https://www.scmp.com/rss/506025/feed Even before we’re born, the ageing process begins. We are all ageing, every minute, and will never be younger than we are right now. Learn from others, experts and successful agers, what you can do to maintain a strong body, mind and spirit, to slow the ageing process and add more years to your life -- and more life to your years. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Bhakti Mathur Bhakti Mathur Last month, Shashank Gangil walked through a Hong Kong hospital corridor proudly carrying a newborn in each arm. The 39-year-old real estate professional had just become a father of twins, an event that would have seemed unlikely just 18 months earlier. In late 2024, Gangil weighed 94kg (207 pounds) and faced a worrying list of health issues: high cholesterol, signs of fatty liver disease, nagging plantar fasciitis and poor sleep. For years, he had told himself that “this is genetics”, but that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350812/94kg-he-wanted-start-family-how-he-lost-20kg-become-fit-dad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350812/94kg-he-wanted-start-family-how-he-lost-20kg-become-fit-dad?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Anthea Rowan Anthea Rowan One morning, in the last year of her life, my mother – in the later stages of dementia – offered to make me a cup of tea. She turned the kettle on and then described what she was doing. “There are four stages to making a mug of tea,” she told me. “I talk myself through them so that I remember: tea bag in cup, hot water, milk, then sugar.” Her delight at being able to do this small thing for me was evident – she could still play “hostess”, make herself a brew first thing in the morning and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350666/how-cooking-can-help-lower-your-dementia-risk-even-just-one-meal-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350666/how-cooking-can-help-lower-your-dementia-risk-even-just-one-meal-week?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:14:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Women suffering through the hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes and sleep problems that can come with menopause – all while looking in the mirror and noticing signs of ageing – are being bombarded with products. More open conversations about menopause and the time leading up to it – called perimenopause – are happening just as social media has supercharged marketing. Women are being confronted by lotions, serums and light masks that promise to rejuvenate their faces and necks, dietary... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350398/what-menopause-products-actually-work-doctors-share-how-buy-wisely-and-stay-safe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350398/what-menopause-products-actually-work-doctors-share-how-buy-wisely-and-stay-safe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Kavita Daswani Kavita Daswani When Marie Diamond was 15, she was run over by a truck near her home in Bruges, Belgium. “They had already covered me with a sheet,” she says. “My father thought I was gone. I was hovering outside my body, watching everything – the ambulance, my mother arriving. Then I moved through what felt like different dimensions into a space of light.” There, she says, she encountered “nine beings – like angels”, who told her: “You have to go back. You’re here to reach 500 million people.” She woke from a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/3350312/feng-shui-tips-success-guru-whos-helped-rolling-stones-steven-spielberg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/3350312/feng-shui-tips-success-guru-whos-helped-rolling-stones-steven-spielberg?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Hattie Rowan Hattie Rowan Knee replacement surgery is one of the most common procedures globally. In 2023, about 3.6 million knee replacements were performed worldwide, overtaking hip implants in the joint replacement market. Ageing populations, rising obesity rates and significant technological advancements all contribute to the increase in knee operations. They are even being performed more frequently on younger patients. Given the significant recovery time and the finite longevity of the hardware – 82 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350255/how-knee-pain-can-be-fixed-exercise-rather-surgery-rugby-player-found?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350255/how-knee-pain-can-be-fixed-exercise-rather-surgery-rugby-player-found?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:15:07 +0000 dpa dpa When it comes to daily step goals, 10,000 is the benchmark many of us aim for. Most smartwatches come preset with this target, and while their reminders can encourage us to stay active, they can sometimes leave us feeling discouraged when we fall short. With National Walking Month in May approaching, we consulted experts to explore the key benefits and drawbacks of the 10,000-steps-a-day goal. Where did the 10,000-step goal come from and is it backed by science? While the standard is widely... