Have you noticed the longer, lighter days? Isn’t it lovely? But are you spending sufficient time outdoors? Or in a sunny spot? Are you turning off Netflix/your laptop/your phone when darkness falls? If you are, bravo! If not, you might want to read on. There’s a fair bit of science here, so scroll to the…
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT SELENIUM?
The talk in geroscience circles over the last fortnight has been all about selenium: can selenium supplements give us the longer healthier life we want? The excitement was sparked by an experiment that found mice given selenium supplements had an improved health span (a longer disease-free period at the end of their lives). How does…
WHY WE NEED SILENCE TO AGE WELL
As I write this I can hear a pneumatic drill, the drone of overhead aircraft, a neighbour’s dog barking and the thrum of streaming traffic from a nearby road. And that’s just from outside my house. Inside, my washing machine is bleeping (why do all white goods now come with noisy alerts?), a bathroom fan…
CAN YOU EAT TO BEAT POLLUTION?
Worried about pollution? We are too. This week, researchers announced that air pollution is now killing more people than smoking. The new study focuses on ozone and PM2.5 (they’re the tiny particles of Particulate Matter invisible to the naked eye but able to penetrate our lungs and – possibly – cross into our blood). The…
WHAT I LEARNT ABOUT AGEING WELL … IN GOZO
A week of hiking, reading and sunshine on the gorgeous island of Gozo has left me reinvigorated but a little baffled. Here’s why… The island gets an average 3000 hours of annual sunshine, more than double that of London. So no Vitamin D deficiencies here. The high level of sunlight might also help explain the…
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…
HOW TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER LAUGHTER & FARRO SALAD WITH EGGS AND SMOKED MACKEREL
A few weeks ago I had dinner with one of the UK’s kings of comedy. Charlie Higson, writer, producer and comedian in shows like Saturday Live, the Harry Enfield Programme, Reeves and Mortimer and The Fast Show, had us all in stitches. After a while, we were laughing before Charlie even opened his mouth, almost…
EATING LESS – WHITE BEAN AND ANCHOVY DIP
Great to hear today’s big ageing research: older women who go to church at least twice a week live for five months longer, on average, than those that don’t. The extra longevity is not attributed to the divine hand of God, however, but to the sense of community regular church attendance provides. I suspect faith…
CHAMPAGNE, FIBRE AND THE BEST WAY TO EAT BRUSSEL SPROUTS
With Christmas only two weeks away and the party season in full swing, health may not be top of your mind. But we have good news today. Read on to find out why champagne may help fend off dementia and how fibre may be a more effective tool for weight loss than dieting…. And a…
