Hey guys,
I’ve just come back from a 10 day trip to Pakistan, separating the end of my GP training with my first job as a qualified GP.
I switched off from socials (partly due to lack of data) but also just to be present for a while. It’s difficult dichotomy - creating content and being one who enjoys switching off; most algorithms punish you for not repeatedly showing up, but it’s important to break away for some fresh perspective, mental health recovery and just being plain old bored at times. It was a welcomed change of scenery too, and one that had me thinking..
Some of the places I visited and stayed in were not as developed as the UK, nor did they have the same sociodemographic lifestyles that we have the privilege of. Still however, what I found intriguing is how many pillars of wellness and longevity were stronger than what we achieve here in the ‘west’.
There’s a stronger sense of social connection, all the way up to old age. Friends and families spend hours upon hours together, passing time enjoying one another’s company. Elders are taken care of almost exclusively by their own family in their homes.
They frequent beautiful rivers, forests and other natural scenery that calms the mind and nervous system, pulling them away from congested urban life.
Many even grow their own vegetables and produce, avoiding the more expensive route of buying them from stores, and in turn, happen to avoid heavily GMO and pesticide-laden crops.
You would think that with better sociodemographic situations and higher education, places like London would be leading in all aspects of health and wellbeing, but that’s not simply the case.
It reminds me of a quote which I always come back to:
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
We’re polluted with light, ultra-processed foods, excessive medications and lack of physical exercise to name a few.
Every society is sick in its own ways. Our challenges are not the same across the globe. The hard part is actually being able to see what is negatively affecting our health, understand its roots, unlearn it, and take steps towards a better path for ourselves and our loved ones.
That’s what Zone 6 Health is all about, and exactly what I’m trying to achieve here.
Faisal
P.S. My first iOS app is in beta, something I’ve been working on for the past few months. It’s not really related to health or wellness, but you can find out more and signup to try out the app first via the website - www.trydiction.com
🔗 The Weekly Link-Up
The London company has raised $36m, led by Ascensia, for a microsensor that reads glucose from just beneath the skin using a filament about a tenth the depth of a conventional CGM. Glucose is only the first molecule they want to track continuously.
AstraZeneca is paying ‘insitro’ $40m upfront, with up to around $1.46bn in milestones, to use AI to find drug targets in MASH and cardiomyopathies. Choosing the right target is one of the genuinely hard parts of drug discovery, so this is a real test of what the technology can do.
Published on 14 October, the strategy promises faster scientific advice (90 days down to 45), a 14 day initial assessment target for qualifying Phase 1 trials, and a new MHRA Centre for AI and Digital Health. An AI Medicines Development Action Plan follows in 2027.
Xand van Tulleken takes apart the wellness industry through its three biggest products: supplements, blood testing and wearables. Given how much of this newsletter is about exactly those three things, it felt like required reading, and it’s perfect for readers of this newsletter in my opinion - will share more thoughts as I get closer to finishing.
See you next week!
Dr Fai J
📹 This Week on the Channel
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🤓 About Me
I'm Faisal, a Doctor working in the NHS who's passionate about longevity, wellness and healthtech.
Website: www.faisaljamshaid.com - home to my newsletter, blog, creative videos and more.
SocialPrescriber.co.uk - I built a FREE directory for patients across England to help them find local community support without a GP appointment. Check it out here.
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