This is not a story about health, but a system that allows it to sustain itself
Health stability is achieved when controllable inputs, optimized processes, internal control, and consistent time converge into resilience
Abstract
This paper presents the Health Subsystem within the broader CangYan Life System, a personal systems framework developed through over four decades of engineering-oriented life experience — including two admissions to the Institute of Mental Health, a diagnosis and surgery for acute glaucoma, and the ongoing self-calibration that followed.
Rather than treating health as a result of fragmented lifestyle choices, this model defines health as a controllable, optimizable system operating under constraints. These constraints include: nightly medication that cannot be interrupted, six-monthly follow-up appointments, and certain dietary exclusions (such as coffee). On top of this foundation, by applying principles from systems engineering — input control, process standardization, feedback optimization, and robustness through diversification — this framework aims to maximize long-term physiological stability.
The central thesis of this paper is: The primary goal of the Health Subsystem is not "to become stronger", but "to prevent the accumulation of failure" — to maintain system stability under both mental and physical constraints.
Keywords: Health Systems Engineering; Personal Systems Model; Schizophrenia Management; Glaucoma Management; Low-AGEs Diet; Signal Recognition; System Stability; AI-assisted Optimization; Robustness
1. Introduction: The Origin of the System
Most health management articles begin with the premise that "you want to become healthier."
My Health Subsystem did not begin that way.
In 2006 and 2013, I was admitted to the Institute of Mental Health in Singapore. Upon discharge, a panel of specialists approved my release — otherwise, I could have remained there for the rest of my life.
This is not a metaphor. It is what the doctors told me.
From that moment, I understood a fundamental truth: The primary goal of my Health Subsystem is not "to live better". The primary goal is "not to be locked away by the system."
This is a survival problem, not an optimization problem.
In 2021, I once again found myself at the system's boundary. On the morning of April 16, I woke up with blurred vision in my left eye, vomiting, and was referred to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital Eye Centre, where I was diagnosed with acute glaucoma. On May 17, it relapsed. The doctor told me: if the high intraocular pressure could not be controlled, the risk of blindness from surgery would be very high. On May 21, I underwent cataract surgery, and on January 21, 2022, an intraocular lens was implanted. Only then did my left eye regain its sight.
These two experiences — schizophrenia and glaucoma — together form the initial conditions of my Health Subsystem. They are not "background stories." They are the fundamental reasons why this system exists.
2. System Definition
2.1 System Role
Within the CangYan Life System:
Health = Infrastructure
It forms the foundational layer that supports all higher-level system functions, including productivity, decision-making, and long-term sustainability. If this layer is unstable, all other subsystems are at risk.
2.2 System Constraints
This system does not operate under "ideal conditions." It operates under the following fixed constraints:
| Constraint Type | Specific Content | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Medication | Risperidone 1mg nightly | Schizophrenia management |
| Medication | Xalatan eye drops nightly | Glaucoma management |
| Care | Corneal ointment (long-term use) | Post-glaucoma surgery |
| Follow-up | Every 6 months | Schizophrenia |
| Follow-up | Regular eye check-ups | Glaucoma |
| Avoidance | No coffee | Caffeine raises intraocular pressure |
These constraints are not "optimizable variables." They are the fixed boundaries of the system. Any optimization must operate within these boundaries.
2.3 Objective Function
Maximize Long-Term Stability
This is operationalized through:
Maintaining NAD+ levels
Reducing chronic inflammation
Controlling oxidative stress
Minimizing AGEs accumulation
2.4 System Baseline Shift
I must honestly record one fact: even when I take my nightly medication, the still image created by Japanese psychiatry professor Yamamoto still appears to move slowly for me — meaning my system is always in a state of "somewhat tense or fatigued." My sister, however, sees the same image as completely still.
This difference cannot be eliminated. It is my system's baseline shift.
But through medication, diet, exercise, and monitoring, I have stabilized this baseline and prevented it from sliding toward "continuous movement" (which would indicate excessive tension and possible mental health issues).
