2023 wasn’t a vintage year for CEOs.
Of the 1,914 US-based chief executive officers who left their post, the highest mass exit recorded by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 19 died on the job, starkly underscoring that these roles aren’t for the faint-hearted.
As it stands today, the role of CEO, especially amidst the global challenges of 2024, is one that:
- Inherently accelerates ageing due to extraordinarily high-stress levels.
- Elevates the risk of heart disease due to sedentary life and frequent travel.
- Can trigger autoimmunity in those with a genetic predisposition.
This troubling trend highlights not only the high stakes of corporate leadership but also the significant trade-offs CEOs often make in terms of their longevity and overall physical and mental vitality.
This reality prompts a critical question: how can CEOs maintain their health under such intense pressures?
The Perils of Generic Wellbeing Advice
For CEOs, the challenge is compounded by a chronic lack of time. In an era inundated with ‘wellbeing’ and ‘self-care’ information, the temptation is high for CEOs to quickly embrace popular health strategies. However, without careful scrutiny, these can at best be a waste of time, and at worst, downright dangerous.
Take the case of Rob, a CEO in the construction industry, who was battling a frustrating middle-aged spread and a general loss of vigour. Influenced by ‘experts’ on social media, Rob adopted a ketogenic lifestyle combined with intermittent fasting, endorsed by several wellness groups for its rapid results.
Instead of solving his issues, this regimen drastically reduced his energy and left him with debilitating brain fog, severely impacting his ability to think strategically—a critical skill for his role.
When Rob came to me, it was evident there was a significant disconnect between the popular health advice he followed and what his body actually needed. Our comprehensive genomic and wellness testing uncovered a crucial fact: Rob’s genetics made him poorly suited to metabolise saturated fats, prevalent in some ketogenic diets.
His bloodwork showed alarmingly high cholesterol and triglycerides, along with elevated inflammatory markers. A subsequent calcium score test revealed significant arterial plaque buildup, increasing his risk of cardiovascular events by 29% over the next five years.
Refusing to let his condition worsen, I overhauled Rob’s health strategy to align with his unique genetic profile. I shifted him from a high-fat diet to one rich in plant foods, fatty fish and lean proteins, supplemented by B12 injections to address his deficiency and high-dose phospholipids to help improve his fatty liver markers. I also prescribed a natural statin and high dose bergamot extract to directly tackle his cholesterol levels.
Within just a month of this personalised intervention, Rob experienced a dramatic turnaround. His energy levels surged, the persistent brain fog cleared, he lost 2.5kg and his cholesterol levels started to drop, signalling a return to optimal health.
Takeaway
This experience underscores a vital lesson for all leaders: While it’s easy to get swept up in the sea of available health information, discerning which advice is genuinely beneficial is crucial.
Tailored health strategies, grounded in personal genetic profiles and biochemical markers, not only avert potential health crises but also enhance overall performance and vitality.
For health-conscious CEOs, remember:
Being selective about the advice you follow is more than prudent—it’s necessary to save you time and give you efficient and safe results.