Keep Breathing, Keep Smiling: A UN Diplomats Approach to Health

Siddharth Chatterjee wears a grey checkered suit with a badge on his chest, with a blue United Nations flag and a red Chinese flag, the two flags interlocked and edged in gold, a must-have accessory for his interviews.

Siddharth Chatterjee is from India and has worked in the UN system for more than twenty-five years, having been posted to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kenya, Iraq, Indonesia, Somalia, South Sudan and other countries and regions. This year is also his fourth as UN Resident Coordinator in China. At the UN office in Liangmaqiao, Beijing, Siddharth Chatterjee is a fitness enthusiast. In between work, he spreads out a yoga mat on the floor, doing breathing, headstands and abdominal exercises. 

On the social media platforms of X, Weibo and WeChat moments, he also often shares his workout routine. He quoted Linda Fried, dean of Columbia University's School of Public Health, who said that exercise is the best thing we can find, other than magic, to use to fight ageing. He also shared a picture of himself working out at the gym - he completed 55 pull-ups plus 100 push-ups in three minutes and 12 seconds. This kind of intensity may not even be achievable for many twenty-somethings in Beijing.

The theme of World Health Day 2024 is "My Health, My Right". "Health" and "exercise" are two mottos Siddharth Chatterjee lives by, and he hopes to spread his ideas to the people of China through the work of the UN in China.

My Health, My Right

In January 2021, Mr. Chatterjee travelled from Kenya to China to serve as the UN Resident Coordinator in China. When he landed in Guangzhou, China, COVID-19 was raging, and Chatterjee, along with other foreign visitors arriving in China, underwent a 21-day quarantine. It was his first quarantine, and during that time, he insisted on working out in his room, combining breathing and yoga routines, even clocking an average of 20,000 steps a day to keep his mind and body sharp.

China's strict and orderly entry inspection measures left a great first impression on him, and after his quarantine ended, Siddharth Chatterjee wrote down his observations, which were published in Forbes Africa. "I think what the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the world is a wake-up call about how vulnerable we humans are and how vulnerable our health systems are." As it is, more than 100 million people around the world are pushed back into poverty because of out-of-pocket health shocks annually. From his experience in responding to COVID-19, Chatterjee recognizes that a public health crisis will be devastating to a country’s economy, employment, and national income. On the contrary, the realization of health for all requires not only support from the national government, but also individual attention and investment in health.

Chatterjee is impressed by China's progress in public health over the past decades. In the 1960s, life expectancy in China was 51 years, but now it is 78 years. Now, China's basic health insurance coverage has stabilized at over 95%. He even praised China's "barefoot doctor" system in the 1960s and 1970s, which enabled ordinary people to have access to certain medical resources in a special era.

Indeed, behind this leap forward, China also faces the challenge of major chronic diseases, with hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes plaguing hundreds of millions of Chinese people, with 1.34-1.8 million people dying each year from smoking-related illnesses. Many of these chronic diseases are related to unhealthy lifestyles. According to Chatterjee, contemporary China also needs a new "barefoot doctor" - an online clinic that, with the help of new medical technologies, can travel from home to home, so that all people can get information and advice on health and adopt healthy lifestyles.

Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by all UN Member States for 2030, the third goal is good health and well-being, including decreasing communicable diseases and achieving universal health coverage. The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and State Council also issued the "Healthy China 2030" plan in 2016. China's achievements in the field of public health also significantly impact the global achievement of the SDGs, as China accounts for one-fifth of the world's population.

Health problems that are not supported by the healthcare system can push a family back into poverty, and if this happens frequently, it can cause major problems for the economic development of a country's human capital. Years of postings around the world have also deepened Chatterjee’s understanding of health.

He hopes that one day, the remaining 5% of China's population without coverage will join those with basic health insurance and will no longer have to suffer financially from illness. The proposal of "Healthy China 2030" is also considered crucial by Siddharth Chatterjee: "Health is closely related to economic development, social progress, and all mankind."

Losing 25 kilograms, self-discipline brings a turnaround

As an advocate of a healthy lifestyle, four years ago, Siddharth Chatterjee's lifestyle was not ideal. At that time, he was working as UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya, and unlike his trim and tight physique now, he weighed 85 kilograms at that time. He caught a cold every year and often felt weak, tired and unable to get enough sleep. He had been suffering from high cholesterol for the past 15 years, had pre-diabetes, and had a blood pressure of 160/90. Although he had been active in sports, running and fitness, he realized that it was his lack of moderation in eating and drinking that was affecting his health.

One day in March 2020, on his way back to Kenya from UN Headquarters in New York, Chatterjee looked at himself and couldn't help but think, "What have I done to my life? I don't feel very good, always in a state of anxiety." Lifestyle changes were imminent. He began breathing exercises combined with cold showers, fasting and high-intensity interval training.

