Dr. Andrew Weil's Healthy Aging
Many of the words of wisdom dispensed by Andrew Weil, "America's most trusted physician," in the course ofHealthy Agingare elementary, even obvious. But that doesn't make them any less relevant, as Weil takes on an issue that most in this youth-obsessed culture would just as soon ignore. Originally aired on PBS, this program is essentially an 85-minute lecture by the Harvard-educated doc, a prolific author and Integrative Medicine pioneer now based at the University of Arizona;sansprops, guests, or bells and whistles of any sort, it's all rather static. What's more, while his assertions that aging is not necessarily synonymous with diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's and that memory loss and aging don't have to go hand in hand are provocative, we're more than a third into it before Weil delivers any really practical ideas for those 60 and over whose goal is what he calls "compression of morbidity"--i.e., living not only long, but well. Even then, it should come as no surprise that eliminating certain unhealthy (i.e., fast-digesting) fats, oils, and carbohydrates from one's diet, engaging in regular and age-appropriate physical activity, sleeping well, and managing stress are key steps along that path. Still, Weil articulates these points in engaging, articulate fashion, and some of his specific recommendations (such as keeping the mind active by learning new things, practicing yoga-like breathing exercises, or composing an "ethical will" that will record one's personal values, wisdom, and experience) have considerable worth and appeal. For those unwilling to wade through the wealth of talk and information that occupies the first hour or so, these topics are summarized near the end of the DVD in Weil's "12-Point Program."--Sam Graham