LOVE YOUR LIFE AT EVERY AGE
ACCORDING to the professor, your health is grounded in your happiness. enjoying life is the key to vitality and that means embracing your favourite vices — but not to excess — and releasing yourself from the toxic guilt of feeling you’re not conforming to the latest medical diktats.
He’s reluctant to be prescriptive about anything because so much of the health advice we receive is one-size-fits-all, when actually, as he says, we are individuals and our individual risk factors are a function of our lifestyle, our genetics, and our age.
In an ideal world, he says, we’d work out which bits of health and medical advice were most relevant to us and ignore the rest. But he does offer ‘roadmaps’ that indicate the aspects of health we should aim to prioritise at each stage of life . . .
35-50
FOCUS on ensuring your plate is packed with a rainbow of fruit and veg that, ideally, is organic and locally grown.
SMOKING for 20 to 30 years takes ten years off life expectancy, so think about switching to a vape or e-cigarette.
AFTER every alcoholic drink have two glasses of water.
TRY team sports to boost your mental, as well as physical, health and make time for a club with activities that feed your soul too — whether it’s singing, dancing, reading or art.
START meditating, as 15 minutes here and there will have a real impact on your breathing and stress levels.
SHIFTING weight after the menopause is harder so weighing yourself weekly (in conjunction with physical activity and a good diet) can help keep things in check.
50-65
YOU don’t have to go vegetarian, but increase the amount of vegetables in your diet to boost fibre levels and keep you regular.
TAKE a ten-day course of 1g vitamin C daily every two or three months (more than that can put you at a higher risk of kidney stones) to help combat oxidative stress, a contributing factor to cancer.
TAKE 4,000IU of vitamin D daily to help maintain strong bones and protect against cancers and auto-immune diseases.
STAY hydrated — 1.5 litres of water a day will keep your organs healthy and help you feel good.
BEWARE of self-medicating with supplements that promise to help cure the menopause. Don’t take anything without consulting a doctor first.
TRY swimming — it’s a good exercise that won’t put pressure on your joints — walk a lot, and if you cycle, be sure to wear a helmet.
IF YOU want to stay youthful, you have to think youthful. That means being positive and amiable, going out and spending time with people who are younger than you.
LOOK after your teeth and see your dentist at least once a year. After the age of 50 plaque has a tendency to attack the gums so you risk losing teeth.
PAY attention to your posture, standing up straight can take ten years off you.
HAVE regular check-ups. Don’t miss appointments for mammograms, blood tests for colon cancer, bone density scans and mole examinations, too.
65-PLUS
AS YOU get older, your appetite might be smaller, but try to keep your diet balanced. Focus on quality proteins and calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products.
THINK about taking a B vitamin complex to boost skin and hair regeneration. It also has benefits associated with preventing Alzheimer’s.
KEEP your brain stimulated with intellectual activities that pique your curiosity and mental activity, such as Bridge or Sudoku.
SWIMMING, Nordic walking, which involves walking with poles, and golf keep you fit as well as mobile.
CULTIVATE your social life and seek out laughter, which helps dispel stress and relaxes you. Film clubs, reading groups, anything that stops you being isolated.
DON’T let yourself go. As time passes, it’s easy to think the way we look doesn’t matter. It does, because if we look better, we feel better, so keep up the hair appointments and choose clothing with care.
‘Life is a gift. You have to honour it by finding joy and happiness’