https://nas.io/drtanwellnessacademy.com/home, https://www.facebook.com/drtanszeszeskinacademy/, http://www.drtanwellness

Dr Tan Wellness Academy, Singapore (2026)

02/02/2026

What should you eat for a youthful look…if not collagen?

During my class last week with new students, I was constantly asked about collagen and protein supplements.

It remains the #1 nutrient people associate with youthful skin.

In my earlier post (👉 link in Comment 1), I explained why most collagen supplements in the market do not directly build youthful skin.

Here’s the key point many people miss:

👉 Healthy, youthful skin does not depend on collagen alone❗️

Biologically, collagen is only one structural protein. The body cannot take collagen from supplements and directly deposit it into the skin.

More importantly, ageing is not simply a collagen problem. 😥

Ageing reflects overall health status and is often driven by long-term malnutrition, chronic stress, poor sleep, inflammation, and impaired nutrient absorption.

When the body is under constant physiological stress, it prioritises survival over skin repair and regeneration.

In addition, long-term inadequate calcium intake can affect bone density and skeletal integrity, which over time may influence facial structure and overall body scaffolding, subtly changing appearance as we age.

Similarly, inadequate dietary fibre and essential fatty acid intake increases chronic inflammation, a key driver that accelerates skin ageing and compromises skin barrier function.

So the question is - should we keep spending thousands of dollars on supplements again❓💰💰

In reality, youthful skin is not built in a supplement bottle❗️

It is supported by consistent, adequate intake of whole foods that provide the nutrients your body needs to repair, regulate inflammation, and maintain structure.

The real focus should not be what to add,
but what foundations are missing.

30/01/2026

Is there such as thing as a “superfood”? 🤔

We’ve been bombarded with the idea of superfoods.

Influencers, brands, documentaries…
From avocados, blueberries, broccoli
to powders, shakes, and “complete meal” replacements that claim:

“Contains everything your body needs.”

Sounds convenient.
Sounds scientific.
Sounds… too good to be true.

Because it is❗️

Why there is no such thing as a superfood?

1️⃣ No single food contains all nutrients in the right amounts

The human body needs:
• Macronutrients (carbs, protein, fats)
• Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals)
• Fiber
• Phytochemicals

No food (not kale, not eggs, not chia seeds) covers everything, and in the right balance.

Even foods that are nutrient-dense are still nutrient-biased, not nutrient-complete.

⸻

2️⃣ Nutrient needs change with age, s*x, health & lifestyle

What a teenage athlete needs is different from what a pregnant woman or an older adult needs.

A “one-food-fits-all” concept ignores human biology.

⸻

3️⃣ Absorption matters more than labels

You don’t absorb nutrients in isolation.

Iron needs enhancers.
Fat-soluble vitamins need fat.
Some nutrients compete with each other.

So even if a product contains everything on paper, your body may not actually use everything.

⸻

4️⃣ Over-focusing on one food creates nutritional blind spots

When people chase “superfoods,” they often:
• eat less variety
• ignore basic foods
• overlook cultural and affordable options

Nutrition works best with diversity, not obsession.

⸻

5️⃣ “Superfood” is a marketing term, not a scientific one

There is no official scientific definition of a superfood.

If a term is flexible enough to sell:
• blueberries
• quinoa
• collagen drinks
• meal replacement powders

…it’s not science. It’s storytelling.

⸻

So what actually works?

Not superfoods.

👉 A combination of foods
👉 Variety over time
👉 Context-aware eating

Your body doesn’t need a hero food.
It needs a supporting cast.

👉 What “superfood” did you once believe in?

29/01/2026

Can exercising more really help you lose fat?

Many people believe that exercising more will help them lose fat.

I believed that too, many years ago.😅

So I increased my physical activity. I added running, swimming, and strength training into my daily routine, hoping my body size would reduce faster.

It didn’t❗️

That experience made me pause, not because exercise “doesn’t work”, but because something in the logic didn’t quite add up.

This is where understanding the science becomes important.

At its core, weight management is about energy balance:
- Energy surplus → weight gain
- Energy deficit → weight loss
- Energy balance → weight maintenance

There is a wrong assumption - thinking exercise can compensate for everything we eat❗️

When exercise is used as the main fat-loss strategy, many people assume that training harder or longer will burn a lot of calories.

But how much energy does exercise actually use?

