With much sassy humor (they describe the adrenals as similar in shape to Mr. Potato Head's hat), they give a guided tour of the body's anatomy and major systems (hormonal, nervous, digestive, sensory, etc.) including plenty of fascinating trivia along the way. How often should you get your thyroid level checked? How much gas does the average person produce in a day? And, most importantly, how many times a year do most people have sex?? Drs. Oz and Roizen know. They also reveal plenty of bizarre (and potentially life-saving) facts such as this: If your earlobe has a prominent vertical wrinkle, it's likely that your arteries are aging faster than they ought to be. If only 8th-grade health class had been this fun.

The docs' main goal in presenting all this info is twofold: firstly, it's your body, so shouldn't you finally learn how it works? And, secondly, they want to help teach ways of preserving the body's health and youthfulness. To that end, they've included an "Owner's Manual Diet," a 10-day menu plan designed not for weight loss, but to make you feel "years younger." Its simple recipes are each meant to benefit a certain body system, such as Tomato Bruschetta, packed with the antioxidant lycopene, which has been proven to boost immunity. --Erica Jorgensen

From Publishers Weekly
Anti-aging guru Roizen and celebrated heart surgeon Oz combine their popular approaches to patient-centered care in this assessment of how much, or more to the point, how little, readers know about their bodies. After taking the quizzes in the book, readers may feel shocked by their ignorance of basic anatomy and the processes required to maintain physical and mental functioning. Each chapter focuses on a body part or system (heart, brain, digestive, reproductive, etc.) and discusses diseases associated with it; genetic and lifestyle influences on its aging process; and foods, supplements and habits that can prevent or reverse related illnesses. The book has an entertaining feel: friendly elves guide readers through illustrations of the body and cartoons feature alien creatures that enter the body and cause illness. The humor is irreverent (e.g., muscle cells surrounding dead heart tissue "start fighting with each other, like Jerry Springer's guests, instead of supporting each other, like Oprah's" [incidentally, the authors will appear on Oprah in May to promote the book]). Despite a 10-day, 30-recipe food plan and a less-is-more exercise regime, however, readers may have trouble using the information to create a lifestyle that will fulfill the authors' promise of weight loss, disease prevention and longevity. Even the recipes target one specific area of the body and weaken the overall conceptual framework. This lighthearted book will be most useful to those who like their health lessons served with a side of humor. (May 1)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description

Between your full-length mirror and high-school biology class, you probably think you know a lot about the human body. While it's true that we live in an age when we're as obsessed with our bodies as we are with celebrity hairstyles, the reality is that most of us know very little about what chugs, churns, and thumps throughout this miraculous, scientific, and artistic system of anatomy. Yes, you've owned your skin-covered shell for decades, but you probably know more about your cell-phone plan than you do about your own body. When it comes to your longevity and quality of life, understanding your internal systems gives you the power, authority, and ability to live a healthier, younger, and better life.

You: The Owner's Manual challenges your preconceived notions about how the human body works and ages, then takes you on a tour through all of the highways, back roads, and landmarks inside of you. After taking a quiz that tests your body of knowledge, you'll learn about all of your blood-pumping, food-digesting, and keys-remembering systems and organs.

Just as important, you'll get the facts and advice you need to keep your body running long and strong. You'll find out how diseases start and how they affect your body -- as well as advice on how to prevent and beat conditions that threaten your quality of life. Complete with exercise tips, nutritional guidelines, simple lifestyle changes, and alternative approaches, You: The Owner's Manual gives you an easy, comprehensive, and life-changing how-to plan for fending off the gremlins of aging. To top it off, you'll also get the great-tasting and calorie-saving Owner's Manual Diet -- a thirty-recipe eating plan that's designed with only one goal in mind: to help you live a younger life.

Welcome to your body. Why don't you come on in and take a look around?

