is good and my energy levels are up. I also don't feel really hungry because I think I'm getting more nutrients. I'd say reading this book was life changing for me and it may be that way for you! ~The Rebecca Review P.S. I also recommend the How Not To Diet book because following that advice has also made me feel ten years younger and I'm losing weight finally.

Turned out it is a good book.

How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older is an outstanding read that offers a refreshing and practical approach to the science of aging. The author provides a well-researched and accessible guide to understanding how we can maintain our health and vitality as we age. What I particularly appreciate about this book is its evidence-based approach. The author presents complex scientific concepts in a way that is easy to understand and apply to everyday life. The strategies and tips offered are grounded in solid research, making the advice not only credible but also actionable. The book covers a wide range of topics, from diet and exercise to mental health and lifestyle choices, offering a comprehensive view of how various factors contribute to healthy aging. Each chapter is filled with practical recommendations that are both realistic and achievable, allowing readers to make gradual but impactful changes in their lives. Moreover, the writing is engaging and motivating, which makes the book not just informative but also enjoyable to read. It provides a sense of empowerment, encouraging readers to take control of their health and well-being with confidence. In summary, How Not to Age is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their health and quality of life as they age. Its scientific approach, combined with practical advice and a positive tone, makes it a must-read for those who want to embrace aging with a proactive mindset. Highly recommended for anyone interested in maintaining their vitality and health over the years.

Do you know all the proceeds of the book go to charity! I love Greger's altruistic approach to health and his obsession of poring over 1000s of publications regularly. Coming to the content most of it I'm already familiar from the talks by Greger on YouTube. But this gives a detailed overview of the same breaking it down for each and every organ and disease.

Highly recommend Dr. Greger’s book. A must read for all of you conscious people.

If you want to sprinkle your vegan lifestyle with (real) science, this is the perfect tool. Easy read. The trademark Dr. Greger humor also helps.

Great book by a series of accredited physicians and research scientists. No hype. Just scientifically proven facts.