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350242/pros-and-cons-aiming-10000-steps-day-and-why-less-can-be-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350242/pros-and-cons-aiming-10000-steps-day-and-why-less-can-be-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Sheena Khemaney Sheena Khemaney Vitamin C serums are powerhouse products that help you achieve supple and glowing skin. The ingredient, favoured by top dermatologists, is generally used to brighten the complexion and stimulate collagen production, which helps reduce the appearance of pigmentation and other signs of ageing. Many use it before applying sunscreen in the morning. Here are four stand-out serums to consider adding to your vanity. Augustinus Bader Loyal fans of Augustinus Bader now have another one of the brand’s... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/trends/article/3350171/4-best-vitamin-c-serums-supple-and-glowing-skin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/trends/article/3350171/4-best-vitamin-c-serums-supple-and-glowing-skin?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung To understand why German-Chinese athlete Sofie Fella felt compelled to design a T-shirt featuring the Chinese character da – Mandarin for “big” – one must understand the rigid expectations of Asian femininity. In cities like Shanghai, Fella’s hometown, the “ideal” body is more than an aesthetic – it is a signifier of virtue. This mindset is encouraged from a young age. Even as a Harvard University rugby player and now international competitor – she plays for the German national team – Fella has... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350000/rugby-player-fighting-asian-beauty-standards-showing-women-its-ok-be-strong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350000/rugby-player-fighting-asian-beauty-standards-showing-women-its-ok-be-strong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:00:24 +0000 dpa dpa Rudolf Goetz effortlessly moves the weights up and down on the ab machine. Pushing 40kg (88lb) weights on the leg press are not a problem for the 100-year-old, either. “Many others would be groaning under the weight at 50 or 60,” says trainer and gym owner Marc Baldow with a laugh, as he watches his oldest member diligently go through his workout routine. Goetz trains twice a week at the gym in Fuerstenwalde, a small town east of Berlin in Germany, without making any fuss, despite his story... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350019/youre-never-too-old-work-out-says-100-year-old-who-hits-gym-twice-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350019/youre-never-too-old-work-out-says-100-year-old-who-hits-gym-twice-week?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:15:09 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service The patient initially came to see Dr Mark Supiano in 2017 because her family was concerned about her short-term memory loss. While taking her history and vital signs, Supiano, a geriatrician at the University of Utah, in the United States, saw that her blood pressure was 148/86: above normal despite her taking two medications intended to lower it. “Clearly that was too high,” he says. Several factors could have contributed to the high reading, including the anti-inflammatory drug the 78-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349632/how-hypertensions-links-dementia-make-blood-pressure-control-even-more-important?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349632/how-hypertensions-links-dementia-make-blood-pressure-control-even-more-important?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Anthea Rowan Anthea Rowan This is the 86th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope. I was startled by a comment from a friend recently: she told me that she almost never uses the internet. I work, cook, shop and walk listening to podcasts. I read the news online each morning. I use the internet to research, find supper recipes, search for new books to read and download the latest episodes of favourite radio shows. The trace of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348949/why-internet-use-can-actually-lower-your-dementia-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348949/why-internet-use-can-actually-lower-your-dementia-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse In a corner of suburban Singapore, Betty Boon vaults a guardrail, crawls underneath a slide, executes forward shoulder rolls and scales a steep slope, finishing the course to applause. “Good job!” the 69-year-old’s coach cheers. This is “geriatric parkour”, where around 20 retirees learn to tackle a series of relatively demanding exercises, building their agility and enjoying a sense of camaraderie. Boon, an upbeat grandmother, says learning parkour has aided her confidence and independence as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348892/why-singaporeans-aged-60-plus-are-learning-parkour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348892/why-singaporeans-aged-60-plus-are-learning-parkour?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Tara Loader Wilkinson Tara Loader Wilkinson The Easter break offers a chance of escape for many Hongkongers, but that holiday joy often comes with a hidden tax: jet lag. Jet lag is the cognitive and physical misalignment that your brain and body experience when arriving in a new time zone. Known more formally as desynchronosis, it is more than a lack of sleep – it is a state of biological confusion. Los Angeles Times journalist Horace Sutton may have been the first person to use the term “jet lag”, in a piece he wrote in 1966. “If you’re... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348783/how-frequent-fliers-are-beating-jet-lag-using-apps-timeshifter-and-stopjetlag?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348783/how-frequent-fliers-are-beating-jet-lag-using-apps-timeshifter-and-stopjetlag?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Kavita Daswani Kavita Daswani Bill Maeda, who has 2.2 million followers on Instagram and more than 450,000 subscribers on YouTube, is not your conventional fitness trainer. He eats McDonald’s. He does not count reps. And he sometimes has clients exercise for just 10 minutes a day. While that approach might sound counterintuitive in an industry often built on intensity, for Maeda, 57, fitness has never been about punishment or perfection. It is about something far simpler: finding a way to move that people can actually... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348756/colon-cancer-survivor-who-became-viral-fitness-trainer-isnt-afraid-eating-mcdonalds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348756/colon-cancer-survivor-who-became-viral-fitness-trainer-isnt-afraid-eating-mcdonalds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 23:15:08 +0000 dpa dpa January usually triggers a renewed sense of enthusiasm for getting fit, but as the months roll on and spring comes into fruition, life’s busyness often gets in the way. However, new research suggests we do not need to commit to a strict gym schedule: short bursts of vigorous exercise – such as taking the stairs or running for the bus – can also help us keep fit and healthy. The study, by researchers in China, included 96,408 people taking part in the UK Biobank study. It compared the data with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348670/how-5-10-minute-exercise-snacking-sessions-can-get-you-fit-and-lower-disease-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348670/how-5-10-minute-exercise-snacking-sessions-can-get-you-fit-and-lower-disease-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Bhakti Mathur Bhakti Mathur Anjali Hazari hit the ground running when she arrived in Hong Kong as a newlywed in her early twenties more than four decades ago – and she has not stopped. Despite developing knee pain that has required surgeries and now having osteoporosis and more, the retired teacher and tutorial company owner keeps pushing forward – first as a marathoner, then a mountaineer, now a powerlifter – at the age of 70. Raised in Amravati, a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra, Hazari studied in Mumbai and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348484/70-shes-now-powerlifter-how-retired-teacher-refuses-slow-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3348484/70-shes-now-powerlifter-how-retired-teacher-refuses-slow-down?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Retired civil engineer Lim Shyang Guey will don his running shoes on March 28 for a 2,200km (1,367-mile) journey around Peninsular Malaysia. The 90-day “Run for Gold” campaign is Lim’s attempt to finish a gruelling circuit by June 22 – his 67th birthday. The inspiration for this challenge comes from profound loss. In November 2023, Lim and his wife, Goh Joo Lee, were celebrating her completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Half Marathon – her first ever race. But soon after, she began to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347978/66-year-old-sets-2200km-run-around-peninsular-malaysia-honour-his-wife?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347978/66-year-old-sets-2200km-run-around-peninsular-malaysia-honour-his-wife?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 23:15:13 +0000 Kavita Daswani Kavita Daswani Joe Yoon notices it even in the middle of a conversation – a subtle tightening in his back, the instinct to shift in a chair, the small signals the body sends when it has not been moved enough. The sensations are easy to ignore. But for a mobility expert like Yoon, it is exactly the kind of thing that reveals a much bigger truth about how we age. “Even sitting here doing this interview, my back starts to get stiff and I shift around,” says Yoon, 39, over Zoom from his home in Charlotte, in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347578/just-9-minutes-day-mobility-routine-can-help-you-age-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347578/just-9-minutes-day-mobility-routine-can-help-you-age-better?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:00:15 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Our health is shaped by far more than what happens in a doctor’s office. Research estimates that as much as 80 to 90 per cent of health outcomes are influenced by factors outside medical care, including diet, physical activity and other everyday habits. Yet food, one of the most powerful drivers of health, is rarely treated as medicine. The concept of food as medicine is not new, says Dr Jaclyn Albin, an internist and director of the culinary medicine programme at UT Southwestern Medical Centre... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347524/how-food-shapes-our-health-more-medicine-doctors-share-healthy-eating-tips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347524/how-food-shapes-our-health-more-medicine-doctors-share-healthy-eating-tips?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:15:09 +0000 Carolina Malis Carolina Malis There’s a certain kind of celebrity selfie that never gets old: the full-face red glow that makes even the most casual bathroom moment look like a scene from a glossy sci-fi film. Victoria Beckham posts hers mid-treatment, Chrissy Teigen wears her mask in bed, Kourtney Kardashian documents entire LED routines on Poosh, and Hailey Bieber famously sent a Medicube device into sell-out chaos after spotlighting it in 2023, a moment that helped grant the brand’s LED tools – today sold by retailers... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/trends/article/3347537/hope-or-hype-can-home-led-face-masks-do-what-they-claim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/trends/article/3347537/hope-or-hype-can-home-led-face-masks-do-what-they-claim?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Anthea Rowan Anthea Rowan This is the 85th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope. As an erratic sleeper, I worry when I see a headline such as this recent one from Science News: “Poor sleep may account for a large share of dementia cases.” That headline topped an article about a recent study of older adults in the US. It found that about 13 per cent of dementia cases may have roots in insomnia, and that poor sleep may be as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347263/how-poor-sleep-can-increase-dementia-risk-and-what-know-about-links?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347263/how-poor-sleep-can-increase-dementia-risk-and-what-know-about-links?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Ritu Hemnani Ritu Hemnani Hong Kong women navigating menopause have often felt the need to “soldier on”, their hot flushes dismissed by others – and themselves – as stress, their mood swings blamed on “having teenagers” and their fatigue chalked up to ageing. But a new non-profit organisation aims to put a stop to that. The Hong Kong Menopause Society (THKMS), which will officially launch on March 28, aims to boost awareness and understanding of perimenopause and menopause issues, both for the women who have them and for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347116/how-new-hong-kong-menopause-support-group-aims-help-women-through-difficult-life-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347116/how-new-hong-kong-menopause-support-group-aims-help-women-through-difficult-life-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:15:09 +0000 Grace Brewer Grace Brewer If menopause was once the conversation no one in Hong Kong had, now it’s the one everyone’s trying to join. Thanks to a new wave of femtech founders who aim to give women the language – and data – to break the silence on the once-taboo topic, the shift is being fuelled by a bevy of new at-home tests and apps that help women decode the “fog” of mysterious midlife symptoms. For many women, that fog rolls in long before their final period. Perimenopause, the transitional stage that precedes... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/wellness/article/3346069/how-femtech-founders-are-changing-menopause-conversation-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/wellness/article/3346069/how-femtech-founders-are-changing-menopause-conversation-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 23:00:11 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Mayra Hurtado knows the struggles of perimenopause first-hand. “My weight fluctuated so much, I had migraines and I literally saw every doctor,” she recalls. It was only after she visited a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic in Singapore that she slowly recovered from her migraines. Inspired by the holistic approach of TCM, the Mexico-born, Singapore-based entrepreneur realised that there are healthcare pathways beyond conventional medicine. “We have that kind of traditional medicine... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3346296/how-new-home-tests-let-women-gain-insights-their-reproductive-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3346296/how-new-home-tests-let-women-gain-insights-their-reproductive-health?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:15:08 +0000 dpa dpa Taking a daily multivitamin may slow down biological ageing, a study has suggested. Experts calculate that taking daily vitamins for two years cuts biological ageing by about four months on average. Biological ageing refers to how old the body is in terms of health and function rather than the number of years a person has lived. Previous studies on the use of multivitamins and health have given mixed results, with one large study in 2024 showing no benefit when it comes to preventing early death... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3346446/multivitamin-day-could-slow-biological-ageing-especially-those-unhealthy-diets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3346446/multivitamin-day-could-slow-biological-ageing-especially-those-unhealthy-diets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 23:15:06 +0000 Bhakti Mathur Bhakti Mathur From a childhood marked by loss to an abusive marriage that nearly claimed her life, Shyy Sachdev’s journey has been anything but ordinary. When told at 49 she might only have five years left to live, the then overweight chain smoker chose to reinvent herself. She began exercising regularly at age 50, strength training at 52, running at 53 and cycling at 61. Today, at 62, she is a force of endurance and resilience. Stronger and happier than ever, the UK resident and fitness influencer now shares... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3346044/how-100kg-chain-smoker-lost-40kg-fixed-knee-pain-and-became-fitness-influencer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3346044/how-100kg-chain-smoker-lost-40kg-fixed-knee-pain-and-became-fitness-influencer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 03:00:08 +0000 dpa dpa Getting up at 5am, doing a workout, then heading to work is not a one-size-fits-all recipe for using time effectively, sleep experts say, noting that not everyone is a morning type. Countless Instagram and TikTok posts and coaching books have been telling us that early rising leads to a more efficient and successful life. Canadian leadership expert Robin Sharma’s book The 5am Club is an example. It has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide since it was published in 2018. It describes the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345969/why-waking-early-not-everyone-and-what-sleep-experts-say-about-rising-early?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345969/why-waking-early-not-everyone-and-what-sleep-experts-say-about-rising-early?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Anthea Rowan Anthea Rowan This is the 84th instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope. I did not recognise the signs of dementia developing in mum – the changes in her walking, her frequent need to urinate, her difficulty in swallowing – until quite late. Looking back, I see how they developed one after another. Nearly 80 per cent of all dementias are caused by Alzheimer’s disease. The hallmark of this is the abnormal deposit of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345912/dementia-can-be-hard-spot-signs-pay-attention-trouble-eating-fitful-sleep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345912/dementia-can-be-hard-spot-signs-pay-attention-trouble-eating-fitful-sleep?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 04:15:07 +0000 Tara Loader Wilkinson Tara Loader Wilkinson Six couples who want to start families but cannot conceive are the focus of a new Netflix documentary, The Plastic Detox. The couples – two of which have been trying to get pregnant for over two years, while one has been attempting for a decade – strip as much plastic from their lives as possible over three months to see if this will help. “Fertility worldwide is going down, and it is tightly linked to chemicals that are commonly used in plastic,” says epidemiologist Dr Shanna Swan in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345709/microplastic-dangers-and-innovators-finding-solutions-plus-8-ways-protect-yourself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345709/microplastic-dangers-and-innovators-finding-solutions-plus-8-ways-protect-yourself?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:45:07 +0000 dpa dpa There are many disadvantages to getting older. One of them is poor sleep. But although there are many reasons sleep may deteriorate as you age, it does not have to be that way. “Fundamentally, your sleep doesn’t have to change in your sixties or seventies, but circumstances tend to create a lot more vulnerability around that ageing point,” says Jason Ellis, a professor and director of the Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. “A lot of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345428/why-poor-sleep-not-unavoidable-we-get-older?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345428/why-poor-sleep-not-unavoidable-we-get-older?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:15:07 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Singaporean fashion photographer and former model Chuando Tan has turned 60, and his birthday photos are once again fuelling disbelief online over the youthful appearance that first made him a social media sensation nearly a decade ago. Tan shared a reflective message alongside photos posted to Instagram on Tuesday to mark the milestone, quickly attracting hundreds of thousands of likes and a wave of comments from followers marvelling at how little he appears to have aged. “Today, on my 60th... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345441/singapores-ageless-photographer-chuando-tan-turns-60-and-fans-still-cannot-believe-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345441/singapores-ageless-photographer-chuando-tan-turns-60-and-fans-still-cannot-believe-it?