My goal is not "to become the same as my sister." My goal is: to maintain stability under constraints and prevent the accumulation of failure.
3. System Architecture
The Health Subsystem is structured into five core layers.
3.1 Input Layer (Controllability-Oriented)
Principle: Controllable Inputs
The dietary practice I follow and advocate at home is known in nutrition science as a "Low-AGEs (Advanced Glycation End-products) Diet."
Key practices:
Use only whole foods, minimally processed, traceable sources
No gas stove (just as people today prefer electric vehicles over fuel-powered cars)
Prepare all meals myself — not to save money, but to control oil, salt, ingredients, and cooking methods
Fixed Input Program (6 days per week):
Pumpkin Date Banana Soy Milk Oatmeal Porridge
This is a breakfast recipe I carefully designed for myself to reduce the risk of developing glaucoma in my other eye.
Precise recipe (publicly shared on Cookpad):
Tap water: 800 ml
Rolled oats (dehulled and flattened): 2 tbsp (20g)
Rolled rye flakes (dehulled and flattened): 1 tbsp (10g)
Medium onion: 1
Organic unsweetened pure soy milk powder: 20g
Semi-ripe bananas: 2
Pumpkin (cubed): 200g
Iranian black dates: 3
Cold-pressed flaxseed oil: 1 tsp
Process highlights:
Steam pumpkin for 20 minutes
Cook oats + rye + onion until soluble fiber foam emerges
Cool to 50-60°C before adding soy milk powder (to prevent clumping and protect nutrients)
Soy protein acts as an "emulsifier," creating an oil-in-water emulsion
Fixed Input Program (1 day per week):
2 boiled eggs
800ml tap water + 20g oats + 10g rye + 1 medium onion (chopped), boiled for 20 minutes, add 3g seaweed in last 3 minutes
200g steamed pumpkin (20 minutes)
200g steamed enoki mushrooms (7 minutes)
110g steamed salmon (15 minutes, with a pinch of salt and white sesame oil)
Mix all ingredients, add garlic powder, black pepper powder, organic extra virgin olive oil, white sesame oil, organic brown rice vinegar.
Variation Strategy (maintaining diversity):
During mango/cherry season, substitute one banana with mango or cherries
Substitute purple onion with yellow onion (to maintain gut microbiota diversity)
Replace pure soy milk powder with tofu (to reduce plant protein content)
Add green peas to replace part of the staple food (to increase plant protein content)
3.2 Process Layer (Low-AGEs Processing)
Principle: Minimize AGEs
Use only low-temperature cooking methods: steaming, boiling
Avoid deep-frying, high-temperature grilling
I never stir-fry (my sister occasionally does, but for my personal meals, I use only steaming or boiling)
Use induction cooktop and infrared ceramic hob; no gas stove
Core logic: Preparing my own meals reduces uncertainty in oil composition, salt content, and cooking methods. My health is fully under my control, not outsourced to others.
3.3 Control Layer (System Ownership)
Principle: Internal Control Over External Dependency
Before retirement (monthly basic salary SGD 3,114), I sold my most valuable time to the company and never had the opportunity to take care of my health.
On March 1, 2024, my employment contract was terminated on the grounds of "health reasons (nightly Risperidone medication) preventing night shift work." I officially retired.
After retirement, I became my own full-time caretaker:
Prepare all three meals at home with care
Finish dinner before dusk
Sleep 8 hours per night
Practice intermittent fasting for at least 12 hours daily
Results: Weight dropped from 75kg to 70kg (lost 5kg), BMI became 23.9.
This represents a structural shift from external reliance to internal system control.
3.4 Optimization Layer (AI-Assisted)
Principle: Continuous Optimization
I regularly use generative AI platforms (DeepSeek/Google Gemini) to design and optimize my own recipe compositions using modern scientific methods, including nutritional structure and ingredient quantities, to achieve nutritional balance.
For those who enjoy preparing their own meals at home, this is an invaluable tool.
3.5 Strategy Layer (Robustness Through Diversity)
Principle: Diversification
Every ingredient has its strengths and weaknesses. Do not become fixated on any single ingredient. Mixing and rotating ingredients is the most effective way to promote or support NAD+ levels.