According to Harvard Health, for a person weighing about 57 kg (125 lb), a 30-minute workout burns roughly:
- Weight training: ~90 kcal
- Stretching / hatha yoga: ~120 kcal
- Running (low impact): ~165 kcal
- Swimming or moderate cycling: ~210 kcal

Now compare that with everyday foods:
- Nasi lemak with fried chicken wing: ~700–900 kcal
- Café latte: ~150–250 kcal
- Sandwich (one serving): ~300–500 kcal

In reality, exercise burns less energy than most people expect.😅

Exercise also increases hunger, and that’s a normal biological response, not a lack of discipline.😅

That’s why relying on exercise alone for fat loss often leads to frustration.

So… should we eat less?

The real answer is: it depends.

How much you should eat, and how vigorously you should exercise, are influenced by many factors: body composition, metabolism, age, hormones, daily activity level, stress, sleep, and consistency.

There isn’t one correct amount that works for everyone.

But fat loss becomes more achievable when we understand how food, movement, and recovery work together, instead of chasing harder workouts or stricter rules.

Learning the science brings clarity.

And clarity leads to better, more sustainable choices.

If this resonates, let me know in the comments. I’ll continue sharing how food and exercise actually work without dieting rules or extremes.

28/01/2026

Is low-fat food really a healthier option?

For years, fat has been blamed for poor health outcomes.

Many people still believe that choosing “low-fat” automatically means eating healthier. Food manufacturers know this well -which is why we now see low-fat versions of milk, drinks, sauces, and even chips.

But fat isn’t just excess calories.

It plays essential roles in the body:
• providing energy
• forming cell membranes
• supporting hormone production
• helping absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)

Fat also matters for another reason that’s often overlooked: flavour❗️

Fat carries aroma and gives food its richness and mouthfeel. When it’s removed, taste suffers.

That’s why skim milk is rarely as satisfying as full-cream milk.

Less flavour usually means lower consumer acceptance and lower sales.

So what happens next?

To compensate, manufacturers often add sugar, sweetening agents, starches, thickeners, emulsifiers, or flavourings. The product may be lower in fat, but it’s often more processed.

Here’s the part many people miss: Low-fat doesn’t automatically mean healthier.

Fat isn’t the enemy.

Like any nutrient, portion, quality and moderation matter.

The real question isn’t “Is this low-fat?”

It’s “What replaced the fat?”

No fat. No flavour. Something else always steps in.

27/01/2026

Do we teach our kids what to eat?

This is me and my daughter about 20 years ago.

Yes, at KFC 😅

And no, I wasn’t there to lecture her about nutrition.

Back then, like many parents, I thought:

“As long as kids eat, it’s fine.”

Fast forward to today, after teaching adult learners and studying nutrition deeply, I see things very differently.

Many parents now tell me:
“My child’s eating is chaotic.”
“They don’t listen to me.”
“They say I’m not qualified.”

That frustration is real.
And the concern is not unfounded.

Our lifelong health is strongly influenced by nutrition early in life, long before adulthood.

But here’s what I’ve learned (and what I wish more parents knew earlier):

👉 Teaching kids what to eat isn’t enough
👉 Forcing doesn’t work
👉 Lecturing creates resistance

So what can parents do?

1️⃣ Start early
Early childhood is when parents still have the strongest influence, before peers, trends, and social media take over.

2️⃣ Educate yourself first
Real food knowledge beats trends and influencer advice.

3️⃣ Be the role model
You can’t expect kids to eat vegetables while you’re chomping down a Big Mac.

4️⃣ Make healthy food accessible
Kids eat what’s available. What’s easy becomes normal.

5️⃣ Educate, don’t force
Let kids try different foods.
Guide them to notice how food makes them feel - energy, focus, discomfort.

No fear needed.

And don’t worry, “bad” food often comes with side effects. Kids can feel it.

That body feedback is a powerful teacher❗️

So no, I wasn’t showing her what not to eat at KFC.

I was learning, slowly, that food education is a journey - for parents first, then kids.

Food literacy isn’t about perfection.

It’s about equipping them with this crucial skill for life. ❤️

26/01/2026

Why is healthy eating so tough?😥

If you’re struggling, I get it. I’ve been there too. 🩷

When I first started paying attention to my food, it took many rounds of trial and error before my eating habits finally worked with my body and improved my health.

It wasn’t because I lacked discipline. It was because I lacked proper food education.

