Joseon Dynasty kings received the best medical services of their time, but their average lifespan was short, around 46 to 47 years. Sejong suffered from various diseases such as smallpox and eye disease, and Yeongjo lived to be 82 years old, the longest-lived Joseon king in history. Traditional Korean medicine at the time cautioned against excessive consumption of fatty foods, and modern research suggests that stress and lack of exercise may have had a negative impact on health. Yeongjo and Sukjong maintained their health by controlling their diet and illness through fasting. Long-term studies on modern people have also proven that consistently practicing a healthy diet is effective in reducing the risk of death.
