Health Secrets of the Stone Age, Second Edition (Paperback)

by Philip J. Goscienski MD (Author) "HOW OLD ARE you?..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, Agricultural Revolution, Food Guide Pyramid (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Health Secrets of the Stone Age draws on ancient body wisdom and recent medical research to explain why we get diseases that were rare until early in the last century, why dieting is genetically determined not to work and why the youngest generation is facing a decline in life expectancy.

Hundreds of thousands of years ago human body chemistry evolved to match an environment that changed extremely slowly. In only a few generations we have made enormous changes in that environment and our bodies have not been able to keep up with those changes. The result is an array of chronic diseases and the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes that threaten the financial stability of our healthcare system.

Fossil evidence makes it clear that Stone Agers were tall and strong, and those few that evaded life's perils for a half-century or more had no evidence of osteoporosis. Present day hunter-gatherers, who live the same lifestyle and who follow the same subsistence pattern, enter the sixth or seventh decade of life with no obesity, no hypertension, no coronary artery disease and no diabetes.

It isn't necessary to revert to a primitive lifestyle in order to maintain or to lose weight and to avoid the so-called age-related diseases. Health Secrets of the Stone Age gives guidelines for a healthy lifestyle that are not difficult, dull or demanding. Strange foods, challenging recipes and expensive potions have no place in this simple, sensible approach to a long, vigorous life.

About the Author
Philip J. Goscienski, M.D. is a pediatric infectious diseases specialist with a 45-year career in clinical and academic medicine. Dr. Goscienski attained the rank of Captain in the United States Navy Medical Corps and was Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine until his retirement from full-time practice in 1996. He continues to teach medical students on a volunteer basis in the Department of Community and Family Medicine. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In addition to several medical textbook chapters and journal articles, Dr. Goscienski has written for the Saturday Evening Post, Currents, the newsletter of the American Heart Association and numerous other publications.

The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association have certified Dr. Goscienski as a CPR instructor. He is the medical director of a Public Access Defibrillation program in Oceanside, California where he resides with his wife, Patricia. He has five children and six grandchildren.

Product Details

• Paperback: 285 pages
• Publisher: Better Life Publishers; 2nd edition (January 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975910205
• ISBN-13: 978-0975910207
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #105,675 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, June 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Health Secrets of the Stone Age (Paperback)

This book is full of great information and well presented. I love the stone age human / biochemistry angle coupled with sensible dietary advice. It's the kind of book one can pick up and read for hours or just a few minutes and still enjoy.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Past Reveals Useful Hints for the Future, April 10, 2006

By	B. Gallagher "realcog" (Ramona, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The author uses the diet and activity levels of prehistoric man as a contrast to the nutrition and physical excercise levels of mankind today through the introduction of two characters, SAM (Stone Age Man)and SAL (Stone Age Lady) which are used to help illustrate his premise: The way we have changed our diet and exercise has had a profound impact on our overall health. Dr. Goscienski has the unique perspective of a practising physician who has regularly observed the physical effects of todays lifestyle. To provide additional credence, medical citations are included for those interested in further research. However, the reader is not swamped with technical information, rather useful insights and a plan for better health are presented in an easy to understand format.

Anyone interested in looking at better health through the prism of thousands of years of human activity will find his book both exciting and informative. Well worth the time and money to read!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical, Scientifically Supported Health Information, December 5, 2006

By	Natasha Starfox (Seattle) - See all my reviews

Health Secrets of the Stone Age was a very informative book that I would recommend to anyone. There was some great information that explained a lot about health conditions that are affecting the world today. There is convincing biological support for all of his claims. It was very enlightening and brought up some fresh ideas about taking care of yourself in a rapidly changing world.