This philosophy:
In AI/Machine Learning is known as data augmentation — increasing dataset diversity through transformations to improve model performance and generalization
In my investment portfolio is embodied as diversification — 100 holdings, no single security exceeding 10%
In my Health Subsystem is embodied as ingredient rotation — substituting mango for banana, yellow onion for purple onion, tofu for pure soy milk powder, green peas for part of the staple food
The most important principle: Understand what you have, rather than speculate.
4. Physical Maintenance Layer
Beyond dietary management, my physical maintenance has another dimension: swimming.
Frequency: 1-2 times per week
Intensity: 12 laps each time (1 lap = 30 meters, total 360 meters per session)
Location: HomeTeamNS Bedok Reservoir Clubhouse (beautiful environment, low chlorine level)
The origin of this habit is not "retirement planning." It comes from an earlier structure: during my operational readiness service, I was assigned to the Singapore Civil Defence Force, where I applied for HomeTeamNS membership. In September 2006, at age 40, I officially completed my operational readiness service. Nearly 20 years later, that membership became an "infrastructure asset" I could use after retirement.
The purpose of swimming is not "fitness" or "body shaping." Its engineering purpose is: to prevent muscle atrophy — to prevent the physical infrastructure of the body from systemic degradation.
This is not high-intensity training. It is a sustainable, low-impact, long-term non-collapsing physical maintenance protocol.
5. Signal Recognition and Calibration Mechanisms
Beyond formulas and data, there is the power of awareness.
5.1 Yamamoto Still Image
This is a key "calibration tool" within my Health Subsystem:
Image still or barely moving → healthy, good sleep
Image moving slowly → somewhat tense or fatigued
Image moving continuously → excessively tense, possible mental health concerns
Even with my nightly medication, this image still appears to move slowly for me. This means my system's baseline is "somewhat tense or fatigued." But through medication, diet, exercise, and monitoring, I have stabilized this baseline.
Monitoring itself is a form of control.
5.2 Follow-up Feedback as External Validation
During my October 2024 follow-up, my ophthalmologist praised my progress, noting that my skin and eyes were significantly better than six months earlier.
This is not "I feel better." This is an external system (doctor, medical indicators) confirming that the system's state is improving. This is a complete engineering closed loop: Goal → Design → Execution → Measurement → Feedback.
5.3 Self-Observation of Depressive Symptoms
There was a period when I experienced early signs of depression. Since October 2022, I accidentally discovered the therapeutic effects of turmeric — curcumin has been shown to inhibit the accumulation of harmful β-amyloid protein in the brain, promote brain cell regeneration, and improve memory.
My method: Mix 1 tablespoon of cold-pressed olive oil + 1/2 teaspoon of organic turmeric powder + an appropriate amount of black pepper until dissolved, then add to meals; or steep in a cup of warm whole milk.
Now, my depressive symptoms have completely disappeared. This was a qualitative shift in my Health Subsystem.
6. System Validation Events
An engineering system is not tested under "normal conditions." It is tested under stress.
6.1 2016 Food Poisoning Incident
In 2016, the management of Park Mall in Singapore organized a thank-you party for tenants. The management gave us leftover food from the party. Several people who ate the same food developed food poisoning and diarrhea. I ate the same amount.
However, because I ate banana oatmeal porridge every morning (soluble fiber + prebiotics + probiotics), I experienced no symptoms at all.
This suggests that regular consumption of banana oatmeal porridge significantly reduces the risk of gastrointestinal distress from food poisoning.
6.2 2013 Relapse Incident
In September 2013, due to my unauthorized temporary discontinuation of medication, my schizophrenia relapsed, and I was readmitted to the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks.
This event validated that: unauthorized medication discontinuation = system collapse. It established a fixed constraint in my Health Subsystem: Risperidone 1mg nightly, no interruption.
