And why has Irene, 76, never needed them?

IRENE ESTRY, 76, is a fitness instructor and lives in Manchester with her husband Phil, 82, a businessman. They have two children and two grandchildren. TYPES OF PILL TAKEN EACH DAY: 0 NUMBER OF PILLS TAKEN EACH DAY: 0 ABOUT 40 years ago, I was prescribed sleeping pills after a period of insomnia — my husband Phil had an operation and I was terribly anxious.

But a day or so after taking them, I woke up with a pounding heart and it just wouldn’t stop. I also had blurred vision and felt unsteady on my feet.

Phil took me to hospital, where I was told that I’d had a bad reaction to the medication. I was determined to avoid pills at all costs after that and, apart from the occasional painkiller, I have done so.

I think the fact I have been a fitness instructor for 37 years has helped. These days, I teach a lot of older ladies — and my classes include Pilates and yoga (no aerobics). I also walk about 12 miles a week.

I don’t diet — the only diet I do is based on common sense. It’s about eating sensibly, when you are hungry and not, as can be the case, with emotion.

I’ll have eggs and brown toast for breakfast; baked potato with chicken, or fish and salad, for lunch; and then bolognese with brown rice for supper.

I don’t drink alcohol. I don’t worry about weight — it’s just about whether you can fit in your frock! I wear a size 10 and that’s good enough for me.

At one point, when I was about 72, I did have slightly high blood pressure, but I controlled it with lifestyle. I drank lots of water, meditated to relieve stress and used hawthorn drops, supposed to be a remedy for high blood pressure.

I have a bit of osteoarthritis in the spine, but do stretching exercises to relieve any aches.

However, I think there are so many different components to good health. Some of it is luck and genes (my mother lived until she was 95 and my grandmother to 101, with no chronic problems).

Some of it is definitely attitude — I have a hugely positive take on life. My son, who is 52 with special needs, lives at home, but I count my blessings.

He is a wonderful man and I have learned to be patient and positive — to stay calm.

EXPERT COMMENT: ‘Irene is a wonderful example of how to stay in good health,’ says cardiologist Dr Glyn Thomas.

‘The most important thing is to avoid obesity, which is linked to a whole range of health — and therefore medication- dependent — issues such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

‘Walking 30 minutes three times a week to create a state of breathlessness is also important, as is following a diet low in salt, high in fibre and a low intake of red meat.’

He adds that it is better to get nutrients from your diet than supplements. ‘The one exception is vitamin D, which is vital for overall health and only present in a few foods.’