Diet, exercise, and stress are crucial in determining biological age
Anti-ageing is one of the fastest-growing wellness industries in the world.
This is mostly because consumers want to turn back time, they are aware of skincare and longevity, and especially how the growing demand for premium and personalised anti-ageing solutions is driving the industry.
The global anti-ageing products market size was estimated at $52.44 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $80.61 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.7% from 2025 to 2030, according to Market Analysis Report.
But in the midst of product shelves, the real science of ageing lies inside our cells, in our habits, and even in our stress levels.
REVERSING AGE IS POSSIBLE – BUT IS IT PRACTICAL?
Stanford professor Dr. David Furman recently made headlines for reversing his biological age by 10 years through an extreme lifestyle change, moving to a forest, cutting off WiFi, and living by candlelight.
Can such measures reduce your biological age? “He’s cut off all aspects of stress. We know that stress increases inflammatory markers, causes hormonal imbalances, impairs the immune system, and can even damage DNA over time. These are all scientifically proven effects of chronic stress, which are among the fastest accelerators of ageing, especially biological ageing,” Dr Vishakha Shivdasani, a physician practicing disease reversal and longevity, told IndiaToday.in.
But she also questioned the practicality. “If you ask me to leave my practice and go sit in a forest, cut off Wi-Fi, I think I’ll be stressed just by the thought of doing something that impractical,” she added.
THE LONGEVITY TREND IN INDIA
The global anti-ageing industry is booming especially in the West where conversations around longevity, biohacking, NAD+ boosters, intermittent fasting, and mitochondrial health are widespread.
While the conversations are more about cellular health in the West, India is still warming up to the concept of biological ageing, with the focus being skin-deep.
According to Dr B. A. Chaurasia, Consultant, Internal Medicine at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, India still largely associates ageing with visible signs like wrinkles or grey hair but the tide is slowly changing.
Dr Shivdasani stated that India’s biggest challenge is that we focus on sick care, not health care. “Sick care is when you go to a doctor because you already have diabetes or heart disease. Health care is about prevention,” she said.
However, she believes this mindset is slowly shifting. “Post-Covid, people saw that the worst outcomes were among those with co-morbidities — diabetes, obesity, heart disease, fatty liver. These are preventable diseases. Now people are coming to the clinic and asking, ‘What can I do to avoid this?” Dr. Shivdasani added.
THE ROLE OF DIET AND EXERCISE IN BIOLOGICAL AGEING
Biological ageing is how old your body really is based on your health, not your actual age in years. It depends on factors like your diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and lifestyle.
Someone may be 50 years old but have the body of a 40-year-old, or a 60-year-old, depending on these factors.
If you want longevity, diet and exercise play crucial roles.
“Longevity is one aspect where that health span is more important than lifespan. But longevity prescriptions can’t be generalised. No two people have the same gut microbiome, genetic makeup, or lifestyle,” said Dr. Shivdasani.
Still, she said there are universal truths: cutting out processed food, refined carbs and sugar, and ensuring enough protein, especially after age 50. “Muscle is actually an organ of longevity. After 50, building muscle becomes non-negotiable if you want to live both long and healthy,” she added.
While Dr. Shivdasani spoke about muscle training, Dr. Sanjana Premlal, a nutritionist at Kinder Hospital and Fertility Centre in Bangalore, talked about combining traditional Indian habits with modern science to support healthy ageing.
“An anti-inflammatory diet helps with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, and fatty liver. This includes seeds, nuts, spices, berries, citrus fruits, and probiotics. Probiotics help restore balance in the gut, which supports immunity, brain health and nutrient absorption,” Dr. Premlal told IndiaToday.in.
She highlighted how practices rooted in ayurveda like intermittent fasting, warm cooked meals, and yoga can have lasting benefits.
“Yoga helps reduce stress and cortisol levels, improve flexibility, and support sleep, key for age reversal. Even herbal teas and oil massages have shown good results for digestion and mental clarity,” she said.
Fasting also plays a key role. “It gives the body time to reset, especially the digestive system, liver, and pancreas. It helps lower inflammation and prevent diseases.”
Besides this, several blood tests like insulin, CRP, homocysteine and leptin levels can give an early picture of your biological ageing.
More advanced tests like DNA methylation (epigenetic clocks) are also available in India. “Post-COVID, we’re seeing a lot more interest in these. But they can be expensive from Rs 40,000 to Rs 1 lakh,” informed Dr. Shivdasani.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE
Dr. Chaurasia outlined the foundation of age reversal as: reducing inflammation, improving mitochondrial function, and boosting metabolic flexibility.
This can be achieved through:
“India has the cultural wisdom and dietary diversity to lead a new wave of integrated longevity science,” he said. “What’s needed now is awareness, access to diagnostic tools, and a mindset shift from disease management to healthy lifespan extension.”