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180 of 190 people found the following review helpful: A good, basic manual addressing total body health needs, May 5, 2005 Reviewer: Dr Beth T Cholette "doctor_beth" (Upstate NY USA) - See all my reviews       As the subtitle to this book suggests, the main purpose of this manual is to help you live a long, healthy life through educating you about your body and its needs. The first author, Michael Roizen, is the pioneer of the RealAge concept--i.e., the idea that age is better measured by lifestyle factors rather than chronology--and he incorporates much of this concept into the current work. In order to get a baseline sense of how much you already know about your body, the first chapter includes a self-assessment, The Body-Quotient Quiz. This multiple-choice questionnaire offers some surprising answers to questions as diverse as "What is the genetic reason that men typically want more sex than women?" and "What is the main purpose of skin?" The book proceeds to devote a separate chapter to each of the following areas/systems of the body: the heart; the brain and nervous system; bones, joints, and muscles; the lungs; the digestive system; the sexual and sensory organs; the immune system; hormones; and cancer. Each chapter provides basic educational information, much of which is conveyed in easy-to-read "myth busters" and "factoid" formats. Then, once you have learned all the essential information about that area, the authors present a "Live Younger Action Plan," which is a step-by-step guide to making the lifestyle adjustments that can help you to live a longer, healthier life. Some of these actions involve simply making yourself more aware of your own body--eg, finding out your cholesterol levels--while others involve an actual behavioral change such as modifying what you eat. The final 50 pages of the book provide a simple diet plan based on very general guidelines; for instance, the authors offer recommendations under the categories of "foods to eat daily," "foods to eat weekly," and "foods to avoid." Also in this section is a suggested ten-day menu schedule which includes approximately 40 recipes. This book contains a wealth of important information about general health and well-being. However, readers who already have a fundamental understanding of the factors which contribute to a healthy lifestyle may find this manual to be too basic. Adding to the book's sometimes primitive presentation are the illustrations, which, while clear and helpful, also border on juvenille in that they include depictions of strange, elf-like figures. Overall, however, this book imparts a great deal of vital knowledge in a simple, straight-forward manner, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to learn basic facts about their body's needs. Was this review helpful to you?  (Report this)

268 of 329 people found the following review helpful: Informative!, May 3, 2005 Reviewer: Amani "novice bookworm" (CA, USA) - See all my reviews I first saw this book on an episode of Oprah while exercising. This book provides the necessary information in simple terms as a guide to take care of your body from your internal organs point of view. It's not necessary a diets book. It does tell you the type of food that will help your body run better. The main focus of the book is the heart and digestive system which I've found to be tremendously helpful. The reason I gave it four stars was because I've found similar information from the health magazines I subscribe to and other health books. However, it is very convenient to have the information all in one book. Overall, a great buy! Was this review helpful to you?  (Report this)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: YOU is a hit, October 11, 2005 Reviewer: Roy L. Collins (massachusetts) - See all my reviews    I think that this book is worth your time and money. First of all it is educational. The authors explain the way our bodies work in great detail, but do so in a maner you do not need to be an MD to understand.After reading the book it is fairly simple to follow the author's advice regarding healthy lifestyle Was this review helpful to you?  (Report this)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: This is the book you must have, October 9, 2005 Reviewer: Readsalot "Linda" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews I found this book for sale through Amazon on (...)I bought it as a gift for a family member and she said it was the best health book she owns. I've seen this author on TV also and he is outstanding in his knowledge. This is a must have book if you have health issues or want to stay healthy. Was this review helpful to you?  (Report this)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: Expected more, October 9, 2005 Reviewer: Stewart - See all my reviews Actually I expected more from a book featured at Oprah Show. It IS a good book, written by professionals. It IS informative and to the point but I was missing some depth in tackling some of the issues. I still recommend it for anyone interested in "keeping their internal house clean". However, for a more comprehensive approach I suggest "Can We Live 150 Year" Was this review helpful to you?  (Report this)

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful: book is very informative, October 9, 2005 Reviewer: serene thomas (newgersey, NG USA) - See all my reviews This book is useful for health tips like mind and body. It includes graphic and other manual report. This book is very informative. I also liked "The Power of Positive Habits"...it is sold out at Amazon but I found it for a discount at the Barnes & Noble website, or you can get it at "The Power of Positive Habits" website. ..the web address is the same as the book title and they are giving away over $1,000 in free e-books today! Was this review helpful to you?  (Report this)