My Story
My personal journey and the beginnings of The Healthy Aging Project.
Read article →56 articles
What Goes Into Our Lungs? My Experience With an Air Purifier
We talk a great deal about what we eat. We choose our vegetables, compare ingredients, and pay attention to nutrition. But what about the air we breathe?…
Read article →What My Hospital Check-Up Taught Me About Nutrition
When I received my results from Bangkok Hospital in Hua Hin after my September 2024 check-up, I did not panic.…
Read article →Autophagy After 50: Nourish Your Body and Give Eating a Gentle Rhythm
When we talk about healthy aging, we often concentrate on what to put into our bodies. Autophagy introduces another question: how do our cells deal with the damaged material already inside t…
Read article →Cacao Beyond Chocolate: My Drink, My Massaman Curry and the COSMOS Study
When people hear “cacao,” they often think of a chocolate bar. In my kitchen, it has a wider role. I use a 100% solid cacao block from Kad Kokoa in Thailand to prepare my cacao drink, and I …
Read article →A Cool Head and Warm Feet: An Old Saying in My Everyday Life
There is an old saying used in traditional Chinese medicine: keep your head cool and your feet warm. It appeals to me because it connects with two simple habits in my own life.…
Read article →Garlic: Crush, Rest, Cook—and Discover Black Garlic
Garlic is an inexpensive way to make vegetables, beans, tofu and soups more enjoyable. It also contains interesting sulfur compounds. But preparing it changes its chemistry: a whole clove, f…
Read article →Healthy Aging from 50 to 90: How Our Priorities Change
Many of us would like to live a long life. Some even dream of reaching 100 or 110. But what kind of life do we want along the way? For me, it means being able to move, prepare food, enjoy th…
Read article →Klotho, Food and Healthy Aging: What the Research Really Shows
A list of “twelve anti-aging foods that boost Klotho” sounds attractive. It connects familiar foods with an intriguing protein and offers something we can do today. But before changing our s…
Read article →Miso: A Small Spoonful of Japanese Fermentation
Miso is one of those ingredients that can transform an ordinary meal with a small spoonful. Stir it into soup, blend it into a dressing, or add a little to a lentil burger: it brings a deep …
Read article →Natto: Small Beans, Big Character
Natto is one of those foods that makes an impression before you take the first bite. Its smell is distinctive, its texture is sticky, and stirring it produces long, stretchy threads. For som…
Read article →Naturally Fermented Soy Sauce: Flavour, Patience, and a Night I Remember
Emperor Hirohito, also known as Emperor Shōwa, visited Belgium in 1971 during the reign of King Baudouin.[10] That visit provides the historical setting for a night I remember from my work i…
Read article →Nitric Oxide: Supporting Circulation with Food, Movement and a Little Humming
Beetroot, spinach and humming seem to have little in common. Yet all three appear in discussions about nitric oxide, a tiny molecule with important roles in the body. What does it do, and wh…
Read article →Do Our Organs Become Less Active as We Age?
We often hear that a gland shrinks, a hormone declines or an organ works less efficiently as we get older. It is easy to imagine a timetable: one organ slows down in our forties, another in …
Read article →Resveratrol: Should We Eat the Grapes or Buy the Capsule?
