Well-known Northern Ireland folk on the
Turning 70 can be, for many people, a time to slow down. But not the Prince of Wales. Just back from a tour of west Africa, he’s kept busy thanks to royal duties and his ever-growing family. With grandchildren at his feet, and houses to maintain, it seems he’s a poster boy for living your best life at 70. So why not take inspiration from his lifestyle and try these ways to stay fit and healthy at 70 and beyond?
1. Get out in the garden
Charles is best known for his gardens at Highgrove — you can visit and take inspiration from his work (he is known to do some weeding when he’s at home!)
Gardening is a many-faceted way to stay fit and active. It’s physical, of course, strengthening muscles as you weed and prune, but it’s also amazing for mental health. Speaking to Gardeners’ World earlier this year, HRH revealed he even had a small vegetable plot behind Buckingham Palace when he was little. He’s talked a lot about gardening, once telling Radio 4: “For me, it’s the most marvellous, therapeutic business.”
2. Paint a picture
And it’s not just green fingers for Charles — he’s a huge fan of watercolour painting and his works adorn the walls in the reception at Highgrove. He’s an honorary member of the Royal Academy and the Royal Watercolour Society. Painting can bring stress relief, improve memory and build motor skills. You could even make some cash if your work is saleable.
3. Embrace physical activity
It’s recommended that people aged 65 and over, who are con-
4. Try yoga Former SDLP MLA for south Belfast and mother-of-four Carmel Hanna (72) says:
I’m a young 72, in my head. To be honest I probably didn’t live healthily when I was working in politics. I was stressed and running around, much as Claire is now!
But I’ve been retired since 2010, due to cancer, but this is now on an even keel — that has to have a reasonable level of fitness.
I am a registered nurse and midwife, so I suppose I know the importance of a healthy diet. That’s not to say that I don’t treat myself and disregard my own advice once in a while. I go to a dance exercise class and a yoga class weekly and I definitely think it’s much more fun to go with friends and have a coffee afterwards — it’s also a great place to make friends and meet people.
sidered ‘generally fit’, do two and a half hours moderate exercise a week. As well as gardening, you could try a brisk walk, or a game of football (the Queen is said to go in goal when the family plays at Sandringham) or ballroom dancing. After all, why just watch Strictly?
Not just for trendy instagrammers, yoga can really help strengthen muscles, which can help reduce risk of falls. According to the NHS, people of-
I am one of these people who has to have a good walk every day regardless of the weather — even if it’s bad I go for a walk round the block.
I love our parks in Belfast — I often walk in Ormeau Park or Musgrave Park and sometimes I would go down to Botanic Gardens.
I am naturally an optimistic and positive person but I appreciate not everybody feels like that. I love my life and I have a great life. I am lucky. I am still involved at Spurs and I’m still doing a little bit of training with the academy, so some days I go in and do a few volleys and half-volleys with them.
I am also the ambassador for the grassroots programme that McDon-
ten start yoga in their 70s. You don’t need to be super-flexible or have special kit. Look for classes aimed at beginners or your age group if you’re new and want to practice alongside like-minded people of a similar age. The Prince has dabbled in yoga — it’s said he bonded with new daughter-in-law the Duchess of Sussex over the practice, too.
5. Set new goals and celebrate achievements
Charles recently collected a Lifetime Achievement Award from