Making the case that heart disease is, in truth, “a disease of the arteries,” author and journalist Driscoll offers an illuminating guide to keeping arteries—and the bodies and brains they nourish —healthy. Driscoll offers a clear-eyed and helpful guide to heart and brain health, laying out a path to forestall “poor aging,” strokes, slowed down brains, vascular dementia, and more, with an emphasis on limiting clogging and other preventive measures for the life-threatening heart diseases that are "the leading cause of death both in the United States and worldwide.” Your Arteries covers how and why clogging occurs, early stage detection of cardiovascular diseases, and exciting new treatments featuring statin drug therapy.

"This book is designed to be an owner’s manual for your arteries," Driscoll writes, a claim born out by illustrations demystifying blood flow and plaque build-up and the presentation of eight healthy habits that can promote artery health such as eating better, being more active, and getting healthy sleep. Writing in crisp, clear sentences, Driscoll provides actionable advice and knowledge about atherosclerosis ("which literally means artery clogging"), strokes and dementia, and more, from the four diets recommended by cardiologists to the steps it takes to arrange for carotid artery ultrasound screening. The how-to advice for adopting healthy habits and taking charge of hearts (and arteries) is presented with a minimum of fuss, a wealth of clearly cited medical authorities, and a welcome focus on the bottom line: what readers can do now to add quality years to life.

In fact, the approach is highly practical, documenting the availability of screening for artery clogging across a host of health care systems and companies, with of-the-moment breakdowns of price, processes, and what to expect. Straight-forward and concise, Driscoll’s information is clearly organized and presented, and his case for proactive care, especially preventative screening as early as the age of 20, is quite literally heartening.

Takeaway: Practical guide to taking charge of artery and heart health.

Comparable Titles: Sian E. Harding's The Exquisite Machine, Gene McDougall's Unclog Your Arteries.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-