Longevity: the Blue Zones Effect

Publisher Marketing: Octogenarian Aris, a retired academic, contemplates joining the group of nonagenarians and the rare group of centenarians in spite of current life expectancy in United States. Longevity is occasionally envied by younger generations and feared by the elderly. Health issues as well as financial worries are at the core of their concern. However, apart from any wretched physical and mental health issues, most healthy elderly are faced with challenges affecting their quality of life, challenges often missed or overlooked by their families and seldom acknowledged by the elderly. Such challenges include partial memory loss, weakened hearing, slow reflexes, arthritis, and other symptoms accompanying old age. Longevity's impact upon overpopulation, society, natural resources, retirement and health care cannot be taken lightly. The purpose of this book is to discuss such challenges and concerns hoping they would be appreciated by younger generations and acknowledged by the elderly. The author was born on the Greek island of Ikaria, Greece, and graduated from the University of Athens, Greece (1957). Following his discharge from the Greek Royal Navy (1960), he earned his M. Sc. (1962) and Ph. D. (1964) in chemistry at UBC in Vancouver, B. C. Canada. In 1964 he settled in United States as an educator, academic and researcher associated with several Universities in North America and in Greece. He is currently professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Toledo, Ohio.