I have always appreciated the way Dr’s Michael Roizen and Mehemet Oz presented complex medical problems in very simple to understand terms when I watched them on Oprah’s show. When I started reading YOU: The Owner’s Manual, I was impressed by their ability to convey that same level of understanding in the book. This is a definite must read for any health care consumer who wants to learn more about the inner workings of their body and apply that knowledge to day-to-day decisions that help you live a longer and more productive life.
As a family physician myself, I like the way Roizen and Oz place a great deal of emphasis on your attitude towards life in general, the importance of positive relationships at work and in your home life, and the need to have a curious or continuous learning approach to your body and the prevention of illness. They coin the concept of Body Quotient (BQ) or your individual knowledge of how your body works and relate it to being similar to IQ or EQ (emotional intelligence). This brings the level of knowledge that you have about your body to a very personal awareness and also a very comprehensive approach. After all, you are the expert when it comes to understanding how your body works. When I was in clinical practice as a family physician, my patients were always my teachers because they “owned their bodies and understood their symptoms” better than I did based on what I would read in a text book.
In the book it is suggested that you become a student of “your body” and relate to your physician or medical provider as a teacher or tutor to better understand the new lessons you are learning about the inner workings of the body. Learning more about your illness or better yet, how to prevent a chronic illness becomes a shared learning experience with your doctor. I think this is the highest level of consumer empowerment that YOU: The Owner’s Manual, can offer if you take this knowledge and apply it to your lifestyle choices and behavior. The classroom learning setting in the book is also fun because there is a pre-test to understand your level of awareness followed by many health myth busters and factoids.
A final word about lifestyle choices and living a long healthy life, the book provides an excellent road map to achieve longevity through exercise, diet and lifestyle. In the beginning it outlines five areas where you can make adjustments to increase life expectancy and the quality of your life. The big five are:
1. Avoid smoking
2. Control your blood pressure
3. Exercise 30 minutes each day
4. Control stress in your life
5. Follow an easy to love, healthy diet.
The medical community and preventive care specialists now agree that your lifestyle and behavior choices account for nearly 80% of all chronic medical conditions. The other 20% can be attributed to genetics and environment. I do agree with the authors that “you can be in control of your health destiny”. Enjoy the book and I look forward to discussing what you have learned about your body and how it works to keep you healthy.
Thank you,
Dr. Tony Linares
