Hello everyone, I'm a regular member. I suddenly opened a YouTube channel, and since there might be some of you who don't know me, let me briefly introduce myself. I am currently the director of the Geriatrics Department at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, where I provide medical care, conduct research, and engage in education. Previously, when I was a graduate student, I worked on basic research, including cell studies and other biological research. After returning to clinical practice, I have been researching how to better maintain the health status of population groups. Since 2019, I have developed a keen interest in writing. Initially, I started writing on a platform called Brunch, and later, I published a book titled You Can Age Slowly Too, which came out at the end of 2022. Since then, I have been referred to as the Accelerated Aging Teacher, which is somewhat paradoxical, isn't it?

Maintaining my lifestyle habits has become a bit more challenging. There are times when I find myself wanting to drink beer for no reason. Over the years, I have appeared on many YouTube channels, and there have always been aspects that I felt were lacking. As the saying goes, a thirsty person digs a well, which is the reason I created my channel. The first reason is that I want to express what I have to say. Usually, when you appear on YouTube or any broadcast, there are predetermined requests. They provide a list of questions about what topics they want you to discuss. Most of the time, these are related to diet or supplements, essentially anything concerning food. In the YouTube channels I've been on, I gather the topics that resonated well with viewers and compile them. I then create a list of questions based on that, and they bombard me with questions like a machine gun.

I often find myself discussing topics like accelerated aging and slow aging, and what to eat. Of course, I understand that these are important subjects, and since I can't dedicate a lot of time to them, it's only natural that many people request topics they're interested in. However, I also find this somewhat tedious and, on the other hand, a bit unfair. A prime example is lentils. At some point, I became a lentil evangelist. I do really like lentils, and these days, lentils are included in rice that's rumored to promote slow aging, as well as in multigrain rice. I mentioned that it's good to consume a bit more lentils and also to reduce simple sugars and processed foods.

This has been misinterpreted, and now there are rumors that I only eat lentils. I always emphasize in my lectures that you should consume a variety of food ingredients and that forcing yourself to manage your lifestyle can be detrimental; you should approach it comfortably. Lifestyle management should actually serve as a way to reduce stress. However, this is being spread as a rumor. On the other hand, among the expert community, there are discussions about why I behave this way. As a researcher and a clinical doctor in a hospital, I strive to find evidence and base my statements on research. However, all of this gets overlooked, and only the most appealing content is cut out and disseminated, leading to a lack of evidence. I have mentioned that it might be possible in some cases, so...

You can do whatever I mentioned conditionally. It gets packaged in such a way that some people accept it unconditionally. As a result, some doctors or scientists may think that I lack expertise or that I'm not credible. I've dedicated more than half of my life to research, so it feels unfair. I wanted to convey more of the context, background, and scientific evidence thoroughly. 

The second point is about skiving. I've appeared in various places, and later on, I found it difficult to remember where I went and what I talked about. I thought, This can't be right. I realized that there needs to be a full version of the overall content, detailing what I discussed from beginning to end.

Of course, these videos might be less exciting and slower-paced compared to the more stimulating ones you have seen before, and they may be a bit challenging. However, I wanted to provide videos that are more detailed and structured, with ample evidence included. 

Another point is about the loudspeakers used by vendors who sell vegetables or fish from trucks. They often record phrases like delicious peaches and play them through loudspeakers. I realized that these kinds of things are necessary. Twitter users keep asking the same questions. For example, if someone asks a question, I try to respond. However, after a few days, another person will ask the same question. At first, I do my best to answer all the questions, but at some point, I gave up. Then, some people say, You're not answering the questions.

It's understandable that you might feel upset about this situation. So, right now, I try to respond as much as possible by quoting or retweeting, but most of the time, I'm unable to reply. In such cases, I suggest that you search for the information yourself, but you might think that would work. However, Twitter's search function isn't very good. Even if I've organized and posted certain content, after a few months, I can't find it myself. Therefore, I plan to create a full version on YouTube and summarize the evidence and conclusions. You can visit my YouTube channel to find everything there. I think this approach would be beneficial. Ultimately, I want to organize the things I want to say clearly. While I do have a book, people don't seem to read books as much these days, so it makes sense to organize the content on YouTube.

I thought it would be nice. So, you might be wondering why actual human representatives are making what might be considered somewhat crude remarks. I can't remember if it was last year or the year before, but I had the opportunity to meet the CEO of a company. While having a meal with him, I mentioned that I have been researching geriatrics for over ten years and have been contemplating clinical aspects of geriatrics for quite a long time. I wondered why other countries have approaches to geriatrics, including geriatric medicine, and how healthcare and medicine are integrated, with first-line treatments working well, while it seems that our country's officials are lagging behind the global standards. It feels like there's not much progress, and it's really tough, making it hard to continue. The CEO responded by saying that I should work a little harder than I currently am, every single day.