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:10:09 +0000 Sasha Gonzales Sasha Gonzales Benny Ratnani celebrated his 75th birthday this week, but he still works over 70 hours a week at his company, which he founded in Hong Kong in 1982. The sole proprietor and chairman of Bee Dee Manufacturing travels frequently for work. His wholesale and export company, which employs 35 people in Hong Kong and mainland China, supplies products ranging from fashion and accessories to toys, electronics and home goods to clients primarily in the Middle East, India and the United States. Born in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345206/should-you-retire-mental-health-benefits-working-past-traditional-retirement-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345206/should-you-retire-mental-health-benefits-working-past-traditional-retirement-age?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Lori Sepich smoked for years and sometimes skipped taking her blood pressure medicine. But she never thought she would have a heart attack. The possibility “just wasn’t registering with me”, says the 64-year-old from Memphis, in the US state of Tennessee, who suffered two heart attacks 13 years apart. She is far from alone. More than 60 million women in the United States – and an estimated 275 million to 300 million women globally – live with cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344561/womens-heart-attack-symptoms-and-risk-factors-differ-mens-what-they-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344561/womens-heart-attack-symptoms-and-risk-factors-differ-mens-what-they-are?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:15:12 +0000 Anthea Rowan Anthea Rowan This is the 83rd instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope. Doing “brain training” tests can make me a bit nervous. The anxiety triggers silly mistakes, and then “poor” results make me more anxious – especially when they are dementia tests. What if I fail, or my score points to a suboptimal brain response? I am also suspicious of them: how could an online test measure brain response accurately, and – even more... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344094/what-best-brain-training-test-reduce-dementia-risk-study-examines-various-types?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344094/what-best-brain-training-test-reduce-dementia-risk-study-examines-various-types?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Lily Canter Lily Canter When teaching assistant Kavita Biswas first asked for a wheelchair at the airport, she was struggling to walk even short distances. It was a world away from her active life practising yoga and dance alongside her full-time job in a Hong Kong school. Suddenly, in her mid-forties, she found herself relying on a cane and, at times, a walking frame. Knee pain had steadily taken over her life, reshaping her days and narrowing her sense of what might still be possible. The pain began around four years... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344133/how-exercise-helped-mother-tackle-serious-knee-pain-and-return-cane-free-walking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344133/how-exercise-helped-mother-tackle-serious-knee-pain-and-return-cane-free-walking?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Sasha Gonzales Sasha Gonzales The passion that black belt holder Lily Chan has for teaching aikido at her family’s Singapore school shines through in her classes. She has been training in the Japanese martial art for more than a decade, and is proud to be a part of the “dojo” founded by her oldest son, Shamus, and husband, Patrick. Aikido was developed by Japanese martial artist Morihei Ueshiba in the early 20th century. This modern, non-aggressive and unique form of self-defence focuses on harmony and non-violent conflict... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343703/73-year-old-singaporean-aikido-black-belt-only-started-learning-her-60s?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343703/73-year-old-singaporean-aikido-black-belt-only-started-learning-her-60s?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 03:00:07 +0000 Bhakti Mathur Bhakti Mathur Ben Payet’s story is not an unfamiliar one: a high-achieving professional whose health quietly slipped down his list of priorities. The finance executive moved with his wife from London to Singapore three years ago to be closer to her family. They were building a life in a new city, but Payet was carrying excess weight. When he stood on the scales in October 2024, he was shocked. It read 93kg (205lbs), a sharp increase from the 77kg he had weighed in 2019. He would go on to lose 21kg over the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343270/how-singapore-based-executive-lost-21kg-9-months-and-cured-his-knee-pain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343270/how-singapore-based-executive-lost-21kg-9-months-and-cured-his-knee-pain?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 03:15:07 +0000 Tara Loader Wilkinson Tara Loader Wilkinson With rising living costs and persistent inflation in much of the world, many consumers are cutting back on spending – but not, it seems, when it comes to wellness. The wellness industry is now valued at US$6.8 trillion and forecast to reach US$10 trillion by 2029, according to the Global Wellness Institute, a non-profit research and education foundation. Its sister organisation, the Global Wellness Summit, recently revealed its Future of Wellness report, with a focus on trends that are expected... