A top cardiologist poses a question: Are you on track for a long and healthy life? She suggests that your body can answer this in just 10 seconds. The one-legged stand is a simple physical query, and the response is one of the most powerful predictors of your future well-being.
The validity of this “question and answer” session comes from a major 2022 study of 1,700 older adults. The research essentially “asked” each participant’s body if it could balance, and the answers were strongly correlated with their seven-year survival rates.
The study revealed the profound meaning behind the answers. A “yes”—passing the 10-second test—was associated with an over 90% probability of a long and healthy life for the next seven years. A “no” was a clear signal of underlying health risks.
The cardiologist explains why the body’s answer is so truthful. To answer “yes,” the body must have a healthy, high-speed communication network between the brain, senses, and muscles. A “no” indicates a problem in this critical network that cannot be hidden.
If your body answers “no,” you can work to change its response. The expert advises a program of “re-education” for your body. She recommends practices like Tai Chi and yoga to retrain your neuromuscular pathways, improve your stability, and help your body give a resounding “yes” to the question of a long life.
