📖 Overview
How to Live Longer and Feel Better presents Nobel laureate Linus Pauling's research and recommendations on vitamin supplementation, nutrition, and preventive medicine. The book outlines specific protocols for vitamin C megadosing and other orthomolecular approaches to health.
The text covers scientific evidence for vitamin therapy while examining common diseases and their potential prevention through nutritional methods. Pauling addresses cancer, heart disease, infections, and aging through the lens of biochemistry and molecular medicine.
Detailed supplement schedules, dietary guidelines, and lifestyle modifications form the practical core of the book. The work includes case studies and research data to support the proposed health interventions.
This 1986 publication represents a synthesis of Pauling's controversial yet influential ideas about nutrition's role in human health and longevity. The book stands as a foundational text in the field of orthomolecular medicine, challenging conventional medical wisdom about optimal vitamin intake levels.
👀 Reviews
Readers value the clear explanations and practical advice about vitamin C supplementation and nutrition. Many describe the book as accessible despite its technical content, noting Pauling's ability to present research in understandable terms.
What readers liked:
- Detailed protocols for vitamin dosages
- Scientific evidence behind recommendations
- Personal anecdotes from Pauling
- Prevention-focused approach
What readers disliked:
- Some concepts now outdated (published 1986)
- Repetitive sections
- Heavy focus on vitamin C vs broader nutrition
- Limited discussion of exercise/lifestyle factors
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.1/5 (207 ratings)
Amazon: 4.6/5 (166 ratings)
Reader quote: "Changed my perspective on nutrition and supplementation. The vitamin C research alone is worth the read." - Goodreads reviewer
Critical quote: "Important ideas but the narrow focus on megadoses of vitamin C overshadows other aspects of health." - Amazon reviewer
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🤔 Interesting facts
🔬 Linus Pauling is the only person to win two unshared Nobel Prizes - one for Chemistry (1954) and one for Peace (1962).
💊 The book, published in 1986, was controversial at the time for recommending megadoses of Vitamin C (up to 18,000mg daily during illness), far exceeding conventional medical wisdom.
🧪 Pauling himself consumed 18 grams of Vitamin C daily and lived to be 93 years old, continuing his research and writing until shortly before his death.
🔋 The book's recommendations were based on orthomolecular medicine, a term Pauling coined to describe the practice of using high doses of vitamins and minerals to treat disease.
📚 While initially dismissed by many medical professionals, some of Pauling's theories about Vitamin C's role in fighting cancer and preventing heart disease have gained scientific support in recent years.