Dr. Alka Patel: My Personal Story of a Longevity Wake-Up Call

Kim Rix with Longevity Lifestyle Doctor Dr. Alka Patel after her inspiring presentation.

A Health Revelation and a Compliment I Won’t Forget: A Photo Opportunity with Dr. Alka Patel

Picture this: I'm in a room buzzing with 250 fellow entrepreneurs, all of us brimming with ideas, perhaps a tad too much caffeine, and, let's be honest, probably a bit of an "I'm invincible!" mindset. Then, Dr. Alka Patel, our Gold Circle guest, takes the stage. Now, I’d heard she was fantastic, but nothing quite prepared me for her opening reality check.

She looked out at us, a sea of ambitious faces, and calmly dropped a truth bomb: "Fifty per cent of you will get cancer. Another twenty-five per cent will face heart disease. And a further twenty-five per cent will grapple with brain and memory issues like dementia."

Gulp. My initial thought wasn't panic, surprisingly. Instead, at 57, a profound sense of gratitude washed over me. Here I am, a little older, a little wiser (or so I like to think!), and still relatively well. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget that our greatest asset isn't our business plan, it's our own body.

Dr Alka Patel Longevity Lifestyle Doctor, wasn't just throwing out scary statistics; she was laying bare the "harsh realities of life" that, as she puts it on her website, can often be spotted—and avoided—years, even decades earlier. This woman is all about being proactive about health, not just reacting when things go wrong.

What struck me most was how she managed to make such a weighty topic incredibly engaging and, dare I say, fun. Who knew discussing our potential demise could be so uplifting? She believes we can all live a "Million Hour Life" of Longevity, Impact, Vitality, and Energy—that's 114 healthy, vibrant years, apparently! Her "Million Hour Method" focuses on Data, Devices, and Decisions, basically using science to stop us from guessing what's good for our health.

Unpacking Dr. Alka Patel's Longevity Wisdom

We even did some practical, memorable exercises. One was about combating loneliness through interconnection, which involved giving the person next to you a meaningful compliment. It felt a bit awkward at first, but honestly, who doesn't love a good compliment? Then came the real physical challenge: standing up and sitting down repeatedly for 60 seconds. "You have to do this every day!" she declared, suggesting it could add an incredible 30 years to your life. Thirty years! My legs felt like jelly afterwards, proof that I probably don't do it every day, but also a tangible reminder that tiny, consistent efforts truly matter. My inner voice, however, was already scheduling a daily "jelly legs" session.

But the cherry on top, the moment that truly made the day unforgettable, happened when I went to get my photo with Dr. Alka. As I approached, she looked at me with a warm, genuine smile and said, "Ahh, my favourite!" My first thought was, "She must say that to everyone!" But then I asked why, and her response, "Lots of eye contact," just clicked. Sarah Willingham, who was a guest speaker at Gold Circle earlier in the year gave me a similar compliment. To be truly acknowledged and appreciated, especially by someone as insightful and inspiring as Dr. Alka, felt incredibly good. It’s funny how a simple observation can make you feel so seen and connected.

So, what's my big takeaway from Dr. Alka Patel's eye-opening, fun-filled, and surprisingly personal presentation? It's exactly what her website champions: Take your health seriously. Seriously. It's never too late to start changing the trajectory of your lifespan. 

We have the power, through informed decisions and consistent effort, to live longer, healthier, younger, stronger lives. And if doing a few squats and making eye contact can help, well, count me in!

Kim Rix GG GIA

Gemstone Detective