Aging is an inevitable natural process that begins the moment we are born, but maintaining good health and vitality as we grow older is largely within individual control. That is the core message from Vaidya Shasvin Bhoelai, an Ayurvedic natural medicine practitioner, in an interview with local media. Bhoelai, who has Surinamese roots and trained in India and the Netherlands, specializes in research and practice around healthy, vital aging, and currently runs his own clinic called Asamanya Ayurveda Healing in Leiden.
Against widespread cultural attitudes that only prioritize health once people reach older age, Bhoelai emphasizes that healthy aging is a lifelong journey, not a last-minute concern. “People often start taking health seriously only when they are already older, but it is a continuous process that starts at birth,” he explains. “People who live consciously can age longer and with far more vitality.”
For Bhoelai, healthy aging centers on prevention rather than reversal of aging, and small consistent daily habits create meaningful long-term differences. He frames the human lifespan through the core Ayurvedic framework, dividing it into three distinct stages aligned with the practice’s core energies: growth aligned with kapha energy, middle adulthood activity aligned with pitta energy, and the aging phase aligned with vata energy. Transitional life stages such as menopause and andropause often mark the point when aging becomes more noticeable, prompting widespread reminders to pay attention to health. But Bhoelai argues that proactive care should begin much earlier.
Rooted in this centuries-old Indian traditional health system, Ayurveda approaches health through personalized care that prioritizes prevention. Every person has a unique individual constitution, called prakriti, and may experience unique imbalances, called vikriti, so tailored adjustments are needed to restore and maintain long-term balance. One of the most critical factors Bhoelai highlights is diet, noting that many people routinely ignore early warning signals their body sends — from stomach cramps and acid reflux to headaches and persistent low energy. The human body has an innate self-regenerating ability, just as skin heals naturally after a cut, but diet plays a foundational role in supporting this capacity. As people age, digestive fire, or agni, naturally weakens, so what a person eats directly impacts their energy levels, immune resistance, and the rate at which they age.
To support healthy digestion and sustained vitality, Bhoelai recommends eating warm, light, easily digestible foods. He stresses that healthy eating does not need to be expensive, noting that nutrient-dense, healing foods can be easily grown, referencing the fertile soil of his native Suriname where many beneficial plants grow readily. Even small adjustments to daily eating habits can lead to dramatic improvements in how people feel day to day, he adds.
Alongside diet and regular movement, Bhoelai underlines the equal importance of mental and spiritual well-being. Chronic stress acts as a powerful accelerator of the aging process, he explains, noting that the body should be viewed as the “house of the soul” that requires care on every level, not just physical. “Balance between body and mind is essential for a vital life,” he says. A sedentary lifestyle also speeds up functional decline and increases the risk of chronic health conditions, he adds.
To help people of all ages build accessible healthy habits, Bhoelai supports community-based initiatives like vitality clubs. These groups can gather multiple times a week in neighborhoods, streets, or even among family members to engage in outdoor activity, ranging from yoga and swimming to dancing. Bhoelai points out that group activities do more than boost physical and mental health: they also strengthen social connections and keep participants motivated to maintain activity, and can reduce loneliness among older adults.
At its core, Ayurveda focuses on enabling self-healing and sustained health by balancing body, mind, and spirit. When conducting a diagnosis, Bhoelai assesses four core pillars of health: diet, movement, sleep, and sexual health. An imbalance in any of these areas can open the door to illness. Treatments range from dietary adjustments and essential oil massages to the use of medicinal herbs, including wild bitter gourd (wilde sopropo) for diabetes management and the moko-moko plant to support wound healing. The World Health Organization formally recognized Ayurveda as a traditional medical system back in 1978.
Those seeking more information on healthy vital aging or how to set up a local vitality club can reach out at info@ayurveda-aah.com.