81-year-old Chinese doctor maintains stable blood sugar with three rules

Professor Li Guangwei, head of endocrinology at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, has maintained a fasting blood sugar level of 5 mmol/L for many years through diet control, daily walking, and a positive mindset.

At 81, Li maintains blood sugar within the normal range for healthy individuals (3,9-5,6 mmol/L). Sharing his metabolic control experience, he states that he avoids extreme diets, instead adhering to a moderate lifestyle based on his "5-0-0-1-1-1" formula.

This formula outlines six daily lifestyle standards:

The '5' represents the goal of exercising five days a week, with each session lasting a minimum of 30 minutes.

The two '0's correspond to completely avoiding bottled soft drinks and refraining from eating after dinner.

The three '1's represent three nutritional limits: overweight individuals should reduce carbohydrates by 50 grams per meal; consume a minimum of 500 grams of green vegetables daily; and limit dining out to a maximum of one time per week.

For busy individuals, Li recommends portioning food using hands: one fist-sized serving of carbohydrates, two fist-sized servings of green vegetables, and one palm-sized serving of protein per meal. The diet should prioritize whole grains over refined white rice.

Elderly people exercise around Ho Guom Lake. Illustration: Ngoc Thanh

Regarding physical activity, the expert aims for a minimum of 5.000 steps daily. His busy work schedule sometimes limits him to only 2.000 to 3.000 steps, but he compensates for the shortfall on weekends by walking and shopping with family, rather than putting undue psychological pressure on himself.

Beyond exercise and nutrition, Li emphasizes the importance of sleep and stress management. Prolonged stress stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol and adrenaline, two hormones that prompt the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream, causing blood sugar to spike.

Reflecting on his decades-long scientific research career, he shares his mindset for overcoming pressure. Years ago, while conducting the "Daiqing Research" project, he frequently endured train journeys lasting over 20 hours between Beijing and Daiqing. There were even times when the trains were so crowded that he had to sit on the floor at the connection between carriages, yet he never felt miserable.

The expert advises people feeling sad or stuck to redirect their attention by listening to music, reading books, or talking with family and friends. Maintaining a positive and optimistic attitude provides the resilience needed to overcome life's challenges.