PILLAR 1 Eat

In the areas of the world where healthy centenarians are common, people eat a whole range of foods. But, says Dr Chatterjee, there are some very broad and basic principles that are consistent. These people eat unprocessed local seasonal produce, they sit and eat together, and they have treats only at festive times.

1DE-NORMALISE SUGAR Remove foods with sugar from your cupboards. ‘Start looking at ingredients labels – you’ll soon find, in all probability, you’re having sugar all the time,’ says Dr Chatterjee. Excess sugar – which to your body is any processed sugar and white flour – sets you off on a blood sugar rollercoaster, which eventually tells our bodies to store fat, and so leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes. ‘Cut out the sugar you have day in, day out. Only have it now and again,’ he says.

2A NEW DEFINITION OF FIVE-A-DAY Try to eat at least five portions of vegetables every day, ideally of five colours. The trillions of bugs in your gut – your microbiome – are a vital part of your immune system and they feed on plant fibre, so give them plenty of veg. Why different colours? Because they contain different incredible chemicals called phytonutrients, which help heart health, fight cancer cells, reduce inflammation and reverse brain ageing. Great sources are spinach, broccoli, red onions, asparagus, shallots, carrots, artichokes and olives, as well as berries.

3INTRODUCE DAILY MICRO-FASTS Eat all your food within a 12-hour window – for example, breakfast at 7am and supper by 7pm. ‘After 12 hours of not eating, a process called autophagy will have kicked in,’ says Dr Chatterjee. It’s like housekeeping for the body, and good for weight loss as it leads to improved blood sugar control and appetite signalling.

4DRINK MORE WATER Aim for eight small glasses (approximately 1.2 litres) and you’ll have reduced sugar cravings and increased energy levels.

5UNPROCESS YOUR DIET Avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients. Instead of thinking about calories, carbs or fat, eat minimally processed food, cooking from scratch. Stick to quality carbs – for example, wholegrain rice and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips – rather than refined carbs (white bread, biscuits, muffins and cakes).