Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Bloggy Book Review ::: What's Age Got To Do With It?


I received a copy of What's Age Got To Do With It? by Robin McGraw from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I must admit: I may be the only person in the United States that has never watched an episode of the Dr. Phil show or Oprah. My knowledge of Dr. Phil is based on his guest appearance on Sesame Street with Dr. Feel. That said, I know even less about his wife, Robin.

I have to say that although this type of book is not something that I normally pick up, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Robin is a passionate advocate of women's health and well-being and she encourages women to become an informed and proactive caretaker of their body. Too often, wives and mothers use so much of their energy into caring for their husband and children, that they neglect to care for themselves. I know I fall guilty of this. My girls' annual well-checks are diligently scheduled on the calendar, as are the required dental checkups, yet mine somehow manage to slip through the crack until they are well-overdue.

In this book she discusses eight facets of her life that she has focused on and made herself aware: fitness, nutrition, skin care, hormones (i.e., perimenopause & menopause), makeup, hair, fashion, and faith. She is encouraging and realistic when she speaks to her readers - don't try and change everything at once. Pick an area that you want to work on and get to work. For example, if you are interested in improving nutrition in your life she encourages you to become your own "health detective" - write down what you are eating and how it makes you feel. If you see patterns, you may want to exclude certain foods from your diet. If you want to improve your skin care, make sure you are getting enough sleep and drink enough water.

Because she is the wife of a Hollywood celebrity (and probably has WAY more discretionary income that most of my humble blog readers) there is the occasional mention of the $150 spa treatment that did wonders for XYZ, but with almost every topic, she also offers simple over-the-counter and home remedies that can also work within any budget. I appreciated that.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention her last chapter on faith - I believe this quote sums up why she is passionate about this topic:

I truly belive that God has a plan for each and every one of us. And I believe that we should honor that plan. In fact, this belief is one reason why I think that I am so accepting of my age. I know that each year, each day, and each moment is a gift from God. I honor the path in my life that God has put me on and know that it is a privilege to be alive and to wake up and have another day with my husband and children.

She is honest and open about her faith ... hopefully the woman that randomly picks up this book at Target or Barnes and Noble will look past the facial remedies and fashion tips (while good) and see that that only way to truly be content with the body and life that one has is through Jesus Christ.

2 comments:

  1. I haven't seen an episode of Oprah or Dr. Phil either. =D So you aren't alone. I didn't realize this was his wife! I'd seen the book around but hadn't looked that closely at it. Good to know your thoughts on it!

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  2. I went through a Dr. Phil stage. Funny how the more I learn God's word the less Dr. Phil's sayings look like wisdom. I didn't pick this book to review because I knew it was his wife and I was afraid of I'd spend the whole book disagreeing with the author. I'm glad to hear it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

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Thanks for commenting!

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