Tài liệu Count Down Your Age - 0071478078 pdf

Count Down
Your Age
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Count Down
Your Age
Look, Feel, and Live
Better than You
Ever Have
Before
FREDERIC J. VAGNINI, M.D.
DAVE BUNNELL
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Copyright © 2007 by Frederic Vagnini and David Bunnell. All rights reserved. Manufactured in
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in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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DOI: 10.1036/0071478078
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Professional
Want to learn more?
Dedicated to

my inspirational grandmother
Sadie Taylor,
son and great companion,
Aaron Hassan Bunnell,
loving wife and wise adviser,
Jacqueline Poitier,
octogenarian swimming buddy
Tom Gates,
very special lifelong friend
Don Nace,
and, of course, my daughters and granddaughters.
—David Bunnell
Dedicated to
my two wonderful daughters,
Grace Marie and Clare Ann,
for their continued love and support,
my fiancée, Laurie Mayer,
for her devotion, help, and loyalty,
and Frederic Vagnini and Elizabeth Vagnini, who will
always remain in my prayers.
—Dr. Frederic Vagnini
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vii
Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xiii
Ẅ
The Antiaging Test
Take the Test, Find Out Where You
Are, and Start Counting Down Your Age

1
ẅ
Live Better, Live Longer Lifestyle Plan
Sleep, Have Sex, and Laugh
Your Way to the Fountain of Youth
39
Ẇ
The Rest-of-Your-Life Nutrition Plan
Maximize Your Health, Stabilize
Your Weight, and Count Down Your Age
73
ẇ
Better-than-Ever-Fitness Plan
Soup Up Your Stamina, Double Your
Strength, and Get Those Hormones Flowing!
147
Ẉ
Take Charge of Your Medical Care
Conspire with Your Doctors,
Take Notes, and Accelerate the Countdown
191
ẉ
The Antiaging Plan 233
Appendix A: Fiber Content of Basic Foods 241
Appendix B: Selected Online Resources 243
Selected References 251
Index 257
For more information about this title, click here
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ix

Preface
P
aul McCartney turned 64 on June 18, 2006. He was only
16 when he wrote the lyrics for “When I’m 64”—recorded
nine years later on the Beatles’ greatest album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band. Sir Paul still has a fi ne head of hair, and though
we doubt he rolls in at “a quarter to three,” he has the energy and
good looks of a much younger man. We suspect McCartney’s per-
ception of older people has changed. According to an article in the
New York Times, half of those over 64 consider themselves middle-
aged or young. To be old, you have to be 104.
Some of our favorite people are actually 100 years old or older
(centenarians). The ones Dave has interviewed for his LongLife-
Club website (longlifeclub.com) are vigorous, alert, and mostly
independent. Some still drive, and at least one is still mountain
climbing. By the middle of this century, there will be approxi-
mately 800,000 centenarians in the United States. Even so, if you
live the perfect lifestyle, your odds of reaching 100 are still only
about 1 in 10,000. Genetic factors and the age of your mother
when you were born are probably more important than how much
broccoli you eat.
We have a different, more achievable concept: instead of wor-
rying about being 100, why not be younger now? Combing the
most recent scientifi c and observational knowledge of nutrition,
fi tness, lifestyle, and medicine with Dr. Fred Vagnini’s real-world
Copyright © 2007 by Frederic Vagnini and David Bunnell. Click here for terms of use.
experience as a cardiologist and holistic wellness doctor, we have
developed a customizable health program that will slow and even
reverse the aging process. Here’s how. Let’s assume you are an
average 64-year-old person. Take the extensive self-test in Chapter

1 of this book, read Chapters 2 through 5, and then in Chapter 6,
create your personal health plan. If you follow the plan, when you
are 65 years old, you will have actually reduced your functional age
to that of someone younger than 64. You will be counting down
your age.
We believe you can count down your age by as much as 20 years.
Research proves there are at least 10 biomarkers of aging that you
can control and even reverse. No matter what your age, you can
increase your muscle mass, speed up your metabolic rate, reduce
your body fat percentage, improve your aerobic capacity, and lower
your cholesterol. Do these, and guess what: everyone will start
remarking on how great you look.
Most people imagine they will live to be at least 80 years old,
but they worry that degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s
disease, will make their last years miserable. They don’t want to
be dependent on other people or live in an “old folks” facility. We
imagine that if you’re reading this book, you may want to live
beyond 80 years, but more important than longevity, you are con-
cerned about the quality of your remaining days. You want to stay
young, have a sharp mind, be energetic and disease free, and live a
meaningful, enjoyable, fun-fi lled life! If so, you share our passion;
these are the exact things we want for ourselves.
Dave is an overachieving boomer with a background in the com-
puter world. Thanks to some inspiration supplied by his grand-
mother and the help of his friend “Dr. V” Dave reinvented himself
as an advocate of healthy living. Starting in the late 1950s, Dave’s
grandmother practiced yoga, grew her own organic vegetables,
took supplements, and passed out free copies of Adelle Davis’s book
Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit to anyone who would listen to her mildly
scolding message about how to live and what foods to eat. People

