Staying Young: The Whole Truth about Aging, and What You Can Do to Slow It

""We wanted to understand the aging process before it conquered us,'' explain the authors, a correspondent for American Health and a freelance writer. ``Just when we reach the peak of our physical powers, in our late 20s to early 30s, we start falling apart. Our bodies begin weakening, withering, wrinkling, untilif nothing else gets us firstwe die of old age.'' It's doubtful that their fellow babyboomers, an ever-burgeoning target market for fitness books, will be gulled into similar angst over problems that may not affect them for decades, but even those who want to impede the aging process won't find novelties in this breezy book. The authors toss out basic, nonspecific advice: don't smoke, avoid the sun, visit the doctor and dentist regularly, restrict fats, salts and cholesterol in the diet, exercise, minimize stress. More provocative ideas, like scalp-reduction surgery to shrink bald spots, they dismiss briefly. (August 1)