Grow Younger, Live Longer: Ten Steps to Reverse Aging (Deepak Chopra) [Abridged, Audiobook] [CD]

I have regularly practiced Transcendental Meditation (TM) for a number of years, having originally become interested in it through one of Dr. Chopra's first books. I have found the practice to be a helpful one, and regularly recommend it to others. I have also experienced Ayurvedic health treatments and have read about the practice. As a result, I always look forward to reading Dr. Chopra's new books.

Grow Younger, Live Longer is an update on Ageless Body, Timeless Mind. The authors describe the Ayurvedic principles (practiced in India for many hundreds of years) of self-healing in a more detailed and understandable way than in any of Dr. Chopra's earlier books. Long-time practitioners of Transcendental Meditation will find little new in the book. Those who do not meditate now will find the book an easy, comfortable way to begin mind-body integration in ways that will probably help physiological and psychological health.

The authors argue that by forming ten new habits (by following the recommended practices for at least 10 weeks), you can "reset your Biostat (your biological or functional, age) up to fifteen years younger than your chronological age." Your Biostat is determined by various measures of your body's functioning, as compared to the average of people of the same sex and age. That point is not proven, however, in the text of the book. Many references care made in the notes. I am aware of studies done by practitioners of Transcendental Meditation that show such effects, which may be part of what the claim is based on. Some scientists have criticized the studies for potential bias because practitioners conducted almost all of the studies. The authors are not recommending TM, but rather other versions of meditation. Some nutritional and relationship studies have shown reversals of such biological markers.

You are encouraged to psychologically reframe aging to "an opportunity for greater wisdom, love, creativity, meaning, joy, and increased mental and physical capacity." "The real purpose of the book is to remind you, the reader, that this deeper reality, the domain of pure potentiality of spirit, is who you really are." "To know a person's body in the future, examine their experiences now." This sort of writing will remind you that Dr. Chopra likes to use Quantum physics as a metaphor for explaining the potential benefits of spiritual practices....

I also found much more scientific explanation here than in his earlier books about why these changes should be helpful. These were most detailed in the nutrition and exercise sections. The recommendations were explained in enough detail that I think that most people could understand and follow them. You will also find at least half of these food, water, and exercise recommendations in the better health books. The emphasis on spiritual and pscyhological practices is much stronger here. A good book on the importance of love from the scientific perspective is Dr. Dean Ornish's Love and Survival. The book also ends with a long section of vegetarian recipes from various cuisines (Thai, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, French, American, and Middle Eastern) for seven sample menus. These have fairly extensive lists of ingredients, and you may need to buy some provisions you don't have now. Tamari sauce is a good example of something that is not present in many American larders.

This book will probably be most appealing to a retired person who finds her- or himself feeling disconnected from a meaningful purpose. The practices here would be most helpful in that situation, and a retired person would have the time to take on the many new habits suggested here. Although middle-aged people with children at home would feel like they could never take the time to do these things, they would probably benefit even more from the stress reduction that these practices could bring.

I would also enourage you to learn about practicing TM. With that change, you would probably find it easier to make these other changes that Dr. Chopra suggests. Most cities have TM centers where you can locate a teacher. You can go to introductory sessions at no charge. The yoga in this book will make a nice complement to your meditation practice.

Take life's unexpected events less personally and with more curiosity!

This is a terrific book. Follow the ten steps and your life and health will be greatly improved. The two M.D.s who wrote this book are no strangers to scientific medicine. The fact that they have been willing to go beyond the limitations of our modern scientific medical community is to their credit. I've spent many years working in hospitals. I've seen the marvels of modern medicine and the horrors. New discoveries overcome past horrors but the mistakes of modern medicine are usually seen as steps forward, which they are except for the ones stepped on in this evolutionary process. My problem with modern scientific medicine is it's arrogance and criticism of other healing options when it has killed and maimed so many along the way.

The supposed scientific criticism of this book is based on the arrogant assumption that spiritual realities have little connection to or impact on our physical well-being. Heck, if we can't detect it with all our new fangeled toys, it doesn't exist! Give me a break. Does anyone believe that all of our modern scientists put together have discovered all of the dimensions of reality?! You can't even put them all together without starting a civil war of differing perspectives.

