Health
Want to slow the signs of ageing? Read on
Feeling your age? You don’t need to. Stay active and healthy, and you can feel great – and look it, too. We actually have more control over how we age than was once thought, says nutritional therapist Kim Plaza, at Bio-Kult. ‘Assessing what you can do to smooth any potential health hiccups will help safeguard your future fitness.’
With the average life expectancy for UK women hovering around the mid-80s, most of us have years of life ahead of us. Each decade brings new challenges, but here’s how to face them and still be thriving at 80 – and beyond.
It can be a difficult, confusing time, as most women are going through the menopause or perimenopause.
‘Falling oestrogen levels mean we lose the hormone’s protective shield against a number of chronic conditions, including high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis,’ says Kim. But there are ways to counterbalance the effects.
✱ Regulate stress When your ovaries produce less oestrogen, your adrenal glands, which also produce stress hormones, such as cortisol, try to pick up the slack, says Kim. Plus, chronic stress is associated with heart disease, so it’s something you want to master now.
Your 50s
To prevent your adrenal glands from working overtime, try a yoga class or learn to meditate – there are guided sessions for both on YouTube.
✱ Defog your thoughts Almost 80% of women experience brain fog during the menopause*, but the right foods can fuel better brain power. ‘Oxidative stress and inflammation are one of the leading causes of brain ageing,’ says Kim. ‘Avoid sugary foods and refined carbs, and eat more polyphenols, which act as antioxidants, such as brightly coloured fruit and veg (berries are a particularly good source), green tea, cacao powder, nuts and beans.’
✱ Key health check About eight out of 10 cases of breast cancer happen in women over 50**. Get screened every three years and check your breasts monthly – go to nhs.uk to learn how.
Your 60s
After the upheaval of the menopause, it’s time to take back control. You should dedicate this decade to building healthy habits that you will be able to carry with you into your later life. ‘The loss of muscle mass due to ageing is actually only about 10-15%. The rest is due to lack of activity and poor diet,’ says nutritional therapist Katarina Cepinova, at well-actually.co.uk
✱ Train your brain ‘Parts of the brain shrink as we get older and signalling between neurons also slows down,’ says Katarina. ‘Research*** shows that sudoku performance is associated with working memory,’ says Kim. If sudoku is not your thing, there are many other activities that you could try. You cou