Most of us were never truly taught how to eat well❗️

We inherit eating habits from our parents, who inherited theirs from their parents. These patterns get passed down quietly, without question.

But the food environment our grandparents lived in is not the one we live in today.

Back then, our grandparents could eat “organic” food without even trying. Food was local, seasonal, and minimally processed by default. Ingredient lists were short.

Ultra-processed foods and health supplements didn’t dominate daily life.

Today, it’s a completely different story.

Our food system has transformed dramatically❗️

Highly processed foods are everywhere, convenience is prioritised over nutrition, and marketing often matters more than health.

Yet many of us are still using inherited eating habits that were never designed for this modern food landscape.

And on top of that, we are bombarded with misinformation.
Influencers, brands, and companies constantly push products and diet trends - often designed more to sell than to educate.

Fear-based headlines, miracle claims, shortcuts, and “before-after” stories flood our screens daily. Over time, this creates confusion, anxiety, and self-doubt.😔

So if healthy eating feels hard, it’s not because you’re weak or lazy.

It’s a system problem, combined with an education gap and a very noisy information environment.

The good news?

Once you understand how today’s food system works and how your body responds to it, healthy eating stops feeling like a constant battle and starts feeling logical, doable, and sustainable.

If this resonates with you, stay around.❤️

I’ll continue sharing practical, science-based insights to help you make sense of food without fear, guilt, or hype.

20/01/2026

Do I really need to lose weight?

In my weight management classes, many people join with one goal: to lose weight.

I used to teach the same way too until I realised something uncomfortable.

Many people are trying to shrink their bodies not because they are unhealthy, but because they were made to feel that way.

I see women of all ages who are slim or within a healthy range, yet still obsessed with lowering the number on the scale. Some turn to extreme dieting, supplements, or excessive exercise -all in the name of “health”.

----------

A gentle guide ❤️

Use Body Mass Index (BMI) as a screening tool, not a judgement.- especially for the general population**.

👉 If you are within the healthy range, weight loss should not be the goal.

Focus instead on strength, nourishment, and long-term health.

👉 If you are overweight

Extreme weight-loss methods still aren’t the answer.

Rapid weight loss often backfires. When normal eating resumes, the weight commonly returns; sometimes even more. This isn’t weak willpower. It’s biology.

👉 If you are underweight

Please stop telling yourself you are “fat”.

Being underweight increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies, which can lead to fatigue, hair loss, hormonal issues, low mood, and declining health.

In severe cases, prolonged under-nutrition can be dangerous.

----------

The bigger picture

Health is not about being as small as possible.

It is about being well-nourished, strong, mentally well, and able to live fully.

Sometimes, the healthiest decision is not to lose weight, but to stop fighting your body and start supporting it properly.

----------

If this resonates with you, stay around❤️.This page will continue sharing healthy, sustainable ways to manage weight.

**Note - For individuals with unusually high muscle mass (e.g. athletes), BMI may be less informative and body composition measures are more appropriate.

19/01/2026

More Dietary Protein = More Muscle?

Not always.😅

Proteins have become the centre of attention for many people who want to lose fat and build muscle - men and women alike.

Everywhere I look, I see friends, students, and relatives increasing their protein intake by chomping down protein powders, bars, shakes, chicken breast, egg whites, cheese, and more.

❓So here’s the real question:

Can our body automatically convert dietary protein into muscle?

The honest answer: it depends.

Whether dietary protein is used to build muscle depends on several key factors:

1. Overall nutritional status 🍳🍚🥦

Are you eating enough other macronutrients (carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)?

Muscle protein synthesis is a highly sophisticated biological process. Protein alone is not enough, it requires adequate energy, minerals, and vitamins to function properly.

2. Total calorie intake 🍱

If your energy intake is consistently lower than your energy expenditure, your body prioritises survival.

Instead of using protein to build muscle, your body may burn protein as fuel to meet energy needs.

👉 Not enough calories = protein used for energy, not muscle.

3. Type of exercise you do 🏋️‍♀️⛹️‍♀️

You won’t build muscle by doing cardio alone.

Long runs, swimming, or other endurance-based activities mainly train cardiovascular fitness. During prolonged cardio, protein may be used to support energy metabolism, not muscle growth.

To stimulate muscle building, you need resistance or strength-based training.

4. Stress levels 😣

Chronic stress keeps your body in a catabolic (breakdown) state.

