Dr Shriram Nene’s 21-day health plan: How to build healthier habits and improve longevity

At some point most of us have heard our parents say ldquoTry doing this for a month and it will become a habitrdquo This idea of building healthier routines is at the heart of cardiac thoracic and vascular surgeon Dr Shriram Nenersquos book 21 Days to Good Health A Surgeonrsquos EvidenceBased Program to Reset Your Body Calm Your Mind and Add Years to Your Life Rupa will hit bookshelves this weekend We caught up with Dr Nene about the science of the bookExcerpts from the interviewThis book is about what people can do before they become patients Was there a particular patient experience or moment that changed how you thought about preventionThis book came from a lifetime of work and observations In over 30 years of practising healthcare I have seen many patients suffer India is number one in heart disease and diabetes and I felt we urgently needed something that could help change thatThe principles in the book are also things I have applied to my family patients and myself Health is something we need to work on before a diagnosis rather than waiting until something goes wrongThe book is built around a 21day programme What does the research reveal about how long it takes to convert an intention into a habit Where does the ldquo21 daysrdquo idea fit into scienceOne of the first things I explain in the book is that 21 days is not a scientifically established period in which a habit becomes permanent One oftencited study found that the median time for habit formation was about 66 days The popular 21day idea can be traced back to plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz and his 1960s book PsychoCybernetics where he observed that people took about 21 days to adapt to changes in their appearance postsurgery Over time this became the belief that it takes three weeks to form a new habitI chose 21 days because it gives people enough time to experience the benefits of better choices without feeling overwhelmed The goal is not perfection in 21 days it is momentumThe book highlights the role of holistic wellness in helping you become your best selfMany sections in book emerge from the intersection of your clinical experience and the research around longevity While writing it did any research change your idea about healthWhat changed my mind most was not one spectacular longevity study but the evidence We are fascinated by supplements wearables and new longevity interventions However the basics kept coming up cardiovascular fitness muscle strength good nutrition adequate sleep stress management and meaningful social relationshipsAs a surgeon I was trained to intervene decisively If an artery was blocked there was a problem to solve But longevity science made me think differently Health is something you build continuously long before there is a diagnosis to treatDr Nene urges families and patients to focus on inner wellbeing as much as physical healthAs a surgeon yoursquove observed the consequences of years of unhealthy habits up close Could you share a few lifestyle choices that people routinely dismiss as lsquonormalrsquo that you now look at very differentlyPhysical fitness particularly influenced me Cardiorespiratory fitness is strongly associated with longterm health and maintaining muscle is important too Exercise is not just about looking fit or losing weight Fitness affects several organ systems while movement also influences blood sugar regulation vascular health cognition and independenceWalking after meals can improve the bodyrsquos glucose response Eating better protecting your sleep doing resistance exercises managing stress and reconnecting with people who matter can all make a difference The science may be complex but the actions do not always have to beStrength and resistance training keep your body healthyLog on to rupapublicationscoin