Aging with Grace: Uncovering the Secrets of Longevity Through the Nun Study with David Snowdon

zheng: good

Canada on Apr 21, 2023

Umer: I'm writing this review after some years from the purchase. This book was honestly very insightful and it used the scientific method to determine if certain claims are true or not and did that while telling an excellent & true story. Some of the things that help prevent cognitive deficit are walking a few miles a day, being grateful, using complex grateful language, continuing learning things (especially those that make you think), eating more vegetables such as in salads and being optimistic regardless of the situation. I read this book because it was part of the BIS class curriculum at the University of Texas at Dallas. A great book for the gumptious.

United States on Mar 06, 2023

No one: This book dissipated fears of growing old. Brain decline and cognitive dysfunction is in our hands to avoid. The study was excellent and a must read for anyone working in health care. I loved the science. Proof that taking care of one’s health early on and keeping fit of brain and body is a sure way to achieve a good brain in our later years. It was an easy to read for non-medical individuals and gives hope to people whose loved ones are aging.

United States on Mar 17, 2022

RAS: Le Docteur Snowdon est un médecin spécialisé dans la maladie d’Alzheimer, qui se lance dans une recherche de longue haleine sur un grand groupe de nonnes aux Etats-Unis. Il cherche à savoir comment le cerveau vieillit en faisant passer régulièrement des tests cognitifs, mais aussi en faisant procéder à des autopsies post-mortem sur des bénévoles. Le livre est plus vivant que les classiques comptes rendus, qu’on peut lire également dans les revues scientifiques. Mais ici c’est le récit détaillé de cette aventure humaine, depuis les efforts de conviction jusqu’à la réalisation des enquêtes et les résultats étonnants des suivis longitudinaux et des autopsies, toujours menés avec la chaleur humaine qu’on trouve chez le docteur et ses nombreuses patientes. Il montre notamment comment l’optimisme et une vie intellectuelle bien menée compense les déficits au niveau de la matière cérébrale. A ma connaissance, le livre n'est pas traduit en français.

France on Feb 15, 2018

massimo: il libro parla di una anomalia scentifica riscontrata in un convento di suore che pur essendo affette dai marker biologici della demenza riescono comunque a conservare le loro autonomie e essere sostanzialmente immuni dagli effetti di questa malattia. In altre parole un libro che indica una strada possibile per vivere bene ed allegri anche quando il fisico comincia a perdere colpi per l'eta.
Consigliato.

Italy on Dec 20, 2016

泉谷太一: Dr Snowdon's report is like ａ story, easy to read and reveals amazing brain abilities of older nuns. I am 84 now and encouraged very much.
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Japan on Oct 21, 2015

Joseph J. Truncale: In my younger years this book (Aging with Grace: What the Nun study teaches us about leading longer, healthier and more meaningful live by David Snowdon, Ph.D.) would have never been read by me. However, sliding into old age has a way of changing the way we look at life and death. We become more aware of our own mortality. This study (the “Nun Study.”) was started in 1986 involving 678 Catholic sisters. The nun’s ages ranged from 75 to 106 year old. It focused on scientific research into Alzheimer’s and aging. In my opinion, this research project is most likely more relevant for women because only nuns were studied. I wonder if they conducted a study of a group of monks or priests what the results would be?

The results of this study revealed information that is still being evaluated today. It discovered a relationship between “early high linguistic ability in early life seems to protect against Alzheimer’s.” The importance of preventing strokes and depression is also vital in combating Alzheimer’s.

This book is organized into 12 interesting and informative chapters. They include the following: the road to good counsel hill, the last nun standing, gray...

United States on Jan 01, 2015

M. Ledingham: I found this book a very moving account of how differently human beings cope with the transition into older age, where the quality of our lives depends on so many factors which are outside of our conscious control. And despite the subject matter which is concerned with dementia, it is not a gloomy read. Much food for thought.

United Kingdom on Jun 12, 2014

Elishivah: Having a husband who has been diagnozed with Alzheimers for five years, I try to read any information I can to help me understand this disease. When a friend of mine gave me her book, I was surprised. I am not Catholic and so I wondered about how reading about a Nun Study would help me. Well, I could not put this book down! Knowing my husband for 38 years, I totally agree that having a good outlook on life is the key to not getting this disease. He has become the most negative person I have ever met and has been for many, many years. Being positive and having a hunger for knowing God is the key to having a healthy mind. The Bible speaks volumes about renewing your mind and I have actually read testimonies of people whose brains have been injured getting back their minds totally by reading the Word of God. I am grateful I have a book I can recommend to those who are afraid of getting this disease and what to do about it!

United States on Nov 23, 2010

Dale C: As the daughter of an aging parent, I am interested in learning as much as I can about the aging process for the sake of my mother, myself and other family members/friends. This book is a gem. It is a moving and personal account by the scientist who led an amazing longitudinal study of a group of nuns. This study was unique in a way that no other Alzheimer's study has been.

As I read the book, I felt as though I was walking alongside the author, David Snowdon, and getting to know each and every nun. It was a privilege to share David's insight into this special community of women (many of whom live past the age of 100). When David finally decided to focus his research on Alzheimer's, he struggled with asking the nuns to sign a release form for their brains to be donated to Alzheimer research (after death). He was astonished when Sister Rita Schwalbe spoke up and said, "As sisters, we made the hard choice not to have children. Through brain donation, we can help unravel the mysteries of Alzheimer's disease and give the gift of life in a new way to future generations."

Although Alzheimers is still a mystery in many ways, this study helped illuminate several...

United States on Dec 11, 2008