When stress hormones such as cortisol remain elevated, your body becomes less efficient at building muscle, even if protein intake is high.

In simple terms:
👉 A stressed body struggles to build.

5. Recovery and sleep😴

Muscle is not built during training.
It is built during recovery.

Without adequate sleep and rest days, the muscle-building process is impaired. Protein cannot do its job if the body never gets the signal to repair and rebuild.

👉 No recovery = no muscle growth.

Bottom line

Protein is important, but protein alone does not build muscle.

Muscle gain requires:
- Adequate calories
- Balanced nutrition
- Appropriate training
- Low enough stress
- Sufficient recovery

Otherwise, more protein is just… expensive fuel.

14/01/2026

Healthy eating = boring life?

I used to think so too.

When I was younger, spicy, salty, and sweet food felt like happiness and excitement. Eating “unhealthy” food felt shiok. It felt like a reward.

But over time, I realised something.

Unhealthy eating gave me short-term joy.

What followed was fatigue, reduced productivity, physical discomfort, and eventually, long-term health consequences.

That realisation made me start paying attention to my diet - not to be perfect, but to be intentional.

Last month, I joined a fitness camp, and that was when everything clicked.

At 52, I was able to walk for one hour, do one hour of strength training, another hour of yoga, 20 minutes of HIIT, and finish with one hour of Muay Thai in a day.

My joints were still mobile, and I could perform most of the exercises.

Honestly? I was better than many participants who were younger than me. 😄

Not because I trained harder.
Not because of “good genes.”

But because years of consistent, sensible eating had quietly supported my body.

That’s when I understood the real joy of healthy eating.

It’s not about restriction.
It’s not about eating clean all the time.

It’s about freedom.

Freedom to move without pain.
Freedom from preventable illnesses.
Freedom to travel, train, and do the things I enjoy without my body holding me back.

At this stage of life, that kind of freedom matters more than indulgence.

And that, to me, is the true joy of eating well.

What does “joy” in eating mean to you now?

06/01/2026

Why can’t I maintain my weight?

Many people notice that their weight returns after they stop using certain weight-loss products or programs.

Some are even told:

“To maintain your weight, you must continue using the product. Otherwise, rebound is inevitable.”

So what’s really happening?

⸻

Weight management is about energy balance (Read my last post to learn more about energy balance)

At its core, body weight is influenced by energy balance:
• Energy taken in from food
• Energy used for daily activities and essential bodily functions (such as breathing, heartbeat, and temperature regulation)

When energy intake consistently exceeds energy use, the body stores the excess, mainly as fat.

This is normal human physiology, not a lack of discipline.

⸻

How weight-loss products or programs work

Many popular products and programs focus on short-term calorie reduction.

For example:

• Very low-energy formulations
Some products replace digestible carbohydrates, fats, and proteins with:
• Indigestible fibres to create bulk
• Sweeteners and flavouring agents to improve taste

This lowers total calorie intake, which can lead to weight loss—especially if these products replace regular meals.

• Water and waste loss effects

Certain products or programs may increase bowel movement or urination.
This can reduce body water temporarily, causing the scale number to drop quickly.

• Strict food group reduction

Some programs require cutting or significantly reducing carbohydrates or fats.
This lowers daily calorie intake and can result in weight loss over time.

⸻

Why weight often returns afterward

Once people reach their target weight, they often:
• Stop the product or program
• Resume previous eating habits
• Pay less attention to overall energy intake

If energy intake increases again, the body responds naturally by storing the excess.

This isn’t “failure.”It’s simply how the body is designed to function.

⸻

The key takeaway

Weight-loss products or programs are tools, not long-term solutions on their own.

Without learning how to eat in a way that supports:
• Adequate nutrition
• Sustainable energy balance
• Everyday life

Maintaining weight will always feel difficult.

In my upcoming posts, I’ll explain what prolonged reliance on these approaches may affect and what supports long-term, realistic weight management instead.

05/01/2026

Are carbs fattening?

When I was younger, I was told that if I wanted to lose weight, I had to cut down on fat.

That meant:
• Fatty meat
• Cooking oils
• Pastries

Fat was blamed because 1 gram of fat provides 9 kcal of energy, which is more than other nutrients.

So for many years, fat was the villain.

⸻

Then the blame shifted

These days, carbohydrates have taken over as the main culprit for weight gain.

