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Health & Wellness

A Harvard University study found that people with higher optimism scores were less likely to develop dementia. One way to become more optimistic is to surround yourself with like-minded people. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Being optimistic can lower dementia risk by 15%, Harvard study finds

Experts explain why optimism is beneficial for brain health and how to cultivate a more positive mindset.

Wellness

Want help getting yoga poses right? AI-powered app analyses your photos

Wellness

The difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ stress and how to beat the harmful kind

What to do in Hong Kong

5 of the best things to do in Hong Kong this rainy weekend, May 15-17

Check out the Affordable Art Fair, enjoy pickleball and Pilates to the sounds of Justin Bieber or get into the spirit at the Hong Kong Whisky Festival.

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The Affordable Art Fair 2026 will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai from May 14 to 17. Photo: Affordable Art Fair
The Affordable Art Fair 2026 will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai from May 14 to 17. Photo: Affordable Art Fair
Wellness

No membership required: Hong Kong parks are this coach’s gym of choice

Ash Ayonote’s outdoor fitness classes in Hong Kong public spaces unite generations of families, boost longevity and build community.

Wellness

Why tai chi and qigong are great for health, and English classes in Hong Kong

The Chinese ‘internal’ arts of tai chi and qigong offer a host of health benefits and are slowly becoming more accessible to English speakers.

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Wellness

This fit former bodybuilder thought pole would be easy. He was wrong

Hong Kong-born LA resident Ray Kayan found that gym strength means little on the fitness pole, an activity he finds ‘empowering’.

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Ray Kayan performs graceful moves on a fitness pole, which require great strength and flexibility. Pole performance has been growing as a form of fitness since the 58-year-old started, even among men. Photo: Facebook/Ray Leung
Ray Kayan performs graceful moves on a fitness pole, which require great strength and flexibility. Pole performance has been growing as a form of fitness since the 58-year-old started, even among men. Photo: Facebook/Ray Leung
SCMP Highlights

Part-Asian identities, ‘skinny runner’ to top Hyrox star: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From former wine critic on passion for endurance sport to art show on East, West gardens, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Wellness

Want to do Hyrox? Hong Kong coaches explain how to train and prepare

Hong Kong Hyrox coaches explain training methods, what to avoid and why carbs are good, plus why it’s important to choose your race wisely.

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Wellness

From wine critic to representing Hong Kong in the world’s fastest-growing sport

Now one of Asia’s fastest Hyrox athletes, former wine critic Claire Nesbitt helps others achieve their Hyrox and other fitness goals.

Claire Nesbitt pushes a sled in the Hyrox Pro Women race in Seoul, South Korea, in November 2025. She is one of Asia’s fastest Hyrox athletes and a full-time coach. Photo: Claire Nesbitt
Wellness

1 in 4 people are ‘Alzheimer’s gene’ carriers like Chris Hemsworth. What to do

APOE4 comes with a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease, but the 25 per cent of people who have it can lower that risk with lifestyle changes.

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Chris Hemsworth famously carries a pair of APOE4 gene alleles, which makes his risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease significantly greater than non-carriers. A doctor who also carries two APOE4s explains how lifestyle changes can significantly affect the development of the condition. Photo: Instagram/chrishemsworth
Chris Hemsworth famously carries a pair of APOE4 gene alleles, which makes his risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease significantly greater than non-carriers. A doctor who also carries two APOE4s explains how lifestyle changes can significantly affect the development of the condition. Photo: Instagram/chrishemsworth
Wellness

How to sleep better, from bedtimes to regularity – what the research says

Sleep research has come a long way in the last decade. Here’s what you need to know to help make your slumber better.

Wellness

Healing like Wolverine? Why peptide stacking is taking off and risks involved

Taking multiple synthetic peptides to target goals like weight loss, muscle growth and injury recovery is not without its risks, experts say.

Wellness

Do you feel more anxious after googling symptoms? You could have cyberchondria

Also known as ‘Dr Google syndrome’, cyberchondria can lead to depression or, at worst, illness anxiety disorder.

