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This book is a wide-ranging, practical compendium of information and advice for seniors, diligently researched and organized by the author. She begins with her exploration of the beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. She concludes chapters with a thought-provoking "End Point" and a reconfigured "Beatitude" couched in contemporary language. Added to this subtly infused spiritual viewpoint are copious lists of typical ailments and obstacles affecting anyone over the age of fifty, suggesting alleviation based on both standard treatment and natural medicine, including vitamin dosages and herbal remedies. Among the latter are milk thistle for liver health, ginkgo for memory boosting, cherry juice to combat gout, and Arnica montana for muscle aches and sprains. Exercise is recommended, from walking to swimming to taking advantage of the Silver Sneaker Program to use gym equipment. Financial planning also plays a role in seniors' mental and physical well-being and is included in this rich mix.
Ford, who is living through the aging process, has artfully injected family lore—lessons learned from her older relatives by example or advice—which, when combined with other resources, form the magical triangle referenced in the title: "Beatitudes, Nature, Kinfolk." She asserts that long life "requires grit, hope, stamina, and most of all, protection from bad luck." Writing with wit and sagacity, she has gathered applicable data from her own experience and pored through the works of other health writers, presenting a multitude of pragmatic strategies for helping oneself, an aging companion, or friend. Recipes, hobbies, gender issues, standard and alternative treatments, and biblical analogies are all skillfully arrayed. Exploring crucial issues faced by older folks and offering sensible suggestions for improvement in attitude and action, Ford's book should be required reading for all who acknowledge that they have reached their senior years.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review