Today, at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, piloting of the Wellness For Senior Care And Healthy Aging module began. This module is part of the fourth pilot module and course of the Erasmus funding SPIRIT Project. The end of this year concludes four courses that have been running on various topics using offline methods.

We all know that health problems in the elderly include hearing loss, cataracts, refractive errors, back and neck pain as well as osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, dementia and depression. As we get older, we tend to experience several conditions at the same time.

Exercise is very necessary for the elderly, good exercise for the elderly is walking, light jogging, cycling according to individual abilities, yoga and light aerobics. Yoga provides an interesting role for the elderly and has optimal benefits, this was explained by Dr. Gaurav Pant, Managing Director of Sportal Corporate Ltv, India, at the Guest Lecture event in this block. He is a practitioner who brings enlightenment and new views to this block. This event was attended by 65 undergraduate students from the Medical Education Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara.

The topics presented were yoga and biohacking, with the focus topic being Yoga. We know that yoga is an ancient practice originating from India that focuses on physical postures (asana), breath control (pranayama), meditation, and philosophical teachings. The main goal of yoga is to achieve a balanced and harmonious state of body, mind and spirit. It has many health benefits, including flexibility, strength, balance, stress reduction and increased mental clarity.

There are various types of Yoga, such as Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Kundalini, and some more modern creations. Each style emphasizes different aspects of practice, but all aim to bring harmony and alignment to the practitioner.

Biohacking refers to the application of scientific knowledge, self-experimentation, and lifestyle changes to improve one's physical and mental performance. It involves the use of technology, nutrition, supplements, and various lifestyle modifications to optimize health and well-being. The main goal of biohacking is to “hack” or improve the functioning of the body and mind. This results in better performance, increased longevity, and overall health.

Biohacking techniques can include optimizing sleep, using nootropics (cognitive enhancers), tracking health metrics, using wearable devices, practicing intermittent fasting, and more. The basic principle of biohacking is to identify areas that need improvement and take proactive steps to fix them.

It is hoped that by implementing this block, there will be a deeper understanding of the comprehensive management of old age to bring higher quality to old age.

Author: Renny Julia - Staf Humas

Interviewee: Yetty Machrina - mahasiswa

Photographer: Istimewa - Istimewa