THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE NEED NOT BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH

A clear, unpreachy discussion of the dangers of saturated fats, high-cholesterol diets, smoking, lack of exercise, and other dubious distinctions of the American way of life. Dr. Farquhar is the cardiologist who pioneered Stanford's Heart Disease Prevention Program, and he certainly has his comparative statistics poised for battle. From the outset, his book seems less gimmicky and coyly phrased than many of the self-help prescriptions--no fat or sugar in this prose--but some may find the format repetitious. Not only does he list the particular hazards of steady smoking or years without exercise, he outlines techniques to change those habits--the same six-step program each time: identifying the problem; making a commitment to change; increasing awareness of personal patterns; establishing a plan; evaluating the plan; and maintaining the goals. Taken from the best that behavioral modification experts have to offer, they involve the usual contract/diary-keeping/self-reward ideas, but with a difference. Dr. Farquhar doesn't overlook either particular American obstacles or human nature: it's harder to give up smoking in America, where tobacco was the first cash crop, than in Sweden where all tobacco is imported; and his three-phase program for changing eating habits requires not a few months but up to five years. For those seriously considering a change, this is a serious, well-constructed approach, with specific information (what foods to substitute, etc.) and enough support.