Health of the nation

Published on Friday 2 May 2008 13:34

How old do you feel? Better than you did a decade ago? Or are you falling apart at the seams? In an exclusive Scotland on Sunday online survey, you told us you expect to live into your 80s, that you look younger than your years and that you care about diet and exercise.

But how do you really measure up in health terms? Here we give you the chance to take a health MOT and our panel of experts from the fields of medicine, fitness, nutrition, grooming and emotional health reveal some of the best tips for a long and healthy life. From diet and work-life balance to ways to look younger, from your sex life to your drinking habits, we explain, decade by decade, the key health problems for men and women and, crucially, how to avoid them.

WOMEN: 18-30

WOMEN: 31-44

WOMEN: 45-64

WOMEN: 65+

MEN: 18-30

MEN: 31-44

MEN: 45-64

MEN: 65+

OUR HEALTH AND AGEING EXPERTS

• Carina Norris, registered nutritionist and adviser for the Channel 4 series Turn Back Your Body Clock (www.carinanorris.co.uk)

• Sabrina Severo, fitness expert at Virgin Active Gym, Edinburgh (07922 202968)

• Neil Stitt, salon director for the hair stylist Cheynes, Edinburgh

(www.cheyneshairdressing.com)

• Sonya Steller, BACP accredited person-centred counsellor based in Edinburgh (www.stellercounselling.com)

• Dr Gary Hamilton, a GP in Glasgow

• David Calder, a personal trainer based in Edinburgh who also writes Spectrum's fitness column (07775 811 197, www.davidcalder.com)

A diet for life

A healthy diet and lifestyle are the closest you'll get to a fountain of youth, says nutritionist Carina Norris

Want to live forever – or at least longer and more healthily? Your best bet is to improve your diet. Try the following and the years will drop off:

• Eat quality protein – choose lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils. Minimise processed proteins such as fatty sausages and burgers and processed meat products.

• Learn to love fish – eat it at least twice a week, and oily fish at least once weekly.

• Balance your fat intake – minimise your intake of saturated fats, as well as hydrogenated fats, which contain harmful trans-fats. These raise your level of harmful cholesterol, which contributes to clogged arteries, heart disease and strokes. Too much saturated and trans-fats can also raise your risk of developing certain types of cancer.

• Your body needs a certain amount of fat, though, so you should eat moderate amounts of the healthy mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Get these from oils such as olive and nut oils, nuts and seeds, and oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and fresh tuna.

• All fat is high in calories, remember – if you don't burn it off, you will put on weight.

• Minimise your salt intake – too much can raise your blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The recommended maximum for adults is 6g salt (2.4g sodium) per day.

• Eat the right carbohydrates – get your energy from wholegrain carbohydrates such as wholemeal bread, brown pasta and brown rice and oats, rather than refined (white) carbs or sugar. Wholegrains are low-glycaemic-index (GI) foods, which provide long-lasting energy and help to balance your blood sugar levels.

• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables – the recommendation is at least five a day, but more is better.

• Antioxidants are your secret weapon in the battle against ageing. They protect cells against harmful free-radical molecules. Free-radical damage is implicated in a host of age-related health problems, such as clogged arteries, heart disease, stroke, cancer, cataracts and Alzheimer's. It even underlies the ageing process itself.

• Some of the vitamins – A, C and E – act as antioxidants. So do a whole variety of compounds found in plants, especially the pigments that give fruit and vegetables their bright colours. Tea and wine (especially red wine) are also good sources of antioxidants (but keep the alcohol in moderation or you'll undo any possible benefit). Some dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, but remember that chocolate is high in calories, sugar and fat.