In Conversation with Dr. Mani Kukreja; The Science of Graceful Ageing: Bio-Optimising Your Body, Skin & Energy
At Vemel, we’re passionate about conversations that redefine what it means to live and age well. Today, we speak with Dr. Mani Kukreja, physician, public health expert, and integrative health strategist whose holistic yet science-led approach to ageing has helped women around the world reclaim vitality and power through their 40s and beyond. In this conversation, we unpack what it means to bio-optimise your body, rebuild energy, and age on your own terms from the inside out.
1. Your background bridges clinical medicine, public health, and now integrative wellness. What led you to expand your focus from treating illness to helping women optimise health and longevity?
After completing my medical education, I pursued a Master’s in Public Health with a major in Women’s Health and Clinical Research, and spent over a decade working on clinical trials focused on chronic and metabolic diseases like diabetes and cancer. What that journey taught me is that the conventional path waiting for disease to show up before taking action is deeply flawed.
Instead of only managing illness, I began to see the value in creating health proactively. I realized we have far more control over how we age than we’re led to believe through lifestyle, nutrition, hormonal balance, and cellular health. Women over 40 often stand at a turning point in their health. Rather than accept decline as inevitable, I wanted to offer them the science-backed tools to optimize their energy, vitality, and longevity on their own terms. That shift from reactive to preventive and empowering became my life’s work.
2. You often talk about “bio-optimisation” instead of anti-ageing. What does that mean in real, everyday terms for women entering midlife?
To me, “bio-optimisation” is about working with your biology not against it to help your body function at its best, no matter your age. Unlike the term “anti-ageing,” which feels like a fight against time, bio-optimisation is about tuning in, supporting your body’s natural systems, and enhancing the way you feel, look, and live day by day.
In practical terms, it means nourishing your mitochondria so you have more energy. It means strength training to protect your muscles and bones. It means eating in a way that supports your metabolism and hormones, prioritizing sleep like it’s medicine, and learning to calm chronic stress and inflammation at the root.
For women entering midlife, it’s not about chasing youth it’s about stepping into a stronger, sharper, more resilient version of yourself. Bio-optimisation gives us a way to do that from the inside out, using science-backed lifestyle management and self-awareness as our tools.
3. Many women in their 40s and 50s feel like their energy is slipping and their bodies are working against them. Where do we start to rebuild energy and performance?
The shift in energy, stamina, and even mood that many women feel in midlife is real. It’s a sign that your body is calling for a different kind of support.
The good news is: we can absolutely rebuild energy and performance but we have to go deeper than just grabbing another coffee or squeezing in a workout. We start by restoring the fundamentals: blood sugar balance, quality sleep, muscle mass, and mitochondrial health.
Your mitochondria those tiny powerhouses in your cells are responsible for your energy production. If they’re under stress from poor nutrition, lack of movement, sleep disruption, or chronic inflammation, your whole system slows down. That’s where targeted nutrition, strength training, circadian-aligned sleep, and stress reduction come in.
The key is to take a systems-level view of your body. It’s not about quick fixes it’s about resetting your internal rhythms and giving your biology what it needs to thrive. And when you do that, you’ll start to feel your energy and vitality return naturally, consistently, and sustainably.
4. You’ve reversed your own biological age to 28, that’s remarkable. What are some of the core habits that made that possible?
Reversing my biological age wasn’t something that happened overnight, it was the result of consistent, intentional choices over time. I’ve always believed that how we age is something we can influence deeply, and I made it my mission to live that truth. One of the biggest factors has been consistency, especially when it comes to food. I eat very clean. I avoid processed foods and refined sugar completely. My meals are built around whole, nutrient-dense ingredients; healthy fats, high-quality proteins, and colourful vegetables. I also follow intermittent fasting pretty regularly, usually 14 hours overnight, sometimes 12 if I’m traveling. It’s become a rhythm that really works for my energy and metabolism.