Chopra's prescriptions for health and longevity are based on both spiritual and scientific realities and he has expertise in each of these disciplines. After 31 years of spiritual ministry, much of it done in the world of health care, I advise you to not let the "smarty pants" M.D.'s and Ph.D's scare you away from this valuable health resource.

I took the audio program of this book out from my library due to sheer curiosity and since then have bought the book in print because I though it would be easier to use it as a reference that way.

I have many of Dr. Chopra's audio tapes and while I don't take everything he says at face value I try to stay open to what he says on any given program and judge the material for it's own merits.

Of course Dr. Chopra's popularity as a "Pop Culture Guru" can make it tempting to take him less seriously and write off anything he does as just another way for him to make a buck. Sometimes I myself feel this way due to the "factory-like" volume of materials that have come out under his authorship. Also, I do find that Deepak can get somewhat repetitive in much of his talk about "Cybernetic Feedback Loops" and the like :)

Still, I always feel that if there's even one idea that can be helpful it is worth the effort and I generally get some benefit out of Deepak's work which is what led me to check this out.

What I found on this particular program was a lot of good advice for living a healthier and less stressful life. While I'm not a scientist, it seems quite obvious that anyone with a brain and common sense would realize that if you actually follow the advice given on this program you could only realize tremendous benefits on many levels.

Perhaps the only thing that might be considered "hocus pocus" by the mainstream medical community is Dr. Chopra's use of affirmations. While I'm generally not personally drawn to use affirmations , I would have to at least admit that if an affirmation helps one to focus on something positive rather than something negative it certainly can't hurt.

As far as the claims of a program like this making you live longer, who knows, BUT it seems quite clear to me that if you follow this program you will in the least feel better during whatever time you do have. Not only that, it seems pretty logical that if you do follow the useful advice on this program and therefore improve your overall physical and mental well being that it should translate into having a longer life than if you didn't follow the advice, and there is a LOT of practical and sound advice here.

I would be wary of some of the obviously jaded and arrogant scientific criticism that I read in previous reviews listed here concerning this book. My experience with the book is that those criticisms didn't ring true. While I can understand their concerns that this book may make some bold claims which they don't feel are scientifically proven, in general it appears that scientists seem to have a very narrow window that they look through and if it doesn't fit their world view then they think it's false.

The danger is that they think their world view is one based on facts, but perhaps they fail to realize or admit that they are limited by their current level of understanding, methods and equipment.

It wasn't so long ago that Newton was THE voice of physics and Quantum physics didn't exist as a scientific discipline. It wasn't so long ago that Galileo was given quite a hard time for views that are obvious to us now. There are other world views out there, that are equally valid. There are also many other approaches to well being that have been working for thousands of years, long before there was the American Medical Association and the like.

Likewise it also always amazes me how many doctors like to write off certain healing anomalies as a "placebo effect". What they fail to admit is that the whole notion of a "placebo effect" in and of itself is quite miraculous and shows that there are possibilities beyond what many Western doctors and scientists would like to admit is possible. Just because they can't quantify it doesn't make it invalid.

All that being said :)

Aside from the "Affirmations", this book is actually very grounded and filled with excellent and practical advice and one doesn't need to have a Ph.D. in aging to realize it's benefits. Anyone who "has a body" and common sense can benefit by good nutrition, exercise and stress reduction and therefore can benefit by the information in this program.

This book IS by the way co-authored by two doctors, one of which is Dr. David Simon. Dr. Simon was trained in neurology but came to feel the limitations of Western medicine as a sole healing modality. His search has led him to an integrative approach utilizing the best of so called "Conventional" and "Alternative" disciplines.

I am currently reading two of his books "Vital Energy" and "Wisdom of Healing" which are excellent. I was first exposed to Dr. Simon through a 12 tape audio program he did with Deepak Chopra called "Training the mind, Healing the Body" which is fascinating and very helpful. I was deeply impressed with Dr. Simon's deep knowledge, obvious sincerity, and compassion. After encountering that program I started searching out more of his materials which have all been outstanding!