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343389/8-hot-wellness-trends-2026-womens-longevity-and-sports-health-raves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343389/8-hot-wellness-trends-2026-womens-longevity-and-sports-health-raves?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:15:11 +0000 dpa dpa Having a brew may be more ‌beneficial than the immediate comfort it offers, experts suggested after a new study linked drinking tea and coffee with a reduced risk of dementia. Those who drink caffeinated versions ‍of these hot drinks also have better mental skills than people who do not, the large new study found. Researchers pinpointed the number of cups each day linked to reduced dementia risk. Experts from Harvard University examined data on 131,000 health workers in the United States, who... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343295/drinking-tea-and-coffee-every-day-may-lower-dementia-risk-boost-cognitive-function?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343295/drinking-tea-and-coffee-every-day-may-lower-dementia-risk-boost-cognitive-function?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 20:15:10 +0000 Kavita Daswani Kavita Daswani At 83, Charles Mammay starts most mornings the same way: a good long stretch as soon as he is out of bed, and then adjourning to his home exercise room. There, he reaches for a pair of 25-pound (11.3kg) dumbbells and begins his routine – shrugs, side bends, then down to the floor for 50 to 80 push-ups and flutter kicks to work his core. An overhang pulley on the door helps him stretch his shoulders; exercise bands add resistance. By the time most of his neighbours in Oak Island, in the US state... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343052/how-83-year-old-can-do-more-push-ups-and-pull-ups-nearly-anyone-reading?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3343052/how-83-year-old-can-do-more-push-ups-and-pull-ups-nearly-anyone-reading?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Anthea Rowan Anthea Rowan This is the 82nd instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope. Should we eat a high-fat or low-fat diet for health? This debate has shaped health advice for decades, says Emily Sonestedt of Lund University in Sweden. Sonestedt is the senior author of a study that observed that high-fat dairy products – specifically fermented options like cheese and high-fat cream – were associated with a lower risk of dementia in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342871/how-much-fat-you-should-eat-day-and-what-foods-eat-plus-why-your-brain-needs-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342871/how-much-fat-you-should-eat-day-and-what-foods-eat-plus-why-your-brain-needs-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:14:30 +0000 Anthea Rowan Anthea Rowan How many have you had today? It is 10am and I am on my second. I will have a third before the day is out, possibly a fourth. I can feel good about every one I consume, to a point, research says. You know what I am talking about: coffee. A host of experts agree that drinking coffee comes with benefits. American longevity researcher Dan Buettner, who coined the term “Blue Zones” for places with longer life expectancies and lower rates of chronic disease, calls coffee one of the greatest longevity... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342460/how-much-coffee-should-you-drink-day-get-most-health-benefits-experts-reveal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342460/how-much-coffee-should-you-drink-day-get-most-health-benefits-experts-reveal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 23:15:09 +0000 Sasha Gonzales Sasha Gonzales Hong Kong actors Chow Yun-fat, 70, Kent Cheng, 74, Lau Kong, 79, and Paw Hee-ching, 76, made headlines in January for being among the oldest participants in the 10km event at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2026. In 2025, the then 69-year-old Chow ran the half-marathon at the event, completing the 13.1-mile (21km) race in two hours, 24 minutes and 33 seconds. Recently, a growing number of people in their sixties, seventies, eighties and older have been in the news for taking part in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342586/how-people-70-year-old-chow-yun-fat-keep-pushing-their-endurance-limits-they-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342586/how-people-70-year-old-chow-yun-fat-keep-pushing-their-endurance-limits-they-age?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar The fashion set might be gearing up for New York Fashion Week, which kicks off on February 11, but we’re still not over the stunning designs showcased at Paris Haute Couture Week for spring/summer 2026. Matthieu Blazy’s avian-inspired Chanel haute couture debut at the event was one of the buzziest shows at the French capital – even more so because of the diversity of models the French designer sent down the runway. View this post on Instagram A post shared by... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3342474/meet-stephanie-cavalli-49-year-old-model-who-opened-chanels-paris-haute-couture-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3342474/meet-stephanie-cavalli-49-year-old-model-who-opened-chanels-paris-haute-couture-show?