Healthy Ageing: The Science and the Myths

The purpose of this book is to summarize the latest scientific findings on healthy ageing in a readable form that is understandable to the general public. It is uniquely different from most books on health and ageing in that there are no claims for secret ingredients for healthy ageing: there are no super genes, no superfoods, no super diet, no super supplements, no super exercise, no superbugs and no super lifestyle. All these issues are addressed therein.

The essence of Healthy Ageing is to apply common knowledge and common sense to your lifestyle. There is no secret ingredient or secret lifestyle for healthy ageing, that is the secret. The take-home message for healthy ageing is to maintain physical activity, that is keep moving (and keep breathing).

We subject the claims for healthy ageing to the Pub Test in which we ask a simple question and provide a simple Yes or No answer based on the best available scientific evidence. The Pub Test works best after a few drinks. It has its origins in politics in that when a politician is asked a simple question requiring a simple yes or no, there is much talk but the question is never answered.

The essence of the Pub Test is this: has the politician addressed the simple question, that is, has it passed the Pub Test? The Pub Test is a gauge of public opinion: is the answer believable and trustworthy as far as the general public is concerned?

We apply the Pub Test to the most important questions relating to health and ageing. We leave you, the informed Reader, to pass your own judgment on the answers. Your health is much too important an issue to be left answered by political rhetoric or left to be answered by commercial-for profit enterprises.

Ken Watson is Emeritus Professor of Microbiology at the University of New England, Armidale, Australia. He has published widely in scientific journals in articles on heat shock stress proteins, mitochondrial structure and function and unique microorganisms isolated from Antarctica. He lives on the Gold Coast, Queensland and maintains physical activity by jogging and walking the dog, Penny, the Labrador.