A Short Guide to a Long Life

by David B. Agus

The New York Times bestselling book of simple rules everyone should follow in order to live a long, healthy life, featuring illustrations throughout, from the author of The End of Illness.

In his international bestseller, The End of Illness, Dr. David B. Agus shared what he has learned from his work as a pioneering cancer doctor, revealing the innovative steps he takes to prolong the lives of not only cancer patients, but all those who want to enjoy a vigorous, lengthy life. Now Dr. Agus has turned his research into a practical and concise illustrated handbook for everyday living.
A Short Guide to a Long Life is divided into three sections (What to Do, What to Avoid, and Doctor's Orders) that provide the definitive answers to many common and not-so-common questions: Who should take a baby aspirin daily? Are flu shots safe? What constitutes "healthy" foods? Are airport scanners hazardous? Dr. Agus believes optimal health begins with our daily routines. His book will help you develop new patterns of personal health care, using inexpensive and widely available tools that are based on the latest and most reliable science.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Self Help, Science, Medicine, Medical, Audiobook

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2014

About the author

Dr. David B. Agus is one of the world’s leading cancer doctors and pioneering biomedical researchers. Over the past twenty years he’s received acclaim for his innovations in medicine and contributions to new technologies that will change how all of us maintain our health. He’s also built a reputation for having a unique way of looking at the relationship of the body to health and disease. He explains, “Sometimes you have to go to war to understand peace. My work in the cancer war has taught me a lot about all things health-related, much of which goes against conventional wisdom.”

Dr. Agus is professor of medicine and engineering at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and the Viterbi School of Engineering and heads USC’s Westside Cancer Center and the Center for Applied Molecular Medicine. He received his bachelor’s degree from Princeton and his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He trained at Johns Hopkins and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. A staunch advocate for personalized medicine, he chairs the Global Agenda Council on Genetics for the World Economic Forum, and is co-founder of Applied Proteomics and Navigenics, two health-care technology and wellness companies.

Dr. Agus’s honors and awards include the American Cancer Society Physician Research Award, a Clinical Scholar Award from the Sloan-Kettering Institute, and the 2009 GQ magazine Rock Star of Science Award.

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

When it comes to health, prevention is a hard sell. Old age is a subjective term, as is what constitutes a good life. With respect to the fact that health is a moving target, Dr. Agus sets forth 65 rules to live by to make the most of your health and maintain a good quality of life. There aren’t any new ideas here, merely a straight reminder of good health habits with relevant quick summaries of key facts, rules, and ideas.

Regardless of age, the most important things you can do to stay healthy:

Have an annual physical exam.

Know your family history.

Don’t smoke.

Be physically active.

Maintain regular eat, sleep, and exercise schedules.

Know your body.

Eat a healthy diet.

Stay at a healthy weight.

Manage stress.

Drink alcohol in moderation.

Sleep well, keeping a regular pattern.

Avoid all vitamins and supplements.

If over age 40, discuss preventative medications such as aspirin and statins with your doctor.

[Yara Yu · Rating 3 out of 5]

الوقاية دائما خير من العلاج
ديفيد أغوس طبيب مختص بعلاج الأورام يقدم كتاب قصير به ارشادات وتوجيهات لحياة صحية خالية من الأمراض
أسلوبه بسيط ويشرح أسباب كل إرشاد ليجعلك تتجنب عادات يومية مضرة بالصحة

[Fred Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, easy, and enjoyable read. Most of it is FGO (firm grasp of the obvious) but a good reminder of what we should be doing even though most of us require a solid injection of will power. I did not find anything earthshaking or that controversial but it was good to see confirmation of things I intuitively felt were a waste of time and money - cleanses, vitamins and supplements, etc. Interesting comment on genetically modified food. The guy who started the whole "anti" movement, Mark Lynas of Britain changed his mind in January 2013 and is now a staunch advocate. Why? In his words, "Well, the answer is fairly simple. I discovered science, and in the process I hope I became a better environmentalist".

[Don Gorman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping for so much more after I read the introduction to this book. It was so insightful and full of promise. The book itself is almost totally a list of common sense rules on how to live your life. Even a somewhat aware, healthy person knows and understands these things. Implementation and changes in behavior modification are always the challenge. Luckily, for the most part, I do not need to worry about most of them. I loved his last book (the end of illness) but this one is just a weak attempt at promoting himself. 1 1/2 stars would be fair.

