It’s a great time to be alive. At least, that’s what David B, Agus, MD, bestselling author and director of the USC Norris Westside Cancer Center, argues in his newest book, The Lucky Years: How to Thrive in the Brave New World of Health.

The Lucky Years by David B. Agus, MD

“Chances are you stand to live a much longer, more enjoyable life than you ever thought possible,” said Agus, a professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “For the first time, we have at our disposal all the information we need to design our own health — and, in turn, the health of the planet. Put simply, people living in the 21st century are the most fortunate of all previous generations. That’s why these are the Lucky Years.”

Agus’ third book serves as a guide for consumers to navigate the healthcare revolution to edit their DNA for a longer lifespan, lose weight effortlessly without fad diets and prolong fertility well into their forties, among other remarkable options.

Currently, access to the medical breakthroughs, information and new means of prevention is the privilege of those who know these options exist. Moreover, the ongoing explosion of medical information has far outstripped our ability to process it, making it difficult for people to filter out bad information or overhyped health trends.

“Only those who learn how to think, act, and behave certain ways will reap the benefits of the tremendous opportunities afforded to us through the power of these medical revolutions,” Agus said.

The book has already received praise from prominent figures like Arianna Huffington, Fareed Zakaria, Ashton Kutcher and Howard Stern. Al Gore, forty-fifth vice president of the United States and the 2007 Nobel Laureate in Peace, said, “Dr. Agus offers an optimistic exploration of the opportunities available to us as exciting new technologies revolutionize our understanding and practice of health care. Encouraging, but also clear-eyed and cautionary, The Lucky Years inspires us to take hold of the future of our own health — and, in turn, that of the planet.”

The Lucky Years is available now at book retailers nationwide.

— Mary Dacuma