Take years off…YOUR BONES

Don’t take your bone health for granted. ‘Half of all women over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis,’ says Julia Thomson, clinical advisor at the Royal Osteoporosis Society. ‘Your risk increases if you’re either underweight or overweight, so aim to stick within your healthy BMI range. Diet and exercise help with this, but they have other bone benefits too.’

ANTI-AGERS

✣ Keep active Opt for bone-friendly, weight-bearing (such as simply standing) and muscle-strengthening (with an extra jolt through your skeleton) exercises.

✣ Limit alcohol Booze

increases your risk of osteoporosis, so drink no more than 14 units a week.

✣ Become a non-smoker Smoking slows down bone-building cells, so your bones age faster. When you quit, your risk of breaking a bone begins to return to normal.