Book Review — “The End of Illness” by Dr. David Agus
A Collection of Good Habits on Behalf of Our Future Selves
As we grow older we often wonder what the future has in store. What can we plan for? Will we continue to be able to do the things we enjoy? Further, and, importantly, if we hang around long enough, what can science deliver to improve our lives, both now and in our much later years?
There are no simple answers. Our futures are an unpredictable mix of family genes, lifestyle and other, often random factors, unique to each of us. And, despite the hype of “big data,” science, as we are frequently reminded, can only untangle so much.
However, technology is moving us ever closer to feeling like we should know. Certainly with enough time more will be revealed as to our unique make-up and health futures.
Where are we on this scientific journey? Dr. David Agus provides some color to this question in his NY Times bestseller, “The End of Illness:”
1. Collectively, our bodies are changing. We are experiencing an unprecedented level of change to our bodies. Agus writes,
“the U.S. has radically changed in the past couple of decades…20 years ago no state had an obesity rate above 15 percent…Today 12 states have obesity rates above 30 percent and 38 states — 2/3 of all states — have obesity rates above 25%.”
We don’t know the cumulative health impact. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does report a rise in chronic diseases and inflammatory conditions, amongst a range of modern afflictions, far surpassing what doctors and nurses addressed in prior generations.
2. Eat real food. Secondly, like Michael Pollin (“The Omnivore’s Dilemma”), Dr. Terry Wahls (“The Wahls Protocol”) and a host of others, Dr. Agus wants us to eat real food. Today’s consumer is often faced with information overload, much of it cleverly designed marketing, making this task more difficult than it may seem. What is real food? Generally, food not processed or sold in a bag or box with an extended shelf life.
Dr. Agus would also like us to reduce our reliance on vitamin supplements, and instead prefers vitamins delivered as our body intended, from the food we eat. He writes,
“getting vitamins in food has benefits that don’t necessarily occur when they are taken as supplements. For one, phytochemicals, which are naturally occurring compounds in plants that may have disease-protecting properties can protect our health, are best delivered to the body through real foods.”
The body is frustratingly complex. It may still be too early to assume we can formulate and factory produce vitamins with the same health benefits found naturally in plants and animals. Further, often the way the vitamins and minerals are digested is as important to the benefit as the underlying chemical composition (see next).
3. The importance of bacteria. As written about by authors like Dr. William Davis (“Wheat Belly”), Dr. Robert Lustig (“Fat Chance”), and Gary Taubes (“Why We Get Fat”), among many others, one area of increasing study is what happens to the food we swallow. As our stomach and later intestines take over responsibility for digestion, a remarkable thing happens:
“We are all different in how we metabolize our food, absorb its nutrients, and need or use the nutrients. This area of nutrition has to be personalized and will be in the future when new technologies become available that will allow each of us to tune in to our personal nutritional needs. Certainly genetics will play a role here, too, but the larger role will be played by the microbiome — the bacteria that fill your intestinal tract and that participate in your digestive metabolism and overall health.”
As is commonly reported, while our body is made up of trillions (yes, trillions) of cells, we have even more bacteria. Based on percentages, your body is mostly a host to “foreign” cells, meaning “you” are far outnumbered. [More on the microbiome here] While still not well understood, we do know these bacteria play a critical role in maintaining proper cell functioning and overall homeostasis.
For now it may be useful to keep in mind that, as far as your health is concerned, it’s less important what you think of the food you eat, but rather what your bacteria do. Feed them well and they will return the favor.
4. Stress and sleep. In addition, Dr. Agus stresses the role of sleep and the body’s natural rebuilding cycle. He writes,
“Not surprisingly, stress and staying up too late are the two big culprits responsible for poor sleep, which is why it’s important to establish a healthy sleep regime…stick to the same sleep-wake schedule seven days a week. Even when you have a late night, get up at your usual time. Regularity — not total hours of sleep — is the key.”
Yet again, Mother Nature has yet to reveal all her secrets. Studies have shown that disruption to the circadian rhythm can be a source of stress and is correlated with higher rates of chronic conditions.
Of course, exercise, relationships, and other topics are also addressed and critical to maintaining our vitality as we age. There is no single solution today, and perhaps there never will be.
But the things we should do are relatively easy. So while we are waiting on technology to unlock the next breakthrough of our biological makeup, we may ultimately conclude, as the early evidence suggests, that most of what we need is already within our grasp.
Thanks for reading.
I’ve written on Money, Investing, Healthcare, Nutrition, Behavior, and other (mostly) related topics, more on Medium, LinkedIn, and Quora. After theHelloWallet sale to Morningstar we built a digital platform, HSA Coach, that combines this acquired book-knowledge into user-friendly financial guidance. We are particularly focused on incorporating Health Savings Accounts into a saver’s broader investment portfolio, with some personalized calculators to allocate between your HSA and 401(k). More coming. Available for free in the App Store and Google Play.
As always, comments and reading suggestions on this and other topics welcome.