Resveratrol often appears in conversations about healthy aging. It is linked to red grapes, red wine and the hope that a natural compound could help us live longer. But what does the evidenc…
Read article →Sunshine and Healthy Aging: Understanding UVA, UVB and Infrared
We spend plenty of time discussing what we eat. But our bodies also respond to the light around us. A morning outdoors can give the day a pleasant start, while sunlight on the skin helps us …
Read article →Sweet Potatoes: Red Skin, Different Colours Inside
At the markets here in Thailand, I see long, pointed roots with red skin. When I cut them open, the inside may be white, orange or reddish-purple. That made me wonder: are they nutritionally…
Read article →Tofu and Tempeh: Two Soy Foods Worth Getting to Know
For years, I was told that tofu was bad for a man's libido. It is the kind of warning that sticks in your mind, especially when you are trying to eat well.…
Read article →K-san’s Long Run: From Bangkok to Barefoot Shoes
I had a Japanese friend whom I knew as K-san. He had a vegan restaurant in Bangkok called Bonita, and he was a marathon runner with a particular enthusiasm for barefoot-style running shoes.…
Read article →Seaweed on the Table: Benefits, Uses and Sensible Choices
Seaweed brings something unusual to a plant-based kitchen: the taste of the sea without needing fish. It can give soup depth, add silky leaves to a salad or turn a simple rice bowl into a mo…
Read article →Sugar: The Hidden Habit Worth Changing
For me, sugar intake is the first dietary habit to question when thinking about disease prevention. I regard excessive sugar as one of the biggest threats to health, and reducing it has long…
Read article →Omega-3, 6 and 9: Which Fats Do We Need, and Where Do We Get Them?
Understand ALA, EPA and DHA, essential fats and everyday food sources.
Read article →Living in Rhythm: The Circadian System and the TCM Organ Clock
Healthy living involves what we eat, how we move, and how we rest. Timing also deserves attention. Why do we feel alert at some hours and sleepy at others? Does the time of a meal matter?
Read article →Give Your Brain a Second Chance
Growing older does not mean we must stop learning, lose our curiosity, or accept every memory problem as inevitable. Although age affects the brain, there are still worthwhile steps we can t
Read article →All 13 Essential Vitamins: How Much Do We Need, and Can We Make Them Ourselves?
Vitamins are substances we need in small amounts to support normal body functions. They help with processes such as energy metabolism, tissue maintenance, blood formation and immune function
Read article →Can Blood Filtration Help Treat Alzheimer's Disease?
The idea is striking: remove unwanted proteins from the blood, and perhaps help the brain clear some of the proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Read article →Collagen: What It Is, Why We Need It, and How Our Body Makes It
Collagen appears on everything from beauty creams to expensive powders. The advertising can make it sound as though ageing is simply a shortage of something we should buy. But collagen is al
Read article →Essential Minerals: How Much Do We Need, and Where Do We Get Them?
Minerals help build bones, carry oxygen, regulate fluid balance and support nerves, muscles and enzymes. Like vitamins, they are needed for normal health. Unlike some vitamins, our body cann
Read article →The King Who Helped Make Thai Massage Knowledge Public
Many visitors know Wat Pho in Bangkok for its enormous reclining Buddha. But the temple has another story to tell: one about preserving knowledge and making it available beyond a small circl
Read article →Microplastics and Nanoplastics: How They Enter Our Bodies—and What We Can Do
We pay attention to what we eat. But food, water and the air around us can also contain tiny plastic particles. Understandably, reports of plastic in human tissues raise questions: how did i
Read article →My Four Simple Exercise Routines: Muscles Need More Than Protein
We talk a great deal about healthy food on HealthyRetired. But food is only part of looking after ourselves. If we want to keep our muscles as we grow older, eating protein alone is not enou
Read article →Mushrooms in Thailand: Everyday Food With Plenty to Offer
I eat edible mushrooms almost every day. Living in Thailand makes that easy: fresh markets and supermarkets offer a wonderful choice, from familiar oyster mushrooms to tiny enoki and thick-s
Read article →My Story — Part 2
In my early twenties, I saw an advertisement for a macrobiotic seminar in Lisieux, France. Something about it caught my attention, and I decided to sign up.
Read article →My Story — Part 3: Learning to Read My Body
In my late twenties, I met Rik Vermuyten, a macrobiotic teacher and counsellor with a background in clinical chemistry and acupuncture. Through his counselling, lectures and workshops, he sh
Read article →My Story — Part 4: A Normal Day in My Life
In the first parts of my story, I described how my interest in food and health developed. But what does that look like in everyday life?
