The Secret To Ageing Well Is Simpler Than You Think: Dr Shriram Nene

Dr Shriram Nene: My view is that it's a combination of things. It's genetics and lifestyle. It's nature and nurture. When you're born, you get this code, but no manual for it. And that's the rest-of-life experiment that you run. The code is different for each one of us.

What we're trying to do is build a framework and foundation which is simple and applicable. These are not novel techniques. People often tell me they already know these things. But the question is whether they are following them in a structured way.

As science evolves, there will be advances. We have CRISPR, mRNA vaccines and the ability to manipulate genetic code. But we also need to embrace the things that are already within our control.

Dr Shriram Nene: I think the body likes consistency. And the things you do repeatedly, in small ways, add up to something big. Everyone is looking for that magic bullet. But the real question is whether what you're doing is sustainable and whether it applies to you.

That's why the book focuses on five interconnected pillars of good health:

1. Nutrition: Eating a balanced diet that provides the right nutrients and making informed, sustainable food choices rather than following fad diets.

2. Movement: Making physical activity a regular and enjoyable part of everyday life. It doesn't always have to mean going to the gym. What matters is staying active consistently.

3. Sleep and Recovery: Giving the body adequate rest to repair and rejuvenate. Good-quality sleep is essential for physical health, mental clarity and overall wellbeing.

4. Stress and Mindset: Learning to manage stress, building emotional resilience and developing a positive, adaptable approach to life's challenges.

5. Connection and Purpose: Nurturing relationships, staying connected with family and community, and having a sense of purpose that gives meaning to everyday life.

The idea is not to make drastic changes overnight, but to build habits that become a natural part of your life.

Dr Shriram Nene: Nutrition is 70 per cent of the equation.

If you look at the last hundred years, we have gone from an agrarian society to an industrialised society. When we were doing manual labour and tilling the fields, we needed carbohydrates to power our movements. Today, many of us are working in BPOs, IT and other desk-based jobs that involve intellectual rather than physical work.

But our diets haven't necessarily changed. If you're eating the same carbohydrate-rich, high-sugar diet while leading a largely sedentary life, your risk of developing serious lifestyle-related diseases increases.

We've created a simple plate analogy to make healthy eating easier to understand. Half your plate should consist of vegetables and fibre-rich foods, one-quarter should be protein, and the remaining quarter should be complex carbohydrates rather than refined carbohydrates.

The idea is to get the right balance of macronutrients and micronutrients without making nutrition unnecessarily complicated.

It's a simple formula. And that's really the point. Good health doesn't have to be complicated. What matters is making the right choices and following them consistently.

Dr Shriram Nene: Whenever you see a fad, the first thing you should do is see who it's coming from. There are a lot of influencers talking about things that have been tested in rats and mice, but where there is no translational research in humans. Lab results don’t always translate to humans. Many drugs never make it from Phase 1 to Phase 3. NAD+ and NMN are marketed as anti-ageing aids. Early research doesn’t prove they work in humans.

Look at who's saying it. Do they have domain authority? Is there repeated research in humans? Has it been peer-reviewed? Is it repeatable and sustainable? And, most importantly, does it apply to you?

Take supplementation. Most people don't need multivitamins if they're eating a healthy, balanced diet. Of course, there are exceptions. Vegetarians and vegans may need vitamin B12 supplementation. Pregnant women may need iron. People with certain medical conditions or deficiencies may need specific supplements.

But for the rest of us, supplementation is overrated. And why do you need an IV drip when your gut is working? If you're severely dehydrated and cannot keep fluids down, that's different. But arbitrarily giving IV drips to otherwise healthy people makes no sense to me. The bottom line is to be smart about where your information comes from. And ask your doctor.

Dr Shriram Nene: There's a common perception that cardiovascular disease is something men deal with. But that's a myth. Women are susceptible to cardiovascular issues, and Indian women in particular. The risk factors are the same.

What's concerning is that women often come in later. Their symptoms can sometimes be atypical, but that's true for men too. The bigger issue is that women frequently discount their symptoms. They're always taking care of someone else.

And that becomes a real concern because cardiovascular disease needs timely attention. Women must recognise that their own health deserves the same priority as the health of everyone they care for.

Dr Shriram Nene: I think we constantly have to learn. Why can't we continuously learn and reinvent ourselves and be on a journey for an entire lifetime?

As a heart surgeon, it was very rewarding. I did about 10,000 cases. But what I realised was that I could do much more by using media, technology and smart services to scale healthcare information and empower people to take care of themselves. My vision was to democratise healthcare.

And purpose is a very important part of that journey. We talk about community and purpose as one of the pillars of good health. It's not about the career. It's about who you have with you on the journey and the experiences you have together. My friends and family have been my lights in the dark.

We often measure success through what we own, what we drive or what we achieve. But once you begin valuing intrinsic happiness rather than external markers of success, it changes everything. For me, reinvention is part of life. I like to create things. I like to keep learning. And I don't see why that journey should ever stop.