Wanted: Young seniors at Healthy Longevity Clinic at Alexandra Hospital

For this piece, I knew what I had signed up for when I agreed to take part in a number of tests conducted at the Healthy Longevity Clinic located at Alexandra Hospital. Or at least I thought that’s what I was doing.

It was impossible to ignore the overwhelming fear of what would be revealed. The hyperboles kept circling in my mind. Will the clinicians be able to detect any abnormalities? Is it possible to be taken in an ambulance for immediate admission?

It was an enjoyable experience, as all six of the friendly specialists at the testing station seemed to have the right words to share.

“How are you feeling, Ms Chantal? I hope you’re okay?”

This was a great opener. No one addressed me as “madam”. And there was none of that gendered ageism or “lookism” (judging people according to their looks) at this clinic.

Five tests were performed to provide a quick readout to clinicians of my health status. I posed only for the full body scan for illustration purposes, since it would be a bit longer for results to come in.

Social media has seen the full-body scan become popular. American celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton have shared their experiences of how they gained peace of mind by using a series of imaging scanners to detect diseases like breast cancer at an early stage.

The Dexa scan is an X-ray low-dose dual energy absorption scan for analyzing body composition and bone density.

Mr Lim Seong Yong, senior radiographer at AH’s Diagnostic Imaging Centre, patiently posed for photographs as my imagination ran riot over what the scan would pick up.

What would it reveal if the skeleton was porous and degenerative? Would it show dark spots usually associated with The Big C or would it be able to pick up on the dark areas?

This is not something that would make me pose as Kardashian in August on Instagram, when she boasted about her slim body and healthy bones.

The urge to run was strong, but I refused. I have written this for you.

I had to omit some biomarker assessments such as blood age (determined through a standard panel of blood tests and then calculated using AI algorithms), as the results would arrive long after this article is published. Some of these tests are sent to AH laboratories and others to external labs in Singapore and other countries. Results typically take between two and four weeks.

First, I performed the Dynamometer Handgrip Test. I squeezed an object that was being monitored by Er BiawThean.

She said that for my age, the weight is typically less than 30kg. She pointed out, however, that my weight was 34kg and requested Dr Laureen, the director of clinic to analyze the results.

I then went through the Pulse Wave Velocity assessment to find out the age of my blood vessels, through taking blood pressure readings from my right arm, left thigh and neck. This was to measure how fast the pulse travels in the major blood vessels, which is related to how stiff the vessels are.

After that, it was the Bioelectrical Impedance Assessment (BIA), where electrodes were strapped to my ankles, middle fingers and thumbs.

The tests that showed both positive and negative results needed to be combined to get a better picture of my overall health.

Some of the less-than-humble braggings were triumphant.

“The handgrip reading, together with your BIA results, shows that you have been exercising regularly to maintain your muscle mass in your core and limbs,” observed Dr Wang. “In fact, your muscle mass is better than expected compared with peers in your age group.”

Score!

She told me that I should continue my daily exercise routine for muscle and bone strength, and to eat salmon and other fish, and more kale, spinach and spinach which are rich in calcium and vitamin.

The room was filled with a lot of energy and I made a third quarter resolution to eat more healthy foods and practice deep Surya Namaskar yoga stretching.

Next, more testing was done to determine my chronological age.

Next, I went to the Advanced Glycation End-products Reader which measures skin autofluorescence by using sugar molecules. My left forearm was inserted into the machine which looked similar to a desktop with a slot. A beam of UV light then passed through my arm.

The test can give doctors an indication of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The results showed that I was in the “red zone”, meaning I had a high percentage of sugar molecules, though I do not suffer from diabetes or hypertension.

Cheryl Tan, the health coach I had hired to help me with my concerns, explained that it was a pre-scan and would be done again once lifestyle changes were made and additional testing conducted. Okay, some comfort. I filed the report away for future reference.

The last test involved an exercise and shower-proof wearable device for monitoring heart functions, which was glued to my chest for 24 hours, starting from that afternoon – a Monday. Duration varies depending on the person being treated.

The readings of the tests were then interpreted two days later by Dr Wang.