'99 Not Out!': A tale of how to live a long and healthy life

In her upcoming book ‘99 Not Out!’, biological scientist, Sujata Kelkar Shetty talks about how to live a long and healthy life at a time when pollution has become a key cause of death and what once used to be dreadful diseases like hypertension, diabetes, kidney and heart ailments have now become lifestyle diseases.

Shetty did her post-doctoral training at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, US. She also studied how mental stress negatively impacts physical health.

Shetty’s book talks about behavioural practices that can slow down the ageing process while keeping disease at bay. It shares evidence-based practices from various diciplines-Ayurveda, yoga and Western medicine-that promote longevity, while keeping bodies healthy and minds alert.

“Longevity along with wellness is a process of moving towards a higher equilibrium of physical, mental and emotional well-being to lead a long and fulfilled life, while preventing disease. The book explains the principles that govern each type of well-being: physical, nutritional and emotional-mental, and shares tips on how we can engage each principle to live longer," said Shetty.

Shetty said that the idea behind the book was to create a single resource that readers could turn to for strengthening their mind, body and spirit rather than having to read several books, or scour the internet in search of answers.

“The book shares what I call wellness principles covering the mind, body and spirit. There are 29 such principles described in the book and they all have their place. It is up to the readers to choose what works best for them, and what resonates with their unique life circumstances. The list is by no means meant to be interpreted as exhaustive, but is based on the evidence gleaned from current western medical research, from the practice of Ayurveda, and through interviews with doctors," she said.

According to doctors, across India there is a near epidemic of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Against this backdrop, there is an alarming rise in people being diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Also, the diseases are being seen in people at a much younger age than ever before. In fact, Indians can get a heart attack 8-10 years earlier than other ethnic groups.

Since the molecular mechanisms of ageing and illness are similar, what this means is that the population is ageing faster than it needs to.

Shetty’s book ‘99 Not Out! Your Guide to a Long and Healthy Life’ will be released in May by Penguin.