Read article →Nobel Discoveries: Food, the Body and Healthy Ageing
There is no Nobel Prize category specifically for food or longevity. However, several discoveries honoured with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine have transformed our understanding o
Read article →Oxalates: What They Mean for Your Food and Your Kidneys
When we discussed purslane, one word needed a little more explanation: oxalates. They occur naturally in many foods, including some nutritious vegetables, nuts and cacao. Understanding them
Read article →What Are Polyphenols? Types, Benefits, and Food Sources
Healthy food discussions can become a collection of complicated names. Quercetin, anthocyanins, catechins, lignans—must we learn them all before making lunch?
Read article →Purslane: The “Weed” Worth Bringing into Your Kitchen
Some vegetables arrive in neat supermarket packages. Others grow so readily that we call them weeds. Purslane belongs to the second group—but it deserves a place on the plate.
Read article →Quercetin: Why a Little Spoonful of Capers Deserves Attention
When we think about nutritious food, we often imagine a large bowl of vegetables. Sometimes, however, an interesting ingredient comes in a very small jar. Capers are one example: sharp, salt
Read article →Resistant Starch: A Good Reason to Cook Today for Tomorrow
Can an ordinary potato, bowl of rice or plate of pasta change during a night in the fridge? Yes. Cooling after cooking can make some of its starch more resistant to digestion. When you rehea
Read article →Shiatsu: Japanese Bodywork With Pressure, Movement and Attention
Shiatsu is a Japanese form of hands-on bodywork. Its name is usually translated as “finger pressure,” although practitioners may use their palms and other techniques as well.
Read article →Vivere Parvo: A Simple Shave, Less Waste
Vivere parvo means living with little. For me, that includes looking after my health while using fewer resources and throwing less away.
Read article →Could an Injectable Gel Help Repair the Heart After a Heart Attack?
Surviving a heart attack can mean living with lasting damage. The injured heart heals by forming scar tissue, which cannot contract like healthy heart muscle. Depending on the extent of the
Read article →Mitophagy: How Your Cells Recycle Their Power Stations
Every day, your body performs maintenance you never notice. Inside your cells, worn or damaged components are dismantled and their materials recycled. One part of this maintenance system is
Read article →Organic Food in Thailand and What the Labels Really Mean
Choosing organic food in Thailand can feel confusing. Supermarket shelves display green logos, farm names and reassuring words such as “natural” and “safe.” But what actually tells us how th
Read article →Better Sleep After 60: Natural Ways to Rest Well
Sleep belongs beside nourishing food and regular movement as a foundation of healthy aging. It supports memory, clear thinking, immune function and the regulation of metabolism. A good night
Read article →Do-In: Japanese Self-Massage for Everyday Wellbeing
Do-In combines gentle Japanese self-massage, movement and breathing. Try a comfortable seated routine using your own hands.
Read article →Olives and Olive Oil: How to Choose the Healthiest for a Longer Life
Compare whole olives with extra virgin olive oil, and learn how dates, packaging, storage and a peppery throat sensation can guide your choice.
Read article →Gua Sha Massage and Healthy Ageing
Traditional Chinese skin scraping: what the evidence says about pain relief, facial claims and precautions for older adults.
Read article →Flexitarian Eating: More Plants, Room for Flexibility
Make plants the foundation of your meals while leaving room for flexibility. Practical ideas inspired by Ghent, with attention to protein and nutrients.
Read article →Amino Acids: The Building Blocks Behind Protein
What amino acids do, the nine essential ones, food sources and practical advice on protein and muscle as we age.
Read article →CoQ10 Helping Our Cells Produce Energy
How CoQ10 supports cellular energy, food sources and what to know about supplements.
Read article →Do Vegetarians and Vegans Live Longer?
What long-term studies tell us about plant-based eating and longevity.
Read article →Enzymes The Tiny Helpers That Keep Your Body Working
How enzymes support digestion, energy production, repair and everyday body functions.
Read article →Yoga for Healthy Ageing
Yoga research, realistic benefits and safe ways for older adults to get started.
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