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 06:01:53 +0000 Lily Canter Lily Canter In a city obsessed with efficiency, optimisation and results, walking has rarely been focused on as a health intervention. Yet across Hong Kong, a quiet reframing is taking place. Increasingly, it is being described not as light exercise or leisure, but as a form of everyday medicine, one that supports mental health, recovery from illness and ageing well, without injury or pressure. Stephanie Lown, founder of hiking group Exploring Dogs, says walking offers a rare combination of movement,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342052/how-walking-hong-kong-helping-cancer-recovery-and-mental-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342052/how-walking-hong-kong-helping-cancer-recovery-and-mental-health?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 02:59:19 +0000 Bhakti Mathur Bhakti Mathur From a shy stay-at-home wife and mother to a world-stage bodybuilder, celebrity trainer, mountaineer, DJ and photographer, Kiran Dembla’s transformation is a reminder that life is what we make it. Her journey shows there is no age limit to starting life’s greatest adventures and is captured in her 2024 biography, Fitness Machine: The Extraordinary Life of Kiran Dembla. Dembla grew up in Agra, India, in a middle-class family. She had a passion for music, performing on stage and earning a master’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3341635/how-indian-mother-lost-24kg-7-months-and-became-bodybuilding-dj?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3341635/how-indian-mother-lost-24kg-7-months-and-became-bodybuilding-dj?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 04:45:09 +0000 Kavita Daswani Kavita Daswani For Dana Nakagawa, the Covid pandemic was especially challenging. “The day we went into lockdown, my mom passed away,” she says. “And then a couple of months later, I got laid off from my job.” At the time, Nakagawa was a 56-year-old single mother living in the US state of California with her teenage daughter. She had been working in advertising as an art director after decades as a graphic designer. “Suddenly I was jobless, and that was a huge shock … How was I going to survive?” she recalls... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3341766/japanese-american-influencer-60-who-went-viral-saying-its-never-too-late-start-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3341766/japanese-american-influencer-60-who-went-viral-saying-its-never-too-late-start-over?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:15:11 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar Paris Haute Couture Week opened on January 26, with fashion’s biggest houses unveiling their spring/summer 2026 collections. All eyes were on Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel haute couture debut – and the French-Belgian designer delivered. The show, held at the Grand Palais, was attended by an A-lister crowd, including Nicole Kidman, Dua Lipa and A$AP Rocky, who were treated to a mesmerising runway of fluid silhouettes, romantic hues and meticulous craftsmanship inspired by avian freedom. “I was... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3341643/meet-christina-chung-hong-kong-model-nearing-60-who-made-waves-chanel-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3341643/meet-christina-chung-hong-kong-model-nearing-60-who-made-waves-chanel-show?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 06:05:58 +0000 dpa dpa Ageing has arguably always been a puzzle. There is the 82-year-old part-time farmer down the road who remains light on his feet, while his 60-something accountant neighbour gets short of breath walking from car to office. According ‍to a team of scientists at Vanderbilt University in the US state of Tennessee, “superagers” such as the farmer could have an innate advantage over the prematurely old, at least when it comes to cognition. According to the university, those in their 80s with brain... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3341500/how-do-superagers-stay-so-young-genes-can-play-key-role-study-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3341500/how-do-superagers-stay-so-young-genes-can-play-key-role-study-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Christina Ko Christina Ko For the last year or so, there’s been a sleek, red, octagonal vessel seeking pride of place on your supplements shelf, targeted at replacing all your daily veggie caps in one aesthetically pleasing fell swoop. It’s called IM8, and it is the biggest disrupter the supplements industry has seen in a long time: an all-in-one powdered product that mixes with water to deliver a blend of 92 ingredients at clinically effective dosages designed to boost your health – from vitamins and minerals to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/wellness/article/3341021/danny-yeung-and-david-beckhams-im8-shaking-supplements-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/wellness/article/3341021/danny-yeung-and-david-beckhams-im8-shaking-supplements-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 20:00:09 +0000