People now ask:
• “Should I cut carbs?”
• “Are carbs the reason I can’t lose weight?”

So which one is it?
Fat or carbs?

⸻

Let’s go back to basics

To understand weight management, we need to understand macronutrients.

There are three macronutrients:
• Carbohydrates
• Proteins
• Fats

All three provide energy:
• Carbohydrates → 4 kcal per gram
• Proteins → 4 kcal per gram
• Fats → 9 kcal per gram

This energy is used to support:

• Basic bodily functions (heartbeat, breathing, body temperature, also known as basal metabolic rate)
• Physical activity, including exercise and daily movement (NEAT)

⸻

Why carbs often get blamed

Carbs are often blamed not because they are inherently fattening, but because:

• Many modern carb sources are highly processed
• They are easy to overeat
• They’re often eaten without much protein, fibre, or fat to slow digestion

This makes it feel like carbs are the problem - when it’s really about how much and what type of carbs we’re eating.

⸻

Energy balance still matters most

Depending on how much energy you consume versus how much your body uses, you will have:
• Energy surplus
• Energy deficit
• Energy balance

Over time:
• Long-term surplus → weight gain
• Long-term deficit → weight loss

Importantly:
👉 The body responds to total energy, not the label on the nutrient.

⸻

So… are carbs fattening?

Yes, if you eat more than your body can use.

But the same is true for:
• Fats
• Proteins

No macronutrient is magically fattening on its own.

⸻

The real takeaway

The problem isn’t carbs. The problem is eating without understanding how food fuels your body.

Food literacy beats food fear every time.

More on this in upcoming posts.

04/01/2026

Do You Really Need to Avoid Gluten?

Gluten-free food has become trendy in recent years.

Many of my students are paying extra to eat so-called hypoallergenic meals, specifically avoiding gluten.

But when I ask why, most of them can’t give a clear answer.

So let’s reset the conversation.

Gluten is a group of proteins naturally found in certain grains, mainly:
• Wheat
• Barley
• Rye
• (and foods made from them such as bread, noodles, pasta, pastries)

Gluten gives dough its elastic, stretchy texture, helping bread rise and hold its shape.

⸻

Who Actually Needs to Avoid Gluten?

There are specific medical groups who must avoid gluten:

1️⃣ People with coeliac disease
• An autoimmune condition
• Gluten triggers immune damage to the small intestine
• Even small amounts can cause inflammation and nutrient malabsorption

➡️ Strict, lifelong gluten avoidance is medically necessary

2️⃣ People with wheat allergy
• An allergic reaction to wheat proteins
• Symptoms may include hives, swelling, breathing difficulty

➡️ Avoidance is required, but this is relatively uncommon

3️⃣ People with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS)
• Experience bloating, discomfort, or fatigue after eating gluten
• No autoimmune damage or true allergy

➡️ Symptoms are real, but diagnosis and triggers vary between individuals

Who Probably Does Not Need to Avoid Gluten?

Most healthy individuals do not need to remove gluten from their diet.

In fact:
• Whole-grain wheat products provide fibre, B vitamins, iron, and plant compounds
• Gluten itself is not toxic
• Cutting it out unnecessarily may reduce dietary diversity

⸻

The Hidden Problem With “Gluten-Free” Foods

Here’s the irony.

Many gluten-free products are:
• More ultra-processed
• Lower in fibre
• Higher in refined starches, sugar, or fats
• More expensive but without added nutritional benefit

So gluten-free doesn’t automatically mean healthier.

⸻

The Better Question to Ask:

Instead of asking:
❌ “Should I avoid gluten?”

Ask:
✅ “Why am I avoiding it and what am I replacing it with?”

Health is about food quality, balance, and context, not chasing trends.

Bottom line:

• Gluten is a problem for some, not for everyone
• Avoidance should be medically justified, not socially driven
• Whole foods matter more than labels

📌 P.S.

Many people tell me they feel better after cutting gluten, but gluten itself is often not the real problem.

In my next post, I’ll explain why removing gluten seems to work, even when gluten isn’t the trigger, and what’s actually changing in the body and diet.

👉 Post 2 coming next.

Dr Tan Wellness Academy

02/02/2026

30/01/2026

29/01/2026

28/01/2026

27/01/2026

26/01/2026

20/01/2026

19/01/2026

14/01/2026

06/01/2026

05/01/2026

04/01/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category