[Renee Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great suggestions and tips to make healthy choices wrapped up in small chapters. Easy read made so easy that you don't want to put it down. Sharing with my 20 year old daughter to help her choices and shorten the learning curve.

[Anastasija · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy-to-follow bits of advice on improving our health and longevity. It has a no-nonsense approach to better health, by focusing on preventing care with clear and concise language, without the overwhelming medical jargon.

[David Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want to live longer? Move over Dr. Oz; the new doc's in town. After reading this article, I bought this new pint-sized hardcover, A Short Guide to a Long Life, by David B. Argus, MD. It can be read in one sitting and I recommend it highly. It provides 65 rules to live by to lengthen your life. Here are five of my favorites:

1. Smile - "the act itself will trigger the release of pain-killing, brain-happy endorphins and serotonin." (check)
2. Cultivate Om in the office (half check)
3. Jack your heart rate up to 50% above your resting baseline for at least 15 minutes a day (half check)
4. Grow a garden. (check)
5. Eat more than 3 servings of cold-water fish a week. (check)

On many of he other 60 rules, I've got some work to do. I wish my company Berrett-Koehler Publishers had published it, but Simon & Schuster gets the nod. It's also a great gift book for loved ones.

[Ivana Oltovska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully inspirational! ^_^

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh...yes, it is a short book. I felt a lot of tips were common sense and were things I already knew, but I guess they were still good reminders (i.e., workout at least 30 minutes a day, eat fruits and vegetables, limit red meats and/or processed meats to three servings per week, get an annual flue shot, etc.). And I was surprised to read that he thinks there is nothing wrong with GMO foods (uh, what?) and it is a bad idea to take vitamins (because supposedly they can contribute or cause cancer based on studies). Probably the most I got out of the book were some links from his website to helpful apps and other websites. I also took note of his lists in the back of the book (Top 10 lists and what medical stuff to do in each decade of your life).

[S · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a jumble of ungrounded suggestions, many of which are soundly bad advice.

For example, Agus suggests anyone over 60 to ask their doctor “why shouldn’t I be on statin?” On the next page, he suggests taking a daily dose of aspirin. A couple of chapters later, he suggests to stop taking vitamins.

Furthermore, this book is poorly written. It reads like internet clickbait and are full of “tricks” to make the book seem longer, eg. meaningless illustrations and repetitive sections and lists.

There are some good aspects, such as several reasonable suggestions and their actionable natures. However, the bad advice coupled with his “authority” as a doctor are dangerous.

I would not recommend this book at all.

[Ryan Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book and it was a very quick read, but I didn’t think it was anything special. I learned a few things between the covers, but it was generally reminders of things we all know we should be doing anyway. Also, many of the tips were not so relevant to a 22 year old student such as myself; I think it would be much more applicable to a middle aged individual in the “real world” (working a steady job, supporting a family, etc.) I did, however, really like the final section where Dr. Agus lists some important health checks/guidelines for readers based on their current age.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick to read, hard to argue with, and a good reminder to schedule that overdue checkup. Also: wear a hat, choose shoes that fit, and take that 30-minute daily walk — the one you’ll still be doing on your 100th birthday.

His take on ditching unprescribed vitamins and supplements was a bummer but I guess has to be worth considering… especially since gummy ones are -according to him-dangerously delicious.

[Illiterate · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Christians read the Bible, so I read this kind of book: to remind myself to be good.

[Nevra Arslanturk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aynı anda 5-6 kitap okuyan biri olarak, bu listeye daha düzenli olarak kişisel gelişim/ sağlık kitabı da eklemeye karar verdim. Kısa bölümlerden oluşan, “to do” veren kitapların motive edici olduğunu düşünüyorum. Her gün birkaç bölüm okumak iyi hissettiriyor. Bu kitapta tam da bu kategoriye uyuyor, sahilde okunacak hafiflikte, aslında bildiğimiz, bazılarını es geçtiğimiz, kıymetli maddelerden oluşuyor. Tavsiye edebilirim.

Kendime araştırma alanı/ soru işaretleri:
-DNA testi yaptırmak
-Statin (kolestorol hapları) almak
-Grip için çinko pastili almak

To do:
-Her yıl grip aşısı
-Zatürre aşısı olmak
-Bebek Aspirini içmek (Tadını sevdiğim işin sırf nostalji olsun diye almıştım😅Adam kalp için bildiğin tavsiye ediyor😃😍)
-Elektronikle uyuma! Çalar saat al:)
-Aynı saatte uyu/ uyan.
-Çarşafları aksatmadan her hafta değiştirmek.
-Egzersiz devam (Zekayı artırıyor diyor-haklı bence de.)

