In this exclusive interview, Dr. Sanjay Sachdeva, CEO of Metabalance Healthcare and author of the best-selling book Age is Just a Number: Strategies for Ageless Living, discusses how to adopt a proactive approach to aging and embrace the possibility of living a long, vibrant life.

Dr. Sanjay’s book is a comprehensive guide aimed at helping readers defy the conventional expectations of aging and live a vibrant, healthy life well into their later years. Drawing on insights from over 25 longevity experts, he combines scientific research, personal experiences, and holistic strategies to create an actionable plan for achieving longevity and maintaining youthful vitality.

Dr.Sanjay, who holds PhD in nutrition and an MBA in healthcare management, boasts of 20 years of experience in managing some of the largest hospitals in India before he set up a functional medicine clinic, funded by one the world’s largest ayurvedic and natural healthcare company Dabur.

“I was on the wrong side of the fence. I was involved in modern, allopathic treatments, essentially running  hospitals as  profit centers. I was connected with healthcare, but I wasn't healing people, which is what I'm doing now.”

Now, in addition to running his own clinic, Dr.Sanjay runs a consulting company that helps people set up functional medicine centers in hotels and resorts.

What makes Dr. Sanjay’s approach unique is his combination of functional and bioregulatory medicine because he believes that none of the existing forms of treatment—whether it's Ayurveda, homeopathy, modern allopathic medicine, or bioregulatory medicine (which is biologically equivalent and aligned with your body's natural processes)—are fully complete on their own.

“The difference with functional medicine is that it goes to the root cause of the disease and identifies why it’s happening in the body. That’s why my consultations take about two hours, and all our centers follow the same approach.”

By combining the approaches of functional medicine, bio-regulatory medicine, and modern medicine, he uses the best available practices from each form of medicine. For example, pathology tests, which are a part of modern medicine, cannot be replaced with Ayurveda, naturopathy, or homeopathy tests. Sometimes, to bring down very high inflammation, or to manage thyroid or diabetes, you may have to use modern medicine.

“So, I combine the approaches of modern medicine with the natural medicine forms that exist, such as homeopathy, Ayurveda, naturopathy, and Chinese acupuncture. We use a lot of combinations of various treatments because no single treatment can suffice on its own."

Epigenetic Interventions: Unlocking Longevity at the Genetic Level

As outlined in his book, Dr. Sanjay offers numerous recommendations for achieving ageless living and promoting longevity.

“My major focus is on epigenetic interventions. If we inherit certain genes, such as SIRT1 or ApoE4, which are longevity genes, these genes can be activated and made to express themselves in a specific manner. When this happens, your lifespan or health span increases, and the quality of your life improves.”

These epigenetic interventions include everything from dietary changes, fasting, yoga, meditation, mindfulness, exercise, movement, balance, Tai Chi, and more. All of these are epigenetic interventions that can alter the genetic expressions of longevity genes.

“My focus in both my book and research has been on changing gene expression in a way that increases your health span and helps prevent illness. Essentially, it’s about making your life disease-proof through these interventions.”

Dr. Sanjay is also credited with creating India’s only mobile functional medicine clinic for home wellness, which has had a major impact on patient care, especially in reaching those who might not have access to traditional healthcare facilities.

“Every functional medicine clinic requires a range of treatments such as colon washes, gut detox, enemas, intravenous infusions, ozone treatments, oxygen treatments, breathing exercises, yoga, physical therapy, acupuncture, blood tests, pathology tests, and genetic testing. All of these are essential parts of the treatment process. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were reluctant to leave their homes, we introduced mobile vans that went house to house to provide these treatments,” says Dr.Sanjay.

He continues to offer this service because people find it more convenient to receive treatment at home rather than coming to the clinic. “Currently, we are serving about 400 homes in Delhi with these mobile clinics, which are fully equipped with all the necessary tools."

Collaborating with Global Experts for a Comprehensive Approach

Dr. Sanjay’s book is a comprehensive guide to ageless living, enriched with a wealth of knowledge from 25 longevity experts from around the globe. These experts, each a leader in their respective fields, have contributed their insights on various aspects of health and wellness, including nutrition, exercise, mental well-being, genetic research, and the latest advancements in anti-aging science.

Medical knowledge today is expanding at an incredibly rapid pace. In the 1950s, medical knowledge was expected to double every 27 years. In the 1980s, when the Internet emerged, it was predicted to double every 10 years. By the year 2000, the NHS declared that all the medical knowledge in the world would double every three years. Post-COVID, in 2023, this rate increased to doubling every 57 days, and by this year, it's expected to double every 27 days.

“One day, research might say that eating three eggs a day is fine, the next day it might be six, and the day after that, there could be new recommendations entirely.”

“This research is based on various studies conducted by experts across different fields. Instead of trying to accumulate all that knowledge myself, I have partnered with experts around the world who are conducting research in different areas—such as hormones, longevity genes, diets, endocrinology, genetic studies, cell biology, gut microbiome, and probiotic research. By collaborating with these experts, I can access and apply the latest knowledge as needed,” explains Dr. Sanjay.

Strategic insights for C-suite

Dr.Sanjay emphasises that C-level executives need to pay close attention to their health beyond just reviewing modern blood test reports, X-ray reports, or CT scan results. Many C-suite executives undergo a 'corporate checkup,' which is a standard practice among corporates. In these checkups, if your levels fall within the 'normal range,' doctors typically give you the green light, saying you’re fine and can continue living as you are. For example, if the normal range for vitamin D3 is between 30 and 100, and a corporate executive’s level is at 50, they’ll often be told everything is fine.

“However, in my opinion, for C-suite executives, the optimal level should be closer to 95. This is because they face much more stress and higher demands, so every aspect of their health needs to be at its peak. They should have extra fuel in the body compared to the average person,” he adds.

“In short, C-suite executives need to be at the top of their game, and this means being in the top 90% of every health marker and biomarker.”

To maintain these optimal levels, executives need to engage in preventive healthcare, including regular detoxification to remove excess toxins, cleansing of heavy metals and other harmful substances, and replenishing any deficits in the body. This requires ongoing monitoring and support, including a health, life, nutrition, and supplement coach. Food alone is not sufficient to provide all the necessary nutrients, so supplementation is often required. Executives need guidance on which supplements to take, how much to take, and how to avoid over-supplementation.


Key Takeaways:

  • Dr. Sanjay’s approach combines functional, bioregulatory, and modern medicine for a comprehensive health strategy.
  • Epigenetic interventions, including diet and mindfulness, can activate longevity genes, promoting a longer, healthier life.
  • His mobile functional medicine clinic offers convenient, at-home wellness treatments, revolutionizing patient care.
  • C-suite executives require optimal health levels and personalized preventive care to meet the demands of their roles.