[One Day 10,000 Steps One Day 1,000 Characters] Professor Jeong Heewon Talks About the '4M Health Method'... "Must Break the Cycle of Accelerated Aging"

Mobility, Mental Health, Health and Disease, What Matters to Me
Understanding Our Body and Managing 'Naegae Yeokryang'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The 'intrinsic capacity' proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) demands multifaceted management of life factors to age healthily. This includes not only visible health indicators such as exercise time but also invisible factors like mental health.

The American Geriatrics Society and the American Hospital Association emphasize the '4M Health Approach' to manage intrinsic capacity. This health method focuses on four pillars of life: ▲Mobility ▲Mentation ▲Medical issues ▲What Matters. Mobility refers to physical function, activity, and exercise, while Mentation means emotional and cognitive health. Medical issues cover dietary habits and various activities to prevent diseases, and What Matters is the most important area in planning and goal-setting related to the 4Ms, representing life orientation and objectives.

Professor Jeong Hee-won of the Geriatrics Department at Seoul Asan Medical Center is actively introducing the 4M Health Approach in Korea. He states, "Aging and diseases do not occur suddenly but are created by lifestyle habits, and relying on luck leads to various acute and chronic diseases, triggering rapid aging," emphasizing, "It has been scientifically proven that consistently managing intrinsic capacity over decades can maintain a healthy body and mind for a long time."

Professor Jeong Heewon of the Department of Geriatrics at Asan Medical Center in Seoul emphasizes the importance of managing intrinsic capacity based on the 4M health method in her book You Too Can Age Slowly.
Photo by The Quest

In his recently published book , Professor Jeong details what we need to prepare immediately and the habits to follow based on the 4M Health Approach. First, we must understand our bodies. We need to know the correlation between blood sugar, dopamine, and the speed of aging, which change according to lifestyle habits. Our life determines the speed of aging. Incorrect dieting, drinking, and smoking are primary habits that cause accelerated aging. Above all, it is necessary to overcome the psychological mechanism that prevents action despite knowing what to improve in bad lifestyle habits and what to do for elderly health. Pre-elderly generations or people who are not patients do not realize this and do not act promptly to prevent aging and diseases.

If intrinsic capacity is not properly managed, it leads to a vicious cycle that accelerates biological aging. Professor Jeong diagnoses that the time has come to enhance intrinsic capacity. Managing intrinsic capacity begins with recognizing the 'accelerated aging cycle.' When skipping meals, not exercising, or reducing sleep to achieve goals, realizing that these actions actually hinder goal achievement becomes a turning point for change. Furthermore, rather than focusing on fragmented facts, efforts to view and improve life as a whole are necessary.

Above all, he emphasizes the importance of 'letting go' to prevent facing future discomfort by indulging in immediate convenience. Professor Jeong explains, "The very effort to minimize discomfort and maximize happiness is accelerating aging," adding, "If you understand this fundamental error and endure a little discomfort, you can increase comfort for the rest of your life."