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book attempts to answer some of the most common health questions.

What should I eat? Real food (that does not come with a label). Understand basic bio-vocabulary; know the difference between vitamin and supplement, or define inflammation. Consider getting a dog; it will force you to get some exercise, along with leaving your desk and forgetting about multi-tasking. There seem to be a million different diets available. Find the diet that works for you, and stick with it. Grow a garden (or, at least, a window box). Practice good hygiene. Maintain a healthy weight. Caffeine is OK in sensible amounts. Consider getting a DNA test.

Get in the habit of taking a baby aspirin daily. Be smart about being sick. Maintain good posture and strengthen your core. Adopt a positive attitude. Smile. Try an activity that is out of your comfort zone. Eat at least three servings of cold-water fish per week. Never skip breakfast. It's a good idea to be a little obsessive-compulsive about washing your hands. There is no such thing as doing it too often. There is no shame in asking for help.

The book also includes things that should be avoided. They include: fad diets, detoxes, dangerous sports and risky behavior, sunburns, airport x-ray scanners, insomnia, juicing, smoking and vitamins and supplements (!)

No one is expected to immediately do (or not do) everything in this book. Pick just one thing, incorporate it into your daily life so that it becomes a habit, then pick another. Anyone who cannot find just one health aid here needs more help than this book can provide. For everyone else, this book is short, very easy to understand, and very much worth reading.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this on the new books shelf at the library and picked it up and just wrapped it up and ordered my own copy from Amazon because I loved it. I am working on finding my way to health right now and this is a great little manual for me to refer to when I need a shot in the arm. The author is not selling anything save his expertise after years of working as an oncologist. DId you know that the designation "old age" became illegal to use on death certificates in 1951 because we really don't die of old age any longer we now have to name a specific disease, injury, or complication. This was a sobering thought to me. He opens with a quote by the man himself. Hippocrates stated, "A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses. Everything in excess is opposed to nature. To do nothing can also be a good remedy. There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance." And, finally, I loved the way he summed up what is wrong with the health care debate today. "Here's an example to illustrate: aspirin may be touted as a miracle drug, but it's still flawed, given the side effects it can cause, namely bleeding and upset stomach. We should question why the National Institutes of Health doesn't spend large sums on making better aspirin so we can reap its miraculous benefits minus the potential side effects."

[Proudcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the concise format of the book. It does have really good advices about healthy lifestyle.
I won't say I agree with all but even the author doesn't insists you follow 100%. I also liked that he agrees with Michael Pollan about kinds of food to eat and avoid. The last part of the book gives a checklist based on an age group that comes in handy. The hardest part is to actually follow his recommendations :-)

[Гэрэл · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for three pillars of life

[Ryan Deer · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ideal couch or toilet read, Dr. Agus puts together a long list of positive personal habits that will improve your life. While I would say that many of the rules he creates verge on common sense, the fact that I hadn’t thought to apply a few of them to my life already speaks to a commonly shared lack of sense amongst Americans.

[Rachael Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars

Practical, useful and a lot of tips ☺️ I loved the structure and the lists. An easy read that reminds you what’s important in life and how to take care of your body at every stage of life.

[Daniel Hageman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides such simple and practical advice that I reckon everyone should give it the short read it deserves. Definitely one to check in on every year or so to gauge your alignment with the list of rules to follow.

[Correen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lists of what to do and what not to do to live a healthy life.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful guide with practical information. I learned a few new things.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read on evidence based ways to improve health and slow aging. It was an inspiring reminder for me to go back to the basics of self care!

[B-zee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buku yang penting untuk dibaca semua orang.

[Julian Bu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful. Eating the right food, having daily routines, etc.

[空 · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is not for people who already have knowledge about healthy living. The ones really have no clue. Thank you for writing as simple as it is Mr. Agus.

[Andreea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is indeed a short book, and it's also quite easy to use, but most of the teachings are common sense - and while I know common sense is not really common in that sense, I still feel that I did not learn anything new or useful from this book.

I did like the author's opinions, and overall it's an easy to read and understand book that is useful in general.

[Sheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Going to follow Sarah L's lead and create a shelf called Just Couldn't Do It. This book wasn't terrible, but I do not believe there are any great revelations in it so I'm done.

[Jennifer Jarrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick guide with easy to do things/ways to be healthier.