Antoinette May Hernson 286-1320 toni@antoinettemay.com The Book Worm Valley Springs Author Writes a Nutrition Tell All By Antoinette May Want to live longer, look better and feel fabulous? Getty Ambau and his “Four Pillars” just may be the answer. Getty, a resident of Valley Springs, is well known for his highly acclaimed Desta series. The books have received the coveted Moonbeam Young Adult Book Award among other honors. Desta, the protagonist in the stories, has embarked on an epic adventure to find a 3000 year old magic coin to unite with a coin own by his family. According to an ancient tradition the union of the two coins will benefit all mankind. The author has a mission of his own. And he, too, wants to benefit mankind. Getty Ambau’s tool is a book,“The Four Pillars,” a compendium of nutritional advice. Getty came to the United States from his native Ethiopia as a foreign exchange student. After completing his senior year at an Ohio high school, Getty entered Yale University, where he majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry and Economics. Upon graduation, he worked as a research chemist, earned a graduate degree in business and ran his own companies, but above all, writing has always been his inner calling. He is the author of two other health

and nutrition books. Getty’s “four pillars” are vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and phytonutrients. I must admit that I didn’t know what phytonutrients were but discovered from Getty’s informative book that they are grains, fruits and vegetables. These, the author believes, hold the key to our day- today well-being as well as our long term health. As Getty explains it, “One day it came to me—I realized that I was I not just a skin-bound bundle of blood, muscle and bones. Within each of my 60 trillion cells, amazing chemical processes take place, all without my conscious control. Nature had given them intelligence to act on their own. It is my responsibility to give these cells proper foods so that those processes can work smoothly and keep my body healthy.” He points out that current estimations place the maximum human biological age in the 115-year to 120- year range. I have mixed feelings about that. Do I really want to drag on and on and on? Certainly not if I didn’t feel good and looked awful. Getty’s “four pillars” may provide the answer to all that, but the author admits,” It takes a conscious effort to love and care for yourself. It takes deliberate work to know what is good for your body and to choose foods and drinks that keep you fit and healthy for

years to come. This also means becoming knowledgeable about the many risk factors (cigarettes, fatty foods, drugs, excessive use of alcohol and salts) and minimizing or eliminating them from your life.” The book is lively and readable. It answered just about every question one could ever have about vitamins and minerals. I liked the recipes, too, most especially the exotic ones from Ethiopia. “The Four Pillars For Your Health, Good Looks and Longevity” is published by Falcon Press International, costs $19.95 and is available ot Amazon.com. * * * “Aurora,” a major new novel from one of science fiction’s most powerful voices is the current selection of the Mokelumne Hill Book Club. Kim Stanley Robinson tells the incredible story of our first voyage beyond the solar system. Robinson is best known for his Mars trilogy. His work has been labeled by reviewers “as the gold standard of realistic and highly literary science fiction writing.” “Aurora” will be discussed Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Mokelumne Hill Library. Remember that this is the book club whose commitment is no commitment. There are no restrictions, no membership and no dues. Everyone is welcome who’s interested in books and up for discussing them. I hope to see you there. Picture of Getty Ambau