In the book “This Is Your Do-Over” Michael F. Roizen, M.D. discusses the things you can do to improve your overall health and state of mind. Dr. Roizen starts at the most basic of basics, going through the body itself and the different systems that can go awry in today’s high-stress environment.

The first sixty-seven pages go over the basics of anatomy and physiology to get you acquainted with your body and how it works. If you know about the stress response and pain and diabetes, it might be possible for you to skip this first part of the book. It gives the information in a paragraph or two of text followed by a series of essential points that are accompanied by a fun illustration.

In the chapters themselves, there are seven of them as you might have assumed from the title. Each of them is split further into seven reasons for doing what it suggests. Among them might be anecdotes and stories about his time helping people because of his profession or full case studies done by research hospitals or schools.

The advice in this book can be used to make a great number of changes to your lifestyle, but it isn’t something guaranteed to work. Ultimately, you are the one in control and the one who chooses a healthy meal over a brownie or a walk in the park over a pack a day cigarette habit. That isn’t to say that these things are equivalent, but each choice you make might get you closer or further away from a goal you could have in mind.

I mostly got this book for advice in terms of weight-loss but you can use it for smoking cessation or other types of addiction. With everyone being different it probably won’t work for everyone, but there is a high probability that it will resonate with some people. The book seems to be targeted at a lay audience, but that doesn’t prevent Dr. Roizen from talking about the scientific names and designations of hormones and other things in body chemistry.

In any case, although my first impression of the book wasn’t really favorable(I thought it was a bit too patronizing at first, the Dr. Oz endorsement) I am glad I stuck to it since it was pretty well done after the “Mini-Med” section. The book gives solutions and supports the solutions mentioned with evidence. You can’t get much better than that. ( )

This is my second book on health by Dr. Roizen. I like his common sense and humorous take on health. His medical advice to pay attention to health matters we can control, or somewhat, is on the mark. I, like so many, do not pay as much attention to the healthy things I can do to live a fuller and prolonged life. The recommendations do not seem all that difficult but they do require discipline and focus and the pay off definitely of great benefit. ( )