Acupuncture, airports, and aging in reverse

I’d been feeling some discomfort in my throat, so I went to the clinic for what I assumed would be a simple routine checkup - blood pressure, heartbeat, avoid hot/cold drinks and the usual “drink more water” lecture.

Instead, after hearing my symptoms, the doctor did a short acupuncture session. Before I could ask whether it works, he handed me medication for three days and told me to return in a week. Mind you, this was my first time doing acupuncture! 

Fast forward to the next appointment. I walked in feeling better and ready for my follow‑up. The doctor looked at his computer, then at me… then back at the computer… then at me again. I was about to ask if my file had been mixed up with someone else’s when he leaned in and said:

“Patience… you don’t look your age at all.”

(Mind you, I’ll be hitting 50 in a few years.)

Then he added, “You look like someone in their late 20s.”

I just smiled and said, “Thank you doctor, I hear that all the time. For some years now, I practice intermittent fasting and OMAD—one meal a day.”

He looked genuinely impressed. We went ahead with another acupuncture session, and he asked me to return in a week.

In my opinion, some people are simply born into the “looks younger than their age” category—and I’m pretty sure I’m one of them. My proof? A string of similar compliments and one unforgettable airport incident from my early days in the Foreign Service. Even now, every time I pass through that airport, the memory hits me like a sitcom rerun I never asked for but still laugh about. 

At 23, I’d just come back from my first work trip abroad, attempting to carry my diplomatic passport with humility instead of the dramatic flair it clearly deserved. I handed it to the customs officer, expecting a routine identity check. She examined it… then examined me… then examined it again as if conducting a full forensic investigation. Finally, she asked, with the seriousness of someone solving a mystery: “Are you the diplomat… or is it your father?”

Perplexed, I leaned in gently and said, with all the calmness I could garner:

“Madam, please take another look at the passport - does it say diplomat, or ‘child of a diplomat’ ?”

She glanced at me one last time. Then without a word - she slid my passport back across the counter. No questions. No apologies. Not even the courtesy of a reluctant smile. Just the cold, silent acknowledgment that the math, indeed, was mathing.

And that’s how I learned that looking like a teenager while holding a diplomatic passport can confuse airport officials. 

There was another time I was out with friends, heading into a bar that required ID at the door. You know - the kind of place where the rules around alcohol are strictly adhered to. I stepped up confidently… only to be denied entry because I didn’t have my ID on me.

The bouncer took one look at my face, decided I was roughly twelve years old, and that was that. I stood there in disbelief, realizing my baby face had just sabotaged my night out!

In my opinion, some people are simply born into the “looks younger than their age” category—and I’m pretty sure I’m one of them. My proof? A string of similar compliments and one unforgettable airport incident from my early days in the Foreign Service. Even now, every time I pass through that airport, the memory hits me like a sitcom rerun I never asked for but still laugh about. 

Looking younger can be influenced by many factors: healthy habits and lifestyle choices, low stress, good environments, and - let’s be honest  - pure genetics. People often tell my parents that they look forever young, and I’m convinced I inherited those youth-preserving superpowers. With some luck, I’ll pass them on to my children too. (You’re welcome, future youthful generation!)

As for my personal “anti‑ageing toolkit,” it’s nothing dramatic. I read and listen to spiritual literature, keep my inner peace intact, practice mindfulness and gratitude, meditate, and stretch with yoga. Apparently, a calm mind, flexible muscles, and a healthy dose of laughter work better than any expensive face cream. 

In 2007, I created a Yahoo group to share jokes with friends and family. Ten years later, social media took over and I upgraded to a WhatsApp group viz Fun. Indeed, laughter feeds the soul, and honestly, it may be the closest thing we have to reverse ageing.

Who knew tranquility and laughter could double as a beauty regimen?

Would you like to share your own anti-ageing toolkit? I’d love to hear from you!