Healthy at 100

Why do some people age in failing health and sadness, while others grow old with vitality and joy? In this revolutionary book, bestselling author John Robbins presents us with a bold new paradigm of aging, showing us how we can increase not only our lifespan but also our health span. Through the example of four very different cultures that have the distinction of producing some of the world's healthiest, oldest people, Robbins reveals the secrets for living an extended and fulfilling life in which our later years become a period of wisdom, vitality, and happiness. From Abkhasia in the Caucasus south of Russia, where age is beauty, and Vilcabamba in the Andes of South America, where laughter is the greatest medicine, to Hunza in Central Asia, where dance is ageless, and finally the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa, the modern Shangri-la, where people regularly live beyond a century, Robbins examines how the unique lifestyles of these peoples can influence and improve our own. Bringing the traditions of these ancient and vibrantly healthy cultures together with the latest breakthroughs in medical science, Robbins reveals that, remarkably, they both point in the same direction. The result is an inspirational synthesis of years of research into healthy aging in which Robbins has isolated the characteristics that will enable us to live long andmost importantjoyous lives. With an emphasis on simple, wholesome, but satisfying fare, and the addition of a manageable daily exercise routine, many people can experience great improvement in the quality of their lives now and for many years to come. But perhaps more surprising is Robbins' discovery that it is not diet and exercise alone that helps people to live well past one hundred. The quality of personal relationships is enormously important. With startling medical evidence about the effects of our interactions with others, Robbins asserts that loneliness has more impact on lifespan than such known vices as smoking. There is clearly a strong beneficial power to love and connection. "We all have the tools to live longer lives, and to remain active, productive, and resourceful until the very end," Robbins writes.Healthy at 100strives to improve both the quality and the quantity of our remaining yearsno matter how old or how healthy we might currently beand to reverse the social stigma on aging. After reading this book, we will never think about ageor lifein the same way again. "John Robbins has inspired millions of people with his eloquent, clear, compassionate, and insightful guidance on the path to health and fulfillment. Healthy at 100 may be his finest work to date. If you are interested in extending your health span as well as your life span, read this book! Healthy at 100 is a masterpiece." Dean Ornish, M.D., president and director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, author ofDr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease "This is a remarkably open and heartfelt book full of wisdom and love by an extraordinary man who has been teaching us how to live more healthy and compassionate lives for over twenty years now. John Robbins has created a new vision of aging for American society." John Mackey, CEO,Whole Foods "John Robbins is one of the most important voices in America today. He cuts through nonsense like no one else does. He gives hope like no one else does. His words are lifelines for both the body and soul. This book can literally save our lives." Marianne Williamson, author ofA Return to LoveandA Woman's Worth "Healthy at 100 is a marvelous blend of wisdom, hope, courage, and common sense. John Robbins gives us caring, science, and i

Widely considered one of the world’s leading experts on the dietary link between the environment and health, John Robbins is the author of the million-copy bestseller Diet for a New America. His work has been the subject of cover stories and feature articles in the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and People. Robbins has been a featured and keynote speaker at hundreds of major conferences including those sponsored by the Sierra Club and UNICEF, and is the recipient of many awards, including the Rachel Carson Award and the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award. He is the founder of EarthSave International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to healthy food choices, preservation of the environment, and a more compassionate world. Robbins lives with his wife, Deo, their son, Ocean, and daughter-in-law, Michele, and their grand-twins River and Bodhi outside of Santa Cruz, California.


From the Hardcover edition.