[Harumanbo Harucheonja] "Take care of your body from a young age"... Advice from an Old Professor

Professor Hansangjin Emeritus, "Carefully Monitor Health and Avoid Overconfidence"
Walking Exercise During Illness, An Opportunity to Reflect on Surroundings and Appreciate Everyday Life

Professor Hansangjin, Professor Emeritus at Seoul National University, is talking about the process of overcoming illness through his wife's battle, caregiving, and walking at the Jungmin Foundation office in Seocho-dong, Seoul, on the 28th of last month. / Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@

"As you get older, if one part of your body fails, the entire related body collapses together. Once I got sick, my whole body felt down, my memory seemed dull, and it was really tough. I guess that's the difference between those heading into old age and the young."

Professor Hansang Jin, Emeritus Professor at Seoul National University, advised middle-aged people in their 40s and 50s to always carefully monitor their own health and to never show off their physical condition. "I wish I had paid more attention earlier, but only after experiencing illness did I start reflecting on my health and habits," he said. "From a young age, get health checkups to see if anything is deteriorating, and at the same time, keep walking and exercising constantly." [Related Article] 'One Day Ten Thousand Steps, One Day One Thousand Characters'

Now in his late 70s, he takes even more meticulous care of not only his wife's health but also his own. In the past, he often skipped breakfast or just poured milk over cereal without much concern, but these days he cooks oatmeal like porridge and eats it with tomatoes or nuts. He also started using a CPAP machine at bedtime following his doctor's recommendation to manage sleep apnea, which he hadn't been very aware of when younger. He feels his body and mind are much lighter upon waking up than before.

A sudden illness became an opportunity not only to care for his health but also to reflect on the preciousness of everyday life that he had overlooked. While walking for exercise, he gained the mental leisure to look back at the surrounding scenery and is now challenging hobbies and dreams he wanted to try in his youth. Professor Han said, "My wife wanted to revisit the Provence region in France where she used to work as a researcher and also walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. Although it's difficult right now, we started with a 4-night, 5-day trip to the southern provinces of Korea," he proudly shared. "Inspired by that experience, someone who had only done sociology all his life published an essay collection ('The Field of the Heart, Making a Path and Walking')."

Editor's NoteAsia Economy is conducting the '2023 Nationwide Brain Health Project' with the 'One Day Ten Thousand Steps, One Day One Thousand Characters' campaign. This campaign encourages walking 10,000 steps and writing 1,000 characters daily to maintain a sharp brain in a healthy centenarian era. To support this, the 'One Day Ten Thousand Steps, One Day One Thousand Characters Newsletter' provides subscribers with recommended walking courses and writing content. The campaign is the most cost-effective and wise exercise to protect yourself and your family.