The Mature Mind or The Other Diabetes

The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain

Author: Gene D Cohen MD PhD

The Golden Years are being redefined. The fastest-growing segment of the population, those beyond the age of fifty, are no longer content to simply cope with the losses of age. Mental acuity and vitality are becoming a life-long pursuit. Now, the science of the mind is catching up with the Baby Boom generation. In this landmark book, renowned psychiatrist Gene Cohen challenges the long-held belief that our brain power inevitably declines as we age, and shows that there are actually positive changes taking place in our minds. Based on the latest studies of the brain, as well as moving stories of men and women in the second half of life, The Mature Mind reveals for the first time how we can continue to grow and flourish. Cohen's groundbreaking theory-the first to elaborate on the psychology of later life-describes how the mind gives us "inner pushes" and creates new opportunities for positive change throughout adult life. He shows how we can jump-start that growth at any age and under any circumstances, fine-tuning as we go, actively building brain reserves and new possibilities. The Mature Mind offers a profoundly different and intriguing look at ourselves, challenging old assumptions, raising bold new questions, and providing exciting answers grounded in science and the realities of everyday life.

Publishers Weekly

Old dogs can learn new tricks, says psychiatrist Cohen, drawing on the latest studies of the aging brain and mind. In fact, new scanning technologies show that in some ways the aging brain is more flexible than younger ones. How we look at the "mature mind" may change with the theories and research presented by Cohen (The Creative Age), founding chief of the Center on Aging at the National Institute of Mental Health. Aiming to debunk the myth of aging as an inevitable decline of body and mind, Cohen introduces the concept of developmental intelligence, a "maturing synergy of cognition, emotional intelligence, judgment, social skills, life experience, and consciousness." Expanding on Erik Erikson's developmental psychology, Cohen postulates that there are four phases of psychological development in mature life: midlife re-evaluation, "a time of exploration and transition"; liberation, a desire to experiment; the summing-up phase of "recapitulation, resolution, and review"; and "encore," the desire to go on. Drawing on the results of two groundbreaking studies, Cohen illustrates that the years after age 65 are anything but "retiring," and that creativity, intellectual growth and more satisfying relationships can blossom at any age. Agent, Gail Ross. (Jan.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Table of Contents:

1	The power of older minds	1
2	Harnessing developmental intelligence	29
3	The second half of life : phases I and II	51
4	The second half of life : phases III and IV	75
5	Cognition, memory, and wisdom	93
6	Cultivating social intelligence	115
7	Reinventing retirement	135
8	Creativity and aging	167

Interesting book: The Ayatollah Begs to Differ or How to Get Rich

The Other Diabetes: Living and Eating Well with Type 2 Diabetes

Author: Elizabeth N Hiser

Author Elizabeth Hiser offers a consumer guide to type 2 diabetes, the more common and less well-understood form of the disease. Of the estimated 16 million cases of diabetes in the United States today, nine out of ten are the "other" diabetes, type 2, the kind related to too much rather than too little insulin. The Other Diabetes reviews how genetics, excess calories, and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to type 2 diabetes; how insulin resistance is the hallmark of the disease; how people can lose weight and keep it off; how exercise can work for anyone; and how to avoid the most lethal complication of type 2 diabetes - early death from heart disease. The Other Diabetes is also a comprehensive nutrition handbook.

Library Journal

Type 2 diabetes affects over 16 million Americans, making it one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States. Hiser, a dietician and the nutrition editor of Eating Well magazine, rightfully credits diet as a major tool in the control of the disease and the prevention of disabling complications. Explanations of diabetes and why diet plays a critical role for the diabetic are clear and coherent. Exercise is emphasized in ways that all readers can adapt to their current lifestyles. Hiser advocates a Mediterranean diet that, while relatively high in monounsaturated fat, is primarily plant-based (i.e., grains, fruits, and vegetables), with a low emphasis on meat and dairy products. Concrete information and advice on "good" foods, supplements, and meal plans are covered, and recipes and a resource list of associations are included. A good addition to all health collections.--Janet M. Schneider, James A. Haley Veterans Hosp., Tampa, FL Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.