Aging with Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives

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 correlations. Depression and stroke puts a person at risk. High density ideas/complex sentences found in the nuns'handwritten autobiographies seemed to diminish risk. Faith and community, purposeful work and service, healthy eating, exercise all seemed to be positive factors in prevention.Since 50% of persons over 90 years old will get Alzheimers, it is likely that many of our family/friends will be touched by this disease. Reading this book is not only a joy in getting insight into this wonderful community of nuns but also in highlighting the risk factors and research being done around the disease of Alzheimer's.Dale C[...] ("Transition Aging Parents")

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.

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.

Ever since my father's diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, I've worried about the little things I forget. Never mind that I've always been a little absentminded, I fretted about whether I received the dreaded APOE-4 gene in the genetic package he bequeathed me.This book gave me hope - lots of it!It shows clearly that the symptoms of Alzheimer's are not merely an immutable result of your genetic heritage but also of how you've lived your life. Reading about the nun who, in spite of a brain riddled with tangles and plaques, like the Energizer Bunny, kept on going and going, gave me plenty to hope for.Caring, kindness, love, service - all are integral to the community of nuns. Theirs is a joyful story and a fascinating read. Don't miss it.Six Stars!Phyllis Staff, Ph.D.author, "How to Find Great Senior Housing"and"128 Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's and Other Dementias"

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 matters, the great gift, a tale of two sisters, amazing brains, one with the words, family ties, the heart of the matter, our daily bread, up and grateful and the hundred-year marathon. There is also information about the Nun study and the school, Sisters of Notre Dame.If you are interested in learning about aging issues and the Nun Study this book is for you.Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Haiku Moments: How to read, write and enjoy haiku).

Amazing!

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.

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.

Fascinating and rather well known study of a group of nuns as the age from teenagers to end of life and how mental dementia affects themas they age. Why nuns ; because they are a sort of control group with similar lifestyles , diet , healthcare and so on. Many gems arerevealed as the book progresses ; for instance , it was found that in their essays written as teenagers , the more extensive their vocabulary , and the more complicated their sentence structure , the less chance of mental dementia setting in , which reinforces the practice of " read to your children "and so on .

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.

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..