![]() |
The mental, physical, and emotional aspects of human nature are anthropomorphized in this short book. These three "voices" converse with each other while exploring the root causes of cardiovascular disease. It's an interesting way of explaining medical issues, although the back and forth dialogue is a bit dizzying at times. The author claims that high cholesterol is not to blame for the hardening of arteries, but that the culprit is actually a high resting pulse rate. A high resting pulse rate is associated with a physically sedentary lifestyle. Consequently, the author argues that aerobic exercise is the medical equivalent of the Holy Grail for cardiovascular wellness.
As a retired physical education teacher, the author does not lay claim to any formal medical training. However, his inspiration and information for the book was a pioneering cardiac physician who passed away before he could widely publicize his research regarding the critical importance of aerobic exercise. It's laudable that the author is dedicated to teaching others why they should move more and sit less. However, modern medical experts would strongly disagree with the book's implication that diet is relatively unimportant, so long as the patient exercises regularly. This book would benefit from being informed by modern cardiovascular clinical studies, such as research that indicates that the overconsumption of sugar is as harmful for the cardiovascular system as it is for the endocrine system. The reader's main takeaway from this monograph is that cardiovascular wellness is a multifaceted, complex interplay of many different factors. If an individual were to address just one factor while ignoring the rest, it would be roughly akin to plugging one hole in a dam while ignoring others.