We all want to live longer, but only if we are healthy.
My job is to get people healthy and feeling great. Here’s my top tips on healthy ageing:
#1 Know your blueprint
We all have a unique blueprint that is our genes. We used to think that we just have our genes and there’s nothing you can do about it. We now know that this isn’t the case. I test for over 300 genes that can be modified to reduce your chances of getting a heart attack or stroke, preventing osteoporosis, improve your antioxidants, improve your detoxification and reduce inflammation in your body. Some of the genes will tell you the best diet for your unique gene type, the sort of exercise you need to do (sadly the answer is never no exercise!) and even how much alcohol you can drink. Knowing your ‘blueprint’ is empowering as you can make changes in your diet, personalise your supplements and modify your lifestyle accordingly to feel better today whilst also improving your health long term.
#2 Find out where you are on the map – use your GPS
Knowing your blueprint is all very well, but what about finding out what’s going on right now? I often do telomere testing with patients which tell you how old your body really is. If you’re ageing on a cellular level, we can do something about it. I also check my patient’s vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, antioxidant levels and amino acids to create a total program for them based on what’s going on in their bodies right now. This fits well with the gene testing. For example, if your genes show you need a high intake of B vitamins, we can check those vitamins to see if you’re getting enough right now or if this needs to be adjusted.
#3 Balance your hormones
Do our hormones drop as we get older, or do we age because our hormones reduce? Keeping our hormones optimum, whether you’re a man or woman is key to feeling young, looking young and ageing well. Studies have shown in women, optimum hormone replacement at the time of menopause can reduce all causes of mortality compared to women who don’t take hormone replacement. Healthy levels of testosterone have been shown to prevent heart attack in healthy men. It’s important to see someone who has a lot of experience in balancing hormones, like myself, so they can personalise this to suit you and monitor treatment.
#4 Lifestyle is key
The most important factor is always lifestyle. Managing nutrition, getting good exercise, reducing stress, drinking lots of water and getting quality sleep is key to feeling good. I help my patients create realistic plans where they can stay healthy and have it fit in with their hectic schedules.