x
᭿
Preface
poked fun at her as a “health nut,” but Dave looked up to her, and
at the age of 56, he decided to take up her mission. Along the way,
he interviewed Dr. V for an article on wellness centers, and they
later met at an antiaging conference. The two of them have been
collaborating ever since.
Dr. V is a unique physician and health educator. After practic-
ing for 25 years as a heart, lung, and blood vessel surgeon and
operating on thousands of patients, he became interested in health
education, preventive medicine, and clinical nutrition. Because of
his vast experience in the area of heart disease and nutrition, he
became a frequent guest speaker and has appeared regularly on
local and national radio and television. The author of several books
and host of his own radio show, Dr. V still sees 30 to 40 patients
a day.
Writing this book, we mostly used plural pronouns to refer to
ourselves, but in some instances we felt compelled to convey infor-
mation about one of us individually, such as, “Dave eats fruit for
breakfast” and “Dr. V prefers to eat his fruit at night for dessert.”
This has helped us accomplish our goals of telling our personal
stories while also conveying a great deal of useful information, and
we hope it works well for you.
We want you to reap the rewards of our evangelism. Our book
is designed to provoke you into action. Some of our suggestions
incorporate ideas you’ve known about for years, such as exercising
and eating more vegetables, but perhaps have never implemented.
Others, such as keeping a personal health journal and laughing
your head off, may be quite novel. To get started, take the Count

Down Your Age tests to give yourself an accurate picture of what
you need to do to slow down or reverse aging. Who knows: maybe
you have already counted down your age several years—in which
case, you’re off to a fantastic start.
You’ll discover that the program we’ve created out of our per-
sonal experiences and extensive research is challenging and com-
prehensive. We have found that the ability to deal with stressful
Preface
᭿
xi
situations, for example, is every bit as important as taking your
vitamins. And we believe it is our duty to not just tell you things
but also show you how and give you all the reasons why. Based on
what you learn from the test and the book, you should be ready for
the fun part. We guide you through the process of building your
very own personalized health plan covering the areas of nutrition,
exercise, lifestyle, and medical care. With this plan, you will be
able to increase the number of years you can count down your age.
You will feel better than you ever thought possible.
xii
᭿
Preface
xiii
Acknowledgments
O
ur sincere thanks to our very effective agent, Coleen O’Shea,
and our editor, Johanna Bowman, for their help and advo-
cacy, without which this project would not have been completed
so successfully.
Special thanks to my coauthor, David Bunnell. He introduced an

amazing concept and has followed through with his genius from
the computer world and an impressive writing ability to complete
this important piece of work. As founder of the LongLifeClub,
he has made a major contribution to the new fi eld of antiaging
medicine.
My staff at the Heart, Diabetes and Weight Loss Centers of
New York, for helping me in caring for thousands of patients yearly
as an antiaging physician and in the management of cardiovascular
disease, diabetes, and weight reduction.
My nephew Daniel Cajigas, director of the Nutrition and Well-
ness Vitamin Division, for his exceptional work and support.
—Dr. Frederic Vagnini
Special thanks to my friend Dr. V, who has proved to the world
that doctors can not only fi x hearts but have big hearts as well.
—Dave Bunnell
Copyright © 2007 by Frederic Vagnini and David Bunnell. Click here for terms of use.
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Count Down
Your Age
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1
1
6
8
5
3
5
6
3
4

7
2
3
8
2
1
The Antiaging Test
Take the Test, Find Out Where You Are, and
Start Counting Down Your Age
T
o get started, it is extremely valuable to establish a baseline:
where do you stand in terms of your current health? Perhaps
you can already count down your age, but by how many years?
Our test is designed to fi nd out. People who take the test tell us it
is informative and fun; it gives them added incentive to complete
the rest of our program. Plus, you’ll want to take it again as a way
of measuring your progress. We recommend that you take this test
now and then take it again every three to six months. The online
version at countdownyourage.com will even store a scorecard each
time for you so that you can refer back to it. (You can also fi nd the
online version at longlifeclub.com.)
The results of your test combined with the new knowledge
you’ll accumulate from reading this book will serve as the basis
for your very own, personalized “Count Down Your Age Plan.”
You’ll know where your strengths and weakness are, and you’ll be
able to set your own goals. If you want the energy, mental sharp-
ness, and good looks of a healthy 45-year-old when you’re 64, your
Count Down Plan will allow you to achieve this—and we’re not
kidding. So, do it now!
Copyright © 2007 by Frederic Vagnini and David Bunnell. Click here for terms of use.

