What you can do to ward off illness

Recent analysis by Age UK suggests lifestyle plays a significant part in preventing dementia.

Following a Mediterranean diet, avoiding smoking, and drinking alcohol only in moderation all decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Prevention and treatment of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity all contribute to well-being.

Exercise, whether aerobic, resistance or balance activity, helps ward off cognitive decline – the age-related changes in brain skills that affect memory and speed of thinking.

Mental exercises such as crosswords, maths puzzles and chess can take 10 years off the age of the brain.

A review by the University of Edinburgh showed that more than three quarters of cognitive decline was accounted for by lifestyle and factors including level of education.