Health management using modern life sciences—exploring the concept of “treating without illness” in the modern context

<p indent="0mm">Health and longevity have been the unremitting pursuit of humanity since ancient times. In today’s society, the rising incidences of chronic diseases and rapid growth of sub-healthy population greatly threaten social development. Innovations and breakthroughs in modern life sciences offer new possibilities to address these global health challenges. Traditional Chinese wisdom calls for “the superior doctor (who) treats before illness or treats without illness.” This paper aims to explore a conceptual note to achieve this traditional wisdom of health management by employing developments in the frontiers of modern life sciences. The basic strategy is to manage the “healthy state” dynamically and persistently using the knowledge and awareness of modern life sciences, thus maintaining the “disease-free state” to remain <bold><bold><bold/></bold></bold>healthy in the entire life. The health management system proposed will be a three-dimensional structure: (i) optimizing daily diets, (ii) timely attention to health indicators, and (iii) regulating personal genes. We propose that these measures should be carried out throughout one’s life to achieve health and longevity, thus leading to people “dying without disease.” In recent years, we have launched a pilot project for the “Treating without Illness Action” at Huazhong Agricultural University. Our aim is to accumulate experience, gradually improve, and eventually expand these efforts to benefit the people and contribute to the prosperity of the nation and the strength of the country.