Back in 1996, renowned author, Today show contributor and gynecologist Judith Reichman wrote a book called I'm Too Young to Get Old: Health Care for Women After Forty. A lot has happened in women's health care since then, and Reichman addresses some of the changes. She also offers a wealth of anti-aging advice - not the dubious, trendy cure-alls you see so much of these days, but a sensible, conservative approach that you'd expect from a physician who makes it a point to keep up to date on the latest research in her field.

Slow Your Clock Down is divided into several different areas of concern to women - hormones, exercise, weight gain, disease prevention, etc. - and there are some surprises here. Those who are approaching menopause will find a lot of information on HRT's pros and cons (in spite of the bad rap HRT has received in the past couple of years, Dr. Reichman believes it can do a lot of good). Those who have questions about the validity of supplements - ginseng, St.-John's-Wort, glucosamine and chondroitin, Echinacea and the like - will find plain talk and facts, not heady, unrealistic promises. Dr. Reichman suggests a brand new, healthy-eating pyramid, looks at the various skin treatments for aging skin, including plastic surgery, and devotes a chapter to disease prevention and detection. Significantly, she devotes a lot of space to exercise: "There's no medicine I, or any physician, can prescribe that can have the effect on the quality and length of your life that you will get with regular exercise." (Italics hers.) Above all else, Dr. Reichman emphasizes the importance of a healthy lifestyle as the means to stay young.

Any woman who is over the age of 35, who is facing early menopause, or who is postmenopausal will benefit from the information in this book. Dr. Reichman's writing style is friendly and while she is open-minded about new research and alternative treatments, she only embraces something if studies prove its worth. If you are like most women, for every question this book answers, you will probably have two more. With the help of your doctor, you should be able to find the solutions that are right for you.

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