Juicing it up

Jamba Juice is an American company, selling so-called health drinks, and it is currently expanding rapidly. Unfortunately, not everyone is enthusiastic about the benefits of Jamba Juice. Here's what Chris Ayres reports from LA, in the London Times:

As far as I’m concerned, Jamba is all hot air. Its drinks may be nutritious (and delicious, even), but they are not necessarily healthy. Indeed, for a terminally fat country, Jamba’s promise to “provide everything you need to live an active, healthy and happy life!” borders on a dangerous con.

So, when I receive an email from a book publicist, telling me that Jamba Juice has linked up with a publisher to plug a book called Secrets of Longevity, subtitled 'Hundreds of ways to live to be a hundred', I am, well, just a tad dubious.

Should you be eager to know more, however, I can tell you that the book's author, Dr. Maoshing Ni (known to his patients as Dr Mao -- and why does that make me nervous?), shares the secrets gleaned from 38-generations of medical knowledge in his family, and a 20-year study of centenarians in China.

It turns out that 'a longer, healthier and happier life is not a result of a complicated supplement regimen, arcane dietary restrictions or any particular exercise, rather it is a combination of simple approaches to all areas of life.'

The book is published by Chronicle Books. There's a video clip, which doesn't work on my computer. And there's a podcast; but when I clicked on the link it gave me Ronald Reagan's daughter talking about her cats.

A good try, but not an altogether convincing sales pitch.