You should try for exactly 10 years without getting tired. If you do that for 10 years, you will probably achieve everything you want. So, I thought about what to do during those 10 years. In our country, there is no department for geriatric medicine, which could be related to geriatrics or geriatric internal medicine, as opposed to other medical fields. Other advanced countries have such systems, but we do not. Because there is no system in place, it is difficult to find a primary care physician or a regular doctor even during old age. There is a necessary approach to integrated care for the elderly in primary care, as mentioned in the discussions. We need to do these things to prevent aging and provide care, allowing people to live more happily in their later years. However, even if we want to create such a system, there are no stakeholders who can implement it. Therefore, we need to create these stakeholders.

When I mention that it is necessary, they respond that it is not needed. This is because our country is very much like the Galapagos; even if other countries have it, if we have managed without it so far, they think, What nonsense is this? Ultimately, I write articles for newspapers and share stories on YouTube, and through these efforts, those who make policies are beginning to realize that geriatric medicine is indeed necessary. So, over the next ten years, I hope to help many people understand that geriatric medicine is obviously essential. Eventually, I hope that our government and policymakers will understand that the absence of this has caused many issues, and I wish they would at least slightly change their policy direction. Next, Koreans...

I hope we can age more slowly and sustainably overall. For young people, aging slowly can prevent chronic diseases, and by preventing chronic diseases, we can also prevent future generations from facing them. Regardless of whether we like it or not, we will likely live for about 100 years. During that 100 years, the last 30 years can be as enjoyable and active as when we were young. Other countries have already understood these concepts and are contemplating how to help young people age more slowly. 

Another point is regarding those who are a bit older, specifically the 50s and 60s baby boomer generation. I want to ensure that they can age sustainably. Sustainable aging means, as I will explain later, that a person's inherent capabilities do not necessarily need to decline just because the numbers increase.

I'm considering how to prevent aging-related issues and dementia in old age, so that I can maintain my independence and enjoy everything I want to do. There are various methods that have been successfully applied in other countries, which have managed to achieve sustainable aging from a population perspective. I hope that these methods can be implemented more quickly in our country. I am quite worried because the gap between our country and Japan in terms of aging is narrowing, especially in the demographic pyramid. We are catching up to Japan at a very fast pace, but the issue lies in policies and healthcare systems, particularly regarding elderly care and preventive measures, as well as health management for younger people.

Rather, the gap with Japan is widening. We are on the verge of entering a super-aged society next year, and combined with the world's highest level of low birth rates, we have the fastest aging rate. It's a frightening situation. It is extremely urgent, and starting right now, policies must be created to help our citizens age slowly and sustainably. When that happens, the median age will rise, and even as our people grow older, our country will not lose its vitality, and various types of growth will remain sustainable. Our next generation, our children, will be able to care for their parents and grandparents without pouring all their abilities and time into it. To summarize, by the 2040s, all developed countries will age at a similar pace, and some are already experiencing a higher degree of aging than our country.

There are countries that have developed policies and social systems that allow individuals in their societies to age more slowly and enjoy healthier old age. This is a measure of the strength of those societies and countries. In this regard, our country is still lagging behind, remaining in the early 2000s. I intend to invest the next ten years to change this system. 

As for my final point, I currently emphasize through various channels that you should eat healthily and exercise. It is better to consume real food rather than relying on nutritional supplements. I share these insights based on solid evidence, and I will explain how this evidence is developed in future videos. Interestingly, I have substantial evidence to support the consumption of vitamins.

It is better to obtain the same amount of vitamins through fruits and vegetables, but many people prefer to take vitamins in pill form. Why is that? Some people need to make money, so they can afford to spend on marketing to promote supplements. Such speakers have a much louder voice. However, my voice is very soft. You know the story of David and Goliath, right? What I mean is that it gets drowned out by this massive wave. Many people come to my office carrying various supplements for brain health, joint health, eye health, and ask if they should take these or if they need to take more. Even during a two-hour lecture, the last question I often receive is, So, which supplements should I take?

I feel exhausted. Let me show you one more extreme case. Many of my patients have coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and hyperlipidemia, which means they must take cholesterol medication. However, some YouTubers present very weak evidence, such as cellular-level studies or anecdotal snippets, claiming that taking cholesterol medication causes the brain to dissolve. This is not true; the brain does not dissolve. In fact, if someone has cerebrovascular disease and narrowed blood vessels, and if the narrowing is caused by cholesterol plaques, suddenly stopping cholesterol medication can lead to blocked blood vessels, which may result in a stroke or cause small holes to form in the brain.

There are cases where cognitive function can decline very quickly. However, unfortunately, some people declare that they will stop taking cholesterol medication and refuse to take it, while ironically asking me to prescribe brain supplements. This doesn't make sense. In fact, for those with such conditions, taking cholesterol medication is far more effective in preventing cognitive decline than brain supplements. Yet, they want prescriptions for brain supplements, claiming they won't take cholesterol medication. I thought it would be better to have a more effective speaker to convey this message. I ended up making a small YouTube video, but the introduction was too long. The story is a bit complicated and lengthy, but ultimately, I...

We needed a speaker, and through these speakers, we hope to provide many people in our country and around the world with access to well-researched and evidence-based information that can actually help their health. We want to make it easy and comfortable for you to engage with this content. I would appreciate your interest in my channel moving forward. Starting from the next episode, we will begin discussing specific topics. Thank you.

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