I was at a boxing day party of cardiologists this year, many of whom had come straight from the local hospital where they’d been treating Christmas day heart attacks as well as looking after the usual heart-diseased in-patients. I noticed (glumly) that none of the cardiologists were drinking or snatching at the canapes, so I…
BUILD MUSCLE OVER 50, LIVE LONGER
How are your muscles? If yours are anything like mine, they could do with a little work. Yesterday England’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) weighed in on the state of the nation’s musculature, recommending strengthening exercises twice a week to help us age well. The guidelines advise that we build strength and improve balance to help…
What you need to know about sunscreen this summer
I’m conflicted about sunscreen. How about you? Of course, I don’t want to get skin cancer, wrinkles or sunburn, but on the other hand, slathering myself with a concoction of chemicals which block essential longevity nutrients doesn’t fill me with joy either. But, as I’m about to head off to somewhere hot and (hopefully) sunny,…
THE ASTONISHING POWER OF SUNLIGHT: PART 2
I’ve broken a bone in my foot, which means I’ve spent a fair bit of the week in hospital and a fair bit of time hobbling around, very slowly, in a big plastic boot or weird and deeply uncomfortable, back-to-front footwear. In the same week that Vitamin D made headlines, it’ll come as no surprise…
WORK OUT, AND YOUR GUT WILL THANK YOU
Get more exercise, take more care of our gut health: two of the most important things we’ve learnt on our Age-Well Project. And so it was no surprise to discover that one influences the other. Our gut bacteria can help us get fitter, so looking after them is as key as a good pair…
GOOD NEWS FOR OLD MUSCLES
If any of you have children or grandchildren (especially teens) who aren’t getting enough exercise (think Fortnight, social media, Netflix box sets… you get the gist), today’s post is the fuel you need to turn the wifi off. It also offers hope to anyone temporarily bedbound, injured or in a sedentary job. And so I’m…
THESE VEGETABLES WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR BONES – AND KALE SHAKSHUKA
Growing up, I was very close to my paternal grandmother. She was widowed young and filled her life with a cohort of doughty female friends and relations. They became, by extension, my ‘aunties’. They played whist, shopped and shored up the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service together. As time passed they all started to break bones,…
WHY EXERCISE IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR AGEING WELL AND THE PERFECT CLOVEY SPICE MIX
One of my favourite ageing blogs comes from an American scientist called Dr Josh Mitteldorf. Last year Josh reviewed the science behind the five things he considers most helpful in fending off dementia: physical exercise; mental stimulation and social interaction; metabolic syndrome/insulin sensitivity; diet; and drugs/supplements. We would add sleep, but Josh didn’t (clearly he’s…
VITAMIN D – TO SUPPLEMENT OR NOT TO SUPPLEMENT?
As readers of this blog will know, I take no vitamin supplements. Except in December when I normally take a vitamin D supplement for a few months. But this year I didn’t. Until yesterday, when I did. Confused? I was too. And that’s the point. We are bombarded by constantly changing and often opposing information…
WHY YOU NEED MORE SPERMIDINE … AND WHY WE STILL LOVE CHEESE
Yes, you read that correctly. No, it’s not exactly what you’re thinking. Spermidine is a polyamine that was first found in human semen but has since been found in almost all human tissue. We wrote about polyamines two years ago, in a post that has become one of our most frequently read. It’s worth reading…