Movement is another pillar for me. I walk about 45 minutes a day, at least four times a week. I also strength train three times a week, with a real focus on form, function, and progressive overload especially upper and lower body work, and a lot of core.
I also take my internal health seriously. I do biomarker testing twice a year looking at inflammation markers, metabolic health, hormone panels, and even toxin load. I do a DEXA scan once a year to check my bone and muscle mass, and I stay up to date on routine checks like mammograms and cardiac markers. It’s about knowing what’s happening inside so I can make decisions with clarity.
Sleep is sacred to me. I protect my 7–8 hours at night like a ritual, and I prioritize recovery just as much as activity. Ultimately, it’s not one thing it’s the layering of all these habits, over time, that helped me bring my biological age down to 28. And honestly, I feel stronger and more energized now than I did in my 30s. That’s the power of living in alignment with your biology.
5. What role does lean muscle play in graceful ageing and why is it something women absolutely need to pay attention to post 40?
Lean muscle is one of the most powerful predictors of healthy ageing, especially for women after 40. It’s not just about appearance or fitness. It’s about function, resilience, metabolism, and long-term independence. As we enter midlife, we naturally start to lose muscle mas, a process called sarcopenia which can affect everything from our strength and posture to our insulin sensitivity and bone health. But the good news is: we can fight that decline, and even reverse it, with the right kind of training and nutrition.
Personally, I make strength training non-negotiable in my weekly routine. Muscle is metabolically active, it helps us burn more at rest, keep blood sugar stable, and feel more energized throughout the day. And let’s not forget confidence, there’s something deeply empowering about feeling strong in your own body. It changes how you show up in the world.
If there’s one thing I could encourage every woman over 40 to do, it’s to stop fearing muscle and start building it. It’s one of the most beautiful and strategic gifts we can give ourselves as we age.
6. Skin is often where ageing shows first. How are inflammation, hormone shifts, and loss of muscle tone connected to how skin behaves in midlife?
Our skin is like a mirror it reflects what’s happening inside the body. In midlife, changes in skin are rarely just about the surface. They’re deeply influenced by things like chronic inflammation, shifting hormones, and declining muscle tone. When estrogen starts to drop especially during perimenopause and menopause it affects collagen production, skin hydration, and elasticity. That’s why skin can start to look thinner, drier, and less plump. At the same time, low-grade, chronic inflammation which many of us carry silently can break down collagen even faster, accelerating wrinkles, dullness, and uneven tone. For me, addressing skin health is not just about using high-end and luxurious creams and serums. Even though I definitely do that consistently as a part of my routine on the surface level, in reality it’s all about working from the inside out. I manage inflammation through food, movement, and stress care. I support hormones naturally and keep a strong focus on building lean muscle. .
7. Many women feel overwhelmed by wellness advice. If you had to simplify your top 3 non-negotiables for ageing well, what would they be?
I completely understand the overwhelm. There’s so much information out there, and not all of it is helpful or realistic for everyday life. If I had to strip it down to just three non-negotiables these are the pillars I live by:
1. Prioritise Muscle.
Strength training is absolutely essential after 40. It protects your bones, balances blood sugar, supports hormones, and keeps your metabolism active and efficient as you age.
2. Reduce Inflammation.
Chronic, low-grade inflammation is at the root of almost every age-related disease. I manage it with anti-inflammatory foods, quality sleep, stress management, and movement. I also regularly check my biomarkers to catch silent inflammation early and stay proactive.
3. Respect Your circadian Rhythms.
That means honoring your sleep, syncing with circadian rhythms, and not running on empty. I treat sleep as medicine at least 7–8 hours every night and I build routines around rest, recovery, and mindfulness. It’s in these quiet spaces that the real repair and rejuvenation happens.
These three pillars create a ripple effect across every part of health. So start by keeping it simple and consistent.
8. Let’s talk about metabolism. What actually slows down in midlife, and how can we reawaken it without crash diets or extremes?
