Hunza health secrets for long life and happiness

by Renee Taylor

This book tells the story of Hunza and the Hunza people - people who in over two thousand years of almost complete isolation seem to have evolved a way of living, eating and thinking that has substantially lengthened their lifespan and dramatically reduced susceptibility to most of the illnesses to which "civilized" people are prone. Formerly Hunza was an independent kingdom and a land of mystery; today it is a part of West Pakistan, functioning as an independent state with a king on the throne. One of the smallest monarchies in the world, the whole country is only 100 miles long and in areas scarcely a mile wide. In Hunza, people manage to live over one hundred years of age in perfect mental and physical health; and men father children at ninety. But their greatest achievement is the fact that sickness is rare, that cancer, heart disease, heart attacks, high or low blood pressure and childhood diseases are virtually unknown. There is no juvenile delinquency in Hunza, and divorce is a rarity. There are no jails, police of army, and there is no need for them, as there hasn't been a crime reported for the last one hundred and thirty years. Telling their story, one cannot help but admire the great inner strength which enabled these people to change from warlike creatures to peaceful human beings. Their mind and body must be made pure before it can be directed to higher things. This cannot be bought cheaply - it must come from within. Perhaps one who has it is not conscious of it, but then the tranquility, once we have it, cannot be lost. And this is why the Hunzakuts were able to conquer anger, hatred, feverish greed and dangerous ambition and establish a perfect balance of body, mind and spirit.

221 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Renee Taylor is an American actress, perhaps best known for playing Fran Drescher's voracious and outspoken mother, Sylvia Fine, on the TV series The Nanny.

Taylor was born Renee Wexler in The Bronx, New York City. During 1992-1994, she played the stereotypically-overbearing "Jewish mother" of the lead character on the HBO series Dream On. Beginning in the fall of 1993, she began playing the stereotypically-overbearing "Jewish mother" of the lead character on The Nanny. Thus she was playing both roles for a season, and the two characterizations were virtually identical.

She has also had a voice cameo in the recent Warner Brothers cartoon Superman as a spectator to Superman's discussion with a visiting alien princess of the essence of marriage and relationships, ending the scene with a delightful 'What planet is he from?'

She has been married to actor Joseph Bologna since 1965, and is the mother of actor, Gabriel Bologna. Taylor and Bologna co-wrote the Broadway hit comedy Lovers and Other Strangers, and received Oscar nominations for writing the 1970 film adaptation. In 1971 the couple co-wrote and starred in the film Made for Each Other. Their screenplay received a nomination for the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy. Joseph Bologna also made an appearance on The Nanny as an egocentric actor named Allan Beck, who tormented Maxwell Sheffield.

Taylor played Eva Braun in the 1968 version of The Producers.

Reviews

[Bernard Bel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have finished reading a French translation of this book. I am working on a historal essay exposing "myths" about Hunza extraordinary health and longevity covering a whole century of literature and testimonies. Taylor is very interesting in this respect.
I am not sure that the author is the same Renee Taylor you linked with, a well-known actress who does not seem to be a writer. The same error has been done on her Wikipedia entry in English (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%...) erroneously linking to VIAF identifier https://viaf.org/viaf/252000

[Norm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book and Gaylord Hauser's "New Treasury of Secrets" for basically the same reason; they offer sensible, practical advice for beginning a daily exercise routine, of not more than 20 minutes a day.

Both books have much more in them, but I have mainly read and re-read the sections on exercise and found them very helpful.