Cyberchondria is an unfounded fear of, or heightened attention to, serious physical illnesses based on perusal of internet content, according to one doctor. Photo: Shutterstock
What to do in Hong Kong

5 of the best things to do in Hong Kong on Labour Day weekend, May 1-3

Hunt for rare Pokemon cards, savour French wine and cheese, shop for antiques, enjoy a Cantopop Pilates party or watch Aaron Kwok’s new film.

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PokeFest 2, Hong Kong's largest dedicated Pokemon card expo, will take place at D2 Place One mall in Lai Chi Kok from May 1 to 3, 2026. It is one of many things to do in Hong Kong this weekend, alongside enjoying food and wine at French GourMay, watching Cold War 1994 and more.
PokeFest 2, Hong Kong's largest dedicated Pokemon card expo, will take place at D2 Place One mall in Lai Chi Kok from May 1 to 3, 2026. It is one of many things to do in Hong Kong this weekend, alongside enjoying food and wine at French GourMay, watching Cold War 1994 and more.
SCMP Highlights

Inside a notorious triad, simple tests for ageing well: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From a 60-year-old Singaporean keeping fit with pole dancing to the birthplace of China’s chilli culture, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Food and Drinks

Asian-American mother challenges tough Chinese traditions for new mums

Clarissa Wei’s cookbook ‘Sitting the Month’ puts a modern spin on the traditional Chinese foods typically given to post-partum mothers.

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Wellness

How this 60-year-old Singaporean is defying age through pole dancing and fashion

Known on TikTok as the ‘Corridor Runway Aunty’, Vicsland Poh proves that a person’s silver years can be full of new challenges and knowledge.

Vicsland Poh enjoys the challenge of doing difficult pole-dancing tricks such as spins and inversions. The 60-year-old Singaporean who regularly posts her fashion photos on her TikTok and Instagram accounts is showing others how to age well. Photo: Courtesy of Vicsland Poh
Vicsland Poh enjoys the challenge of doing difficult pole-dancing tricks such as spins and inversions. The 60-year-old Singaporean who regularly posts her fashion photos on her TikTok and Instagram accounts is showing others how to age well. Photo: Courtesy of Vicsland Poh
Wellness

The 10-minute morning exercise workout that millions of Japanese people do

Over 20 million people in Japan practice a Radio Taiso session at least once a week in a country with one of the highest life expectancies.

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Wellness

What is ‘nonnamaxxing’? Viral health trend embraces Italian grandma’s lifestyle

Daily walks, gardening, cooking from scratch – whatever an Italian grandmother would typically do, Gen Z are going wild for online.

Wellness

Are you ageing well? 5 simple tests to get a picture of your biological age

Particularly useful for over-50s, these simple physical tests can give you a better idea of your biological age and highlight any red flags.

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The “flamingo” test - balancing on one leg - is one of the ways you can assess how well you are ageing. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Are ice baths good for you? What you need to know before taking the plunge

Ice baths and cold plunges are springing up across Hong Kong, but will traditional Chinese medicine ideas freeze them out of the market?

Cold-water immersion such as ice baths and cold plunges are said to come with a host of health benefits, but one possible cultural counter-current in Hong Kong could be traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theories. Photo: Shutterstock
Cold-water immersion such as ice baths and cold plunges are said to come with a host of health benefits, but one possible cultural counter-current in Hong Kong could be traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theories. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

How a zoo’s sights, sounds and smells can benefit people with dementia

Tour programmes at Berlin Zoo for people with dementia are helping them feel part of society and even jogging happy childhood memories.

SCMP Highlights

Alternative knee pain therapies; monthly zodiac forecast: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From Hong Kong’s upcoming drama The Season to the latest dessert shop in town, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Wellness

Is your family addicted to screens and junk food? How to change their habits

In her book Dopamine Kids, Michaeleen Doucleff examines our reliance on ‘magnets’ that hamper happiness and explains how to overcome them.

Ultra-processed food and screens are dopamine “magnets” that can be avoided for a better quality of life, according to biochemist Michaeleen Doucleff, whose new book Dopamine Kids explains how to reshape your family’s habits. Photo: Shutterstock
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