A few days ago, I saw a video where Singaporean presidential candidate, Ng Kok Song, shared the formula for staying healthy at 75. He said the secret to staying healthy is to protect yourself with these 6 things, with the acronym SHIELD. S – Sleep; H – Handling stress; I – Interaction; E – Exercise; L – Learn; and D – Diet. Most will agree that this formula can keep you healthy, but today’s question is, “Can a formula prolong your life?”
Ng Kok Song, whom I nicknamed Grandpa, broke everything down effortlessly in this video. And I wondered how he came about this formula. Was it just the common wisdom that comes with getting older, science, or both? This became Grandpa’s most-watched video on Tik Tok with over 2.9 million views. That means people are paying attention to Grandpa’s formula.
So, how much of what Grandpa said is accurate or proven true? More specifically, can a formula keep you healthy and prolong your life? Let’s find out.
Can a formula keep you healthy and prolong your life?
1. Sleep
Good quality sleep promotes heart health and helps maintain a healthy weight. It also boosts memory, learning, attention span, and the immune system.
According to the American College of Cardiology, having good quality sleep can add 4.7 years to a man’s lifespan and 2.4 years to a woman’s.
However, only 65% of adults have adequate sleep. Knowing all these benefits of sleep, we should do all we can to get at least 7 hours of good quality sleep daily.
2. Handling stress
Life is a total package that includes stress. The stress can be from our work, relationships, health, economic environment, etc. However, researchers say heavy stress can shorten your life expectancy by 2.8 years!
So, Grandpa is right that we must find ways to deal with stress, such as meditation. For more on meditation, check out “13 Ways Meditation Can Improve Your Health.” Another way to handle stress is to engage in a hobby. A hobby is an activity or interest you pursue for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation—for example, journaling, gardening, etc.
3. Interaction
A study showed that not having strong relationships can increase one’s risk of dying early by 50%. A lack of social relationships is a risk factor for early death. Also, low social interaction is just as harmful as smoking about 15 cigarettes daily and even more harmful than not exercising.
Furthermore, interacting with others and having good relationships improves your physical and mental well-being and can help you cope with stress. For more on the health benefits of good social relationships, check out “Who is Your Guy” and “Thank You for Being a Friend.”
4. Exercise
Studies show that physically active individuals may live longer by 0.43- to 6.9-years. In addition, regular physical exercise can prevent many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, depression, and diabetes. For more on the health benefits of exercise, check out “10 Ways Exercise Can Improve Your Quality of Life.”
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week for best overall health. But, as Grandpa said, find something to do that keeps you physically active!
5. Learning
One study found that each year spent studying beyond school can add almost a year to your lifespan. The study concludes that education or learning leads to a longer life.
Overall, learning is good for your health and well-being. It keeps your brain young and your memory sharp. Continued learning reduces depression and anxiety and increases self-esteem and life satisfaction.
6. Diet
Changing the way we eat can prolong our lives. By replacing highly processed foods loaded with salt, sugar, and other additives with more fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, lentils, seafood, and whole grains, we can increase our lifespans by 10 years if we start early enough.
This study showed that if you start eating healthy at age 20, you can prolong your life by 10 years. However, it is never too late to start eating healthier. For example, if you start at 60, you can increase your lifespan by 8 years; and if you start at 80, you can still increase your lifespan by 3.4 years!
Final thoughts
So, the answer to the question, “Can a formula prolong your life?” is mostly yes! Grandpa’s formula for staying healthy is scientifically proven to help us live longer.
But what happens if all these fail? What if you apply SHIELD and still end up having a chronic debilitating disease? Or, you see someone who has used SHIELD all their life die prematurely?
Unfortunately, no one, no formula, and not even science can predict a particular person’s lifespan. Sicknesses, diseases, premature deaths, and accidents happen. But we still dare to hope!
Last week, I lost a dear former classmate to a tragic accident, and we deeply mourn his loss. Because of this recent loss and other tragic losses I have experienced in my personal life, I was wary of putting this post out here today. The sad truth is that SHIELD is not an all-in-all guarantee that we will live up to a hundred years old. Nobody knows when their journey here on earth will end. But I pray we all live to a ripe old age and enjoy good health and rewarding relationships.
But, whenever the end comes, are we ready for our maker? Are we living our lives in a way that honors and puts God first? If not, start today by praying and inviting God into every aspect of your life. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matt 6:33, NLT).
In closing, this quote by Saint Augustine says it all, “Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever, and take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow.”
Yours in health and fitness,
Doctor Abi