2
᭿
Count Down Your Age
1. What do you think is the best diet for counting down your age?
(Circle
best
answer.)
Ạ
Low carbohydrate (Atkins, South Beach, and so forth)
ạ
Low fat (Ornish, SlimFast, Jenny Craig)
Ả
Mediterranean
ả
Calorie reduction
Ấ
Vegetarian
ấ
Vegan
Ầ
Subway sandwich
ầ
No diet; just eat the right amount of the healthiest foods
Score:
Ạ
40
ạ
60
Ả
80

ả
85
Ấ
90
ấ
80
Ầ
10
ầ
100
YOUR SCORE
2. How often do you eat breakfast?
Ạ
Every morning
ạ
Five mornings a week
Ả
Fewer than three mornings a week
ả
Hardly ever
Score:
Ạ
100
ạ
70
Ả
30
ả
0
YOUR SCORE

3. Which of the following foods do you eat on an average day?
(Circle
all
that apply.)
Ạ
Whole grains (bread, cereal, or pasta)
ạ
Raw fruit
Ả
Beans
ả
Wheat germ
Ấ
Oatmeal or oats in another form
ấ
Raw veggies
Ầ
Cooked veggies
ầ
Broccoli, caulifl ower, or cabbage
The Antiaging Test
᭿
3
Ẩ
Nuts, seeds, or both
ẩ
Tof u
Ẫ
Pizza
ẫ

Cheeseburger
Ậ
Smoothie
Score:
Ạ
20
ạ
20
Ả
10
ả
10
Ấ
10
ấ
20
Ầ
20
ầ
10
Ẩ
10
ẩ
10
Ẫ
0
ẫ
0
Ậ
0

YOUR SCORE
4. On an average day, which fruits do you eat? (Circle
all
that
apply.)
Ạ
Apple
ạ
Banana
Ả
Orange
ả
Blueberries (or other berries)
Ấ
Grapefruit
ấ
Orange juice
Ầ
Grapefruit juice
ầ
Melon
Ẩ
Fruit smoothie
ẩ
Other fruit
Ẫ
I don’t eat fruit
Score:
Ạ
10

ạ
10
Ả
20
ả
20
Ấ
20
ấ
5
Ầ
10
ầ
10
Ẩ
5
ẩ
10
Ẫ
0
YOUR SCORE
5. Which of the following best represents the breakfast you eat
each day? (Coffee, tea optional.)
Ạ
Eggs, toast, potatoes, perhaps bacon
ạ
High-fi ber (“healthy”) cereal, fruit, nonfat or low-fat milk,
and/or yogurt
4
᭿

Count Down Your Age
Ả
Regular cereal (cornfl akes, Rice Krispies, and so forth) and
orange juice
ả
Whole-grain toast, orange juice
Ấ
White toast, orange juice
ấ
Bagel, cream cheese
Ầ
Sweet roll, orange juice
ầ
Fast food, such as McDonald’s McMuffi n
Ẩ
Breakfast shake or bar
ẩ
Cigarette, shot of tequila
Score:
Ạ
30
ạ
100
Ả
50
ả
60
Ấ
10
ấ

30
Ầ
0
ầ
0
Ẩ
30
ẩ
0
YOUR SCORE
6. Approximately how many eggs do you eat?
Ạ
Two or more eggs every day
ạ
I eat eggs fi ve times a week.
Ả
I eat only egg whites.
ả
I eat eggs one to three times a week.
Ấ
Seldom
Score:
Ạ
20
ạ
30
Ả
60
ả
50

Ấ
30
YOUR SCORE
7. How often, in a week, do you eat bacon, sausage, or other
cured meats (including lunch meats such as salami)?
Ạ
Once or twice
ạ
Two to four times
Ả
More than four times
ả
Very rarely
Ấ
Never
Score:
Ạ
30
ạ
10
Ả
0
ả
90
Ấ
100
YOUR SCORE
The Antiaging Test
᭿
5