What slows down in midlife is not just metabolism it’s the systems that support it. As we age, we naturally lose lean muscle, our mitochondrial function declines, and hormonal shifts like lower estrogen and progesterone begin to affect everything from how we burn calories to how we store fat and regulate blood sugar.
The good news is that metabolism isn’t a fixed system it’s adaptable. And we can absolutely reactivate it with the right approach. For me, it starts with preserving and building muscle, because muscle is metabolically active. The more lean tissue you have, the more efficiently your body burns energy even at rest.
Blood sugar balance is another big one. I avoid processed carbs and sugar, and focus on fiber-rich whole foods, healthy fats, and smart carb timing especially around workouts or evenings.
Lastly, rest and recovery are underrated metabolic tools. Sleep deprivation, chronic stress, and overtraining can all spike cortisol and slow metabolism.
9. You’ve spoken about estrogen dominance as a major factor in midlife weight gain, especially around the belly. Can you explain what’s actually happening in the body and how women can start to rebalance without extremes?
Yes this is something I see so often in women navigating their 40s and 50s. Estrogen dominance doesn’t always mean you have too muchestrogen it often means you have too much relative to progesterone. As progesterone starts to drop in perimenopause, estrogen becomes unopposed, which can trigger symptoms like bloating, mood swings, heavy periods and especially fat storage around the midsection. This imbalance also affects insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and cortisol regulation, which all feed into that stubborn belly weight that feels impossible to lose—no matter how little you’re eating or how much you’re exercising.
But the answer isn’t to go to extremes it’s to support the body in detoxifying and rebalancing gently and consistently. For me, it starts with liver support—because the liver is where excess estrogen is metabolized. I focus on leafy greens, cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, flaxseeds, and lots of hydration to support that process. Daily movement and sweating also help eliminate excess hormones through the lymph and skin. You don’t need to fear your hormones you just need to work with them. When you support the body’s natural ability to detox, restore, and rebalance, it often knows exactly what to do.
10. You’ve helped so many women shift their mindset around ageing. What mental shift is often needed to truly embrace pro-ageing?
The biggest shift is this: ageing is not something to fear it’s something to own. We’ve been conditioned to see ageing as a decline, especially as women. But the truth is, this phase of life can be one of the most powerful, vibrant, and self-aware chapters we ever live if we shift the narrative.
For me, pro-ageing means approaching each year with intention, not resistance. It means asking, How can I support my body better? How can I show up stronger, wiser, and more in tune with who I really am? When women move from a place of fear and frustration to a place of empowerment, everything changes.
You stop trying to “fix” yourself and start learning how to fuel yourself. You realize that your worth isn’t measured by your age, your weight, or your wrinkles but by your vitality, your presence, and your energy. Ageing well is less about chasing youth and more about choosing strength, clarity, and purpose with every passing year.
11. What does “aging on your own terms” look like to you and why does it matter now more than ever?
To me, aging on your own terms means writing your own script. It’s about living in a way that reflects your values, your pace, and your power. It means choosing strength, confidence and self-respect. This matters now more than ever because women are living longer as per statistical data but often with more chronic illness, burnout, and confusion around how to care for themselves.
It’s about becoming the strongest version of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally while still living fully, beautifully, and in alignment with who you truly are.
12. If you’ve had the chance to explore Vemel, has anything from our skincare range become a part of your daily wellness ritual?
Yes, I’ve had the pleasure of trying Vemel and I genuinely appreciate the purity and intention behind the formulations. As someone who’s very selective about what I put on my skin, I was drawn to Vemel’s commitment to being 100% waterless and toxin-free. That level of integrity matters deeply to me. One product I’ve really enjoyed is the vitamin rich face butter : it’s become a nourishing part of my evening ritual. After a full day of movement, nutrition, and recovery, applying something that feels this clean and rich on my skin feels like a natural extension of how I care for my body from the inside out. It’s not just skincare it’s part of my self-care.