Aging doesn’t happen in a straight line. One moment, you feel strong and energetic; the next, fatigue, stress, or hormonal shifts seem to age you overnight. But what if aging follows predictable milestones—and you could adjust your habits at each stage to stay younger, sharper, and more resilient?

Dr. Tsung-Han Chou, an attending physician at Taiwan’s Mingtang Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, said that wellness is never one-size-fits-all. In an episode of “Health 1+1” on NTD, a sister outlet of The Epoch Times, he explained that each decade of life brings unique biological and emotional challenges—and requires its own strategy for preserving vitality.

Chou identifies two major turning points in the aging process: “The first comes after having children, and the second is menopause.”

For both men and women, the years following parenthood demand extra support to maintain energy and hormonal balance. Later, menopause—driven by dramatic hormonal shifts—ushers in the next major stage of aging.

Anti-Aging Secrets for Every Stage of Life

Beginning at about age 30, the body’s needs change in distinct ways. Chou outlined what to focus on at every major milestone.

Age 30: The Time to Strive

Wellness Focus: Strengthen the spleen and stomach

In traditional Chinese medicine, the spleen and stomach represent the body’s digestive and metabolic strength—the ability to convert food into energy. A strong digestive system buffers against stress, supports immunity, and helps maintain stable energy throughout demanding work years.

Practical Steps:

• Eat at consistent times


• Favor whole foods over heavy, late-night meals


• Avoid skipping breakfast or relying on sugar for energy

When digestion is steady, the body stays resilient under the pressure of early-career responsibilities.

Age 40: Navigating Family and Responsibility

Wellness Focus: Nourish the liver

By age 40, most people juggle multiple roles—career advancement, raising children, and caring for aging parents. Chou said that the liver plays a central role in regulating energy flow, stress response, and hormonal balance. When overloaded, it can contribute to irritability, fatigue, sleep issues, or menstrual changes.

Practical Steps:

• Avoid staying up late


• Limit alcohol consumption


• Build stress-relieving routines (exercise, stretching, journaling, nature time)

Keeping the liver balanced helps stabilize mood and maintain hormonal harmony through the busiest years of adulthood.

Age 50: During and After Menopause

Wellness Focus: Support the kidneys

In TCM, the kidneys store “essence,” a vital substance associated with growth, metabolism, and longevity. In one’s 50s—especially during and after menopause—this reserve naturally declines.

Practical Steps:

• Drink enough water


• Cut back on excess sugar and salt


• Incorporate naturally dark foods (black sesame, black beans, mulberries)

These foods are traditionally believed to nourish the kidneys and support energy, bone strength, and overall vitality.

Study: Critical Aging Periods

A 2024 study published in Nature Aging found that distinct aging occurs around the ages of 44 and 60, marked by “substantial dysregulation” in molecular markers of aging. These shifts are driven not only by biological factors but also by lifestyle and stress unique to each age group.

Chou said this research validates why people often feel “older overnight”—and why decade-specific wellness strategies matter.

3 Wellness Essentials for Aging Well

As a member of the “sandwich generation”—adults typically in their 30s to 50s who find themselves caring for both aging parents and their own children—Chou, now in his 40s, highlighted the importance of protecting both physical and mental well-being while balancing the demands of work and family life.

1. Daily Exercise

Daily exercise is a cornerstone of Chou’s anti-aging routine. He jogs in the morning and hits the gym in the evening. Because he is a physician who frequently interacts with patients, staying healthy is critical to avoid falling ill, which could affect his care for others.

“Even if I finish seeing patients at 10 p.m., I still go to the gym for stretching, mobility exercises, and light strength training,“ he said. ”Treating patients demands immense mental energy, and honestly, I can’t sleep right away because I’m in a heightened state. Doing gentle exercise helps my body calm down, significantly improving my sleep quality.”

Another reason he exercises is to counter the effects of drinking milk tea—a sweetened tea beverage made with milk or cream.

Chou said with a smile: “I have a slight sugar addiction. During patient consultations, I need sharp focus, and a sweet drink like milk tea helps me stay alert. Since I struggle to curb my cravings, I rely on exercise to maintain balance.”

2. Minimize Refined Sugar

Research has found that sugar reacts with proteins in the body through the Maillard reaction, forming advanced glycation end products, similar to how a honey-glazed steak caramelizes in an oven. Although this process is slower in the body, it still accelerates aging.

Chou consciously reduces his intake of refined sugar. For instance, he opts for “one-tenth sugar” when drinking milk tea and has cut back from daily to every other day. He also drinks unsweetened teas he brews himself. For dinner, he sticks to vegetables and meat, avoiding refined starches such as rice and ultra-processed foods.

3. Massage for a Youthful Glow

To maintain a vibrant complexion, Chou uses jade gua sha boards—smooth jade tools shaped to glide over the face or body, promoting blood flow, relaxing muscles, reducing puffiness, and aiding healing—paired with anti-aging skin care products. He recommended gentle pressure during gua sha and massage to avoid fine lines, and to use upward rather than downward strokes to firm muscles and lift the face. Incorporating circular motions during massage amplifies the benefits.

Chou said that some people’s youthful, radiant appearance may be tied to genetics but that cultivating good sleep and dietary habits can also make you look younger. A key practice is staying hydrated by drinking water regularly. Additionally, drinking tea provides antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which support cellular repair and benefit overall health.

3 Effective Anti-Aging Practices

Chou also recommended focusing on three key practices to delay aging effectively:

1. Ensure Sufficient Sleep

Chou said that the timing of sleep—early or late—is less critical than getting enough of it. A March review published in GeroScience found that sleeping less than seven hours per night increases mortality risk by 14 percent.

2. Minimize Processed Foods

“When it comes to diet, people often ask what to eat, but the real question is what to avoid,” Chou said.

He recommends cutting back on sugar and processed foods that may cause harmful substances to accumulate in the body.

For beneficial foods, tailor choices based on individual needs. Generally, he recommends wood ear mushrooms, seaweed, and okra for their gelatinous properties, as well as fish and beef tendon to boost collagen.

3. Boost Circulation

To enhance metabolism and blood flow, Chou suggested soaking in a bath or foot bath, which can also relieve back and waist pain. Adding coarse salt to a foot bath is beneficial, as TCM views salt as nourishing to the kidneys and supportive of kidney energy. It can even reduce foot odor. Washing feet with saltwater also helps warm the body up.

Aging may be inevitable, but how you age is remarkably flexible. By adjusting your wellness habits to match the demands of each life stage—and by embracing small, consistent habits such as movement, sleep, and mindful eating—you can stay vibrant, grounded, and resilient no matter your age. Chou’s insights offer a powerful reminder: Caring for yourself today is an investment in a stronger, healthier you tomorrow.