8. How much coffee, including espresso drinks, do you consume?
Ạ
Equivalent of one or two cups of regular coffee (not decaf)
in the morning
ạ
Equivalent of three to four cups of regular coffee (not
decaf) a day
Ả
Five or more cups of regular coffee (not decaf) a day
ả
Decaffeinated coffee
Ấ
Never touch the stuff
Score:
Ạ
80
ạ
40
Ả
10
ả
90
Ấ
100
YOUR SCORE
9. If you drink tea daily, what kind and how much?
Ạ
Black or dark tea (two or more cups)
ạ
Green tea (two or more cups)

Ả
I love my herbal tea and drink at least two cups.
ả
About one cup
Ấ
Occasionally I drink tea.
ấ
I never, ever drink this foul, nasty liquid.
Score:
Ạ
60
ạ
100
Ả
40
ả
20
Ấ
10
ấ
0
YOUR SCORE
10. Which of the following dairy products do you consume on a
regular basis? (Circle
all
that apply.)
Ạ
One to three glasses of nonfat or low-fat milk daily
ạ
One to three glasses of regular milk daily

Ả
Regular milk occasionally (about three times a week)
ả
Cream or half-and-half in my coffee or tea
Ấ
Milk in my coffee
ấ
Cheese, including cottage cheese
Ầ
I love yogurt and eat it most days.
ầ
Yogurt, occasionally
6
᭿
Count Down Your Age
Ẩ
Butter
ẩ
I love blood sausages.
Ẫ
I don’t eat dairy products because I’m lactose intolerant.
ẫ
I never eat dairy products.
Score:
Ạ
50
ạ
0
Ả
20

ả
0
Ấ
40
ấ
10
Ầ
90
ầ
60
Ẩ
10
ẩ
0
Ẫ
0
ẫ
50
YOUR SCORE
11. How many servings of vegetables do you eat on an average
day? (A serving is less than you might think: one serving of most
fruits and vegetables is the equivalent of ½ cup in volume.)
Ạ
Most days, just one serving
ạ
Two se r v i ng s a day
Ả
Three to four servings a day
ả
Five to six servings a day

Ấ
More than six servings a day
ấ
Does ketchup count?
Ầ
None; veggies are for wimps
Score:
Ạ
10
ạ
30
Ả
50
ả
90
Ấ
100
ấ
0
Ầ
0
YOUR SCORE
12. Which of the following best represents your lunch on a
normal day? (Circle
best
answer.)
Ạ
Hamburger, fries, and a Coke
ạ
Chicken nuggets, fries, milk shake

Ả
Sandwich on white bread
ả
Sandwich on whole-grain bread with tomatoes, lettuce, or
other vegetable, plus some meat, fi sh, or chicken
Ấ
Veggie sandwich
ấ
Salad, some crackers or bread, iced tea or water
Ầ
Raw veggies, nuts, and a drink
The Antiaging Test
᭿
7
ầ
Fish (including sushi) or chicken, salad or some veggies, and
a drink
Ẩ
Pizza
ẩ
Two martinis and a cigarette
Score:
Ạ
0
ạ
0
Ả
15
ả
50

Ấ
70
ấ
100
Ầ
90
ầ
90
Ẩ
20
ẩ
0
YOUR SCORE
13. How much water do you drink daily? (Include water you
might drink when you wake up, during meals, between meals, after
exercising, in the evening, etc. A glass of water is eight ounces.)
Ạ
I drink eight or more glasses of water.
ạ
Six to eight glasses of water
Ả
Four to six glasses of water
ả
Two to four glasses of water
Ấ
I drink less than two glasses.
ấ
No water; soda instead
Score:
Ạ

100
ạ
80
Ả
50
ả
20
Ấ
10
ấ
0
YOUR SCORE
14. What are your sugar habits? (Circle
all
that apply.)
Ạ
I use jam or honey on my toast, or I add sugar to cereal or
pour syrup on pancakes.
ạ
I drink one or two sodas a day.
Ả
I drink more than two sodas a day.
ả
I add sugar to my coffee or tea.
Ấ
I don’t look at nutrition labels on packaged food.
ấ
I study the food labels and try not to buy anything that has
added sugar or fructose or one of the many substitutes.
Ầ

I eat sweets every day.
ầ
I eat dessert (not fresh fruit) most days of the week.
Ẩ
I eat dessert one or two days a week.