6.3 Post-Retirement Natural Experiment
After retirement (from March 1, 2024), my lifestyle underwent a fundamental transformation:
No more eating out; prepare all three meals at home
Finish dinner before dusk
Practice intermittent fasting for at least 12 hours daily
Sleep 8 hours
Results: Weight dropped from 75kg to 70kg (lost 5kg), BMI became 23.9.
This demonstrates that lifestyle change alone can restore the body to a near-healthy, reasonable level. Losing my job (being terminated) paradoxically became an opportunity for system optimization.
7. Cross-System Consistency
A defining characteristic of this model is the application of consistent logic across domains:
| System Domain | Strategy | Principle |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | Diversification | No single security exceeds 10%, 100 holdings |
| Health | Dietary diversity | Ingredient rotation, mixing, 6+1 day pattern |
| AI/Machine Learning | Data augmentation | Transforming training data to improve model generalization |
This reflects a unified systems-thinking approach rather than isolated decision-making.
A deeper analogy: Soy protein acts as an "emulsifier," wrapping fat molecules into tiny particles to create an oil-in-water emulsion — just as a cash buffer "emulsifies" market volatility into manageable fluctuations. Both are structured designs that transform uncontrollable external shocks into forms the system can bear.
8. System Boundary and External Trigger
My retirement was not the result of "active choice." It was triggered.
On December 8, 2023, I received a letter from my company: my employment contract was terminated on the grounds of "health reasons (nightly Risperidone medication) preventing night shift work."
On March 1, 2024, I officially retired.
This event reveals that: The state of the Health Subsystem can forcibly alter the Financial Subsystem (transition from active to passive income) and the Time Subsystem (from "selling time" to "owning time").
The subsystems of CYSM are not isolated. The output of the Health Subsystem is input to other subsystems.
9. Philosophical Layer Supplement: Infinite Game vs. Finite Game
This note does not directly discuss health, but it reveals the philosophical foundation of CYSM.
The world of money is more like an "infinite game." Money can be created, borrowed, invested, inherited. In theory, there is no upper limit. The goalposts keep moving. There is never truly "enough."
But life time is an absolute "finite game." Each person's time account is non-renewable, non-augmentable. There are only 24 hours in a day, only a few decades in a lifetime.
Many people's anxiety stems from using a "finite game" player identity — finite life time — to participate in an "infinite game" — the ever-growing number of money — mistakenly believing the latter to be the ultimate goal. When we use finite resources to chase a goal that has no endpoint, anxiety is almost inevitable.
My Health Subsystem is the practice of using finite time to do finite things, after withdrawing from the infinite game.
10. Long-Term Wish
I am not a philosopher. I am simply a life maintenance technician who spent forty years learning how systems remain stable.
The long-term wish of this system is simple, but it is not medical advice. It is a personal, structural goal:
I hope that one day, I will no longer need to take that 1mg of Risperidone every night.
This is not a rejection of medicine. This is the pursuit of "exemption power" — in the context of health, exemption power means: no longer relying on external systems (medication, hospitals) to maintain stability.
I do not know if that day will come. But I know that if it does, my system will be ready.
11. Conclusion
The CangYan Health Subsystem represents a shift:
From reactive health management → to proactive system design
From "pursuing greater strength" → to "preventing failure accumulation"
From external dependence → to internal system control
It establishes health as: a controllable, optimizable, stable long-term system operating under constraints.
Author's Note
This framework is not derived from formal academic training in health sciences. It is the result of:
40 years of engineering experience applied to life
Two admissions to the Institute of Mental Health
One diagnosis and surgery for acute glaucoma
The ongoing self-calibration, documentation, and optimization that followed
Transforming lived experience into a structured, reusable system.
Author’s Nutritional System Map
Health is not about becoming stronger, but about preventing the accumulation of irreversible failures
Image above generated by ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot
The personal educational information disclosed above was analyzed and interpreted by DeepSeek, information sourced from my Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) notes, ID: 9486320864
About my education >> https://www.facebook.com/libra1966bensim/directory_education
About my work >> https://www.facebook.com/libra1966bensim/directory_work
No comments:
Post a Comment