Siddharth Chatterjee stuck with it and brought about a complete transformation in his life. For four years, he ate only one meal a day. Every three months, he would go on a three-day water fast, during which he would not eat anything and would only be able to drink water. At six-month intervals, he would go on another five-day water fast. "These changes not only reshaped my metabolic system, but also gave me abundant energy and higher awareness, bringing true spiritual, physical and emotional balance to my life." Siddharth Chatterjee said.

After these changes, he managed to drop his weight to 60 kilograms, has not contracted a new infection, and the symptoms of the disease that once plagued him have not reappeared. Moving to Beijing was also a great opportunity, as Chatterjee found the air quality to be very good, allowing him to get out and exercise more often.

He has also benefited from the traditional Indian practice of Pranayam, combined with the Chinese practice of Qigong. If you follow Chatterjee on his social media platforms, you will find that he often shares photos of himself practising yoga. In the office, at home, or even on the frozen waters of Beijing, Chatterjee can be seen in the lotus position, focusing on his breath or doing breathing exercises.

By adjusting one’s breathing, it is said that a person can influence the nervous system, relieving mental stress, and reducing anxiety. "Breathing is like a superpower that you have, and by learning to control your breath, you can actually learn to control your senses." In the midst of a busy schedule, breathing is often Chatterjee’s most effective way of relieving stress. It doesn't require a gym, it doesn't require any special venue, it can be started anytime, anywhere.

Chatterjee feels that the Sanskrit word for breathing exercises, "Pranayama," has a lot in common with the Chinese word “Qi”. Yogis use a variety of breathing techniques to master and prolong "Prana", the life-giving force or energy. In traditional Chinese culture, "Qi" is also associated with the flow of the universe and life energy, and through the nourishment of the breath, it can also bring people to the realm of harmony. Despite the different cultural contexts, both Qi and Pranayama emphasize the importance of the breath in life and health, and its potential to promote harmony, peace, and wellness.

"Keep Breathing, Keep Smiling"

Every morning, Siddharth Chatterjee’s day begins with a 30-minute breathing session, followed by 15 minutes of high-intensity interval training, then into the sauna for 20 minutes before spending five minutes in a cold bath or shower. The self-discipline has been the same for four years. After completing this series of moves, he would start his day. During the day, in between work, he would also take time to do some breathing exercises in his office and some yoga postures.

Every evening, when he finished his work, if he had no other social engagements, Siddharth Chatterjee would go home and have dinner with his son. This is his only meal of the day. Despite his busy work schedule, Siddharth Chatterjee finds every day very fulfilling and enjoyable. "That's why I say that when you reach good health, you start to achieve a balance of spirit, body and mind in your life."

On social platforms, Siddharth Chatterjee looks like a fitness KOL outside of his role as UN Resident Coordinator. He shares bits and pieces of his exercise, promotes his lifestyle, and lists the benefits and principles of each exercise in detail. He also takes time out of his busy schedule to teach others about breathing and wellness. So far, he has already taught nearly 700 people.

He recorded a video of himself walking to the gym on a snowy Beijing street in December 2023. The snowflakes are still in the air, and Siddharth Chatterjee looks relaxed in his athletic short sleeves. "Remember, the cold is your best friend, don't be afraid of the cold," Siddharth Chatterjee said with a smile as he faced the camera.

In Siddharth Chatterjee's social media posts, you can see him practising breathing bare-chested outdoors in minus-11°C snow, doing headstands in a hotel in Sanya and jogging outdoors in Beijing. At least three times a day, he performs a headstand for five minutes at a time, supporting his body weight with his head and forearms and stretching his legs toward the ceiling. This anti-gravity asana is said to be good for stretching the spine, but also for getting the blood flowing to the head and improving circulation throughout the body.

On January 19 this year, Chatterjee ended a five-day water fast and shared his journey on social media. For five days, he drank only water and black tea, while other exercises, breathing exercises, saunas and routines he had been following remained the same. In his tweets, he explained the rationale for the fast - intermittent fasting, which is said to cause the body to alternate between eating and prolonged fasting, shifting from a reliance on glucose to increased fat burning and ketogenesis - and in one breath, listed ten reported benefits of fasting - including lower levels of inflammation, increased insulin sensitivity, enhanced immune response, weight loss, improved mental focus, and more.

At the beginning of the post documenting the fast, Chatterjee wrote: "Our state of health and well-being is a personal choice. Remember, health is not something we can buy; however, it can be a very valuable savings account for the future." More than once, he reiterated the significance of personal health to society. After every tweet related to exercise and health, Siddharth Chatterjee always has a classic closing line: Keep breathing. Keep smiling. This is indeed the credo he has been adhering to and practising.

This piece was originally published by Trends Health in Chinese