Middle age health boosters

Five things that will keep us in tip-top condition from our 40s onwards: Eat a bit less (processed food) Eating less overall is not a bad idea as we age. In older age especially, our calorie needs go down and our nutrition needs go up. That means cutting the junky and refined, and choosing whole, nutrient-dense foods. Eat a bit more (plant food) Eating more plants is a sure-fire way to boost your chances of staying fighting fit. Adding more veges and fruit will probably mean you’ll automatically cut out a bit of meat; not a bad thing since it’s associated with some of our most common cancers. Give up on diets If you’ve reached your 40s and have never been on a diet, good for you. If you have dieted, you’re old enough to know they don’t work. So ditch the detox or juice fast. The only weight-loss solution that really works is to make small, sustainable changes to how you eat that you can keep going for the whole second half of your life. Take up strength training Avoiding age-related muscle loss (and accompanying fat gain) can be as simple as getting into moving some heavy weight around. Muscle helps burn fat and protects bones and joints. Switch a couple of your long walks for weight-training sessions. Cut down on alcohol Give up on the “it’s good for my heart” story. Although moderate drinking is associated with good health, it needs to be very moderate. Less is more, and alcohol-free days are important. Familiarise yourself with a standard drink: it’s probably not as much as you think it is.