Book Review: Younger You, Reduce Your Bio Age and Live Longer, Better by Dr. Kara Fitzgerald
In this functional medicine blog, we review “Younger You” a book by Kara Fitzgerald, a naturopathic doctor and functional medicine practitioner. This book provides readers with practical tips and strategies for improving their overall health and wellbeing, and slowing down the aging process through a combination of dietary and lifestyle changes. I highly recommend it.
In the first part of the book, Fitzgerald explores the science behind aging, and how factors such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalances can contribute to the aging process. She also discusses the importance of genetics, and how lifestyle factors can either promote or mitigate the effects of genetic predisposition. She talks a lot about methylation. I found this part of the book to be clinically dense! It is chock full of technical information.
In the second part of the book, Fitzgerald provides readers with a comprehensive plan for achieving optimal health and vitality. This includes dietary recommendations, such as consuming a high-fiber, nutrient-dense diet that is low in sugar and processed foods. She also recommends incorporating regular exercise, stress reduction techniques, and quality sleep into one's daily routine. She gets very detailed in her recommendations and has a handy subjective bio age test (BASA) that you can use to track your progress. She also uses the Medical Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ) to track symptoms which is a tool that I also use with all my patients in my functional medicine practice in Denver, Colorado and New York, New York, as well as via telehealth.
The final part of the book contains a ton of healthy recipes used specifically in the study she ran with patients who were able to effectively decrease their bio age. Fitzgerald provides readers with targeted strategies, including specific dietary recommendations, supplements, and other lifestyle modifications.
Overall, Younger You is a comprehensive guide to improving health and wellbeing, and slowing down the aging process. I enjoyed Dr. Fitzgerald's evidence-based approach and copious references at the back of the book. Do not be daunted by the length of the book! So much of what she offers is practical. Also, for the citizen scientist who may want to see the evidence behind the program’s design, she provides all the backup you might need. The details of Kara Fitzgerald’s pilot study was published in the journal Aging in 2021.
