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Bestselling book gives people the real scoop on poop and other unmentionables
By Erin Henderson
TORONTO (CP) — Poop, ejaculation and vigorous sex at 70 are not topics most people discuss in particular detail before noon.
But those are the subjects that put a spring in Dr. Michael Roizen’s step.The American anesthesiologist co-authored the bestselling book, You: The Owner’s Manual, to give people the skinny about what will keep them healthy and turn back the clock on the aging process.
“Knowing your body, taking charge of your health is a wonderful thing and it’s easy to do,” Roizen said Friday during a Toronto stop to promote his 400-page book.
Roizen teamed up with Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Columbia University heart surgeon, in March 2003 to write the humourous, practical and often blunt health manual in the hopes of improving public health.
“The goal of this (book) is to have you live as full and complete a life as you want, as joyful life as you want, and to let you know you have the power to do that,” said Roizen, who touts the benefits of two baby Aspirin a day for preventing arterial disease, cancer, strokes and reducing the chances of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Roizen and Oz each spent 40 hours a week for close to a year researching and writing the book, which offers 136 rules or “choices” for people to reverse the aging process.
Unlike many popular diets, the manual encourages a glass of red wine a day to turn back the clock by up to 1.9 years, an ounce of chocolate every day to add 1.2 years to your life and indulging in an ounce of nuts daily to tack on 3.3 extra years for men and 4.4 for women.
“There are 136 choices that you can make, that make a difference to how long and how well you live,” said Roizen.
He admits he only follows 133, because he doesn’t get enough sleep, has too much stress and, being a man, takes a pass on Hormone Replacement Therapy.
You: The Owner’s Manual is flying off the shelves, selling 190,000 copies in its first week. It’s knocked Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince down a peg to claim the first spot on Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com bestsellers’ list.
The manual offers a comprehensive and easy-to-understand look into human anatomy, including the mysterious world of bodily functions.
“We do touch on the taboo topics with passion,” said Roizen — for example, the book offers tips on what to look for in a bowel movement.
He promises following at least some of the recommendations in the book will knock years off your life.
“It’s cool to be healthy and have sex when you’re 85 or when you’re 35, as vigourously as you want and not be limited by anything ... so the goal is to get younger.”