Take The TesT
4
How much weight
have you gained
since you were 18?
A Less than 20lb. 0
B 20-40lb. +1
C More than 40lb. +2.5
Being overweight raises
risk of cancer, heart
disease and diabetes.5
How often do you
eat breakfast?
A More than 5 times
a week. –0. 5
B 2-3 times a week. +0. 5
C Less than twice a week. +1
Non-breakfast eaters are more likely
to die prematurely.
>> For a fuller assessment, take the RealAge
test at sharecare.com1
EAt purplE fruit
Blackcurrants, blackberries and
blueberries all get their purple
pigment from huge quantities of
anthocyanins. Scientists at the Quadrum
Institute, Norwich, say these compounds
can increase blood flow in the brain and
keep your brain young. Include two
portions of these fruits in your five a day.2
GEt wAlkiNG
Not only does walking keep
your heart young and healthy,
but a University of London study found
that just one hour of brisk walking
twice a week increased neurons in
the hippocampus area of the brain,
significantly boosting mental skills
in only 10 weeks.3
kEEp CAlm
After smoking, being stressed or
overweight – or both – age the body
more than anything else, bringing on
diseases of the elderly sooner, according
to a study at King’s College London.4
GEt DANCiNG
A study at Otto von Guericke
University Magdeburg in
Germany found six months of dancing
for an hour, three times a week, made
muscles 15% younger.5
tAkE iNuliN
It’s a form of high-resistant starch
(found in pulses like chickpeas
and lentils) that helps remove the
internal fat from around your organs thatcauses age-related diseases like diabetes
and heart disease. The probiotic Lepicol
(£17.95, lepicol.com), is 30% inulin.6
kEEp lEArNiNG
Studies show learning a new task
challenges multiple parts of your
brain. Life-drawing is better than sudoku
because each picture is a fresh challenge,
while learning a second language boosts
the size of different parts of the brain.7
GEt off your sEAt
Rate leg strength by rising unaided
from a chair then sitting down as
many times as you can in 30 seconds.
‘A fit forty-something should be able to
do this 17 times,’ says Sammy. ‘Practice
makes your legs stronger and younger.’HOW TO TAKE THE QUIZ
Did
you know?
Being a smoker can add
a decade or more to your
biological health, while coping
well with stress and always
being optimistic adds
around 13 years.TAKE THE
mIlE TEsT
Try to run or fast-walk a
mile in nine minutes. ‘If you
struggle to do it in 12 minutes,
research says you could be
at 30% higher risk of dying
from heart disease in 30
years’ time,’ says Sammy.Start with your actual age, then add or subtract years as instructed as
you go through the questions. They are all based on years of research by
Dr Michael roizen, Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.7 wAys to stAy youNGEr
if your score aged you prematurely – and alarmed you – don’t panic. follow our top tips to help reverse the ageing process1
How much
sleep do you get
most nights?
A Less than
61 / 2 hours. +1
B 61 / 2 to 7^1 / 4 hours. -1
C 71 / 2 to 8^1 / 4 hours. 0
Getting too little
sleep hikes your
risk of Alzheimer’s
disease, heart
disease and cancer.2
How healthy are your gums?
A Good – your dentist always
congratulates you on your
scrupulous flossing. –2
B Fair – but they do tend to bleed a bit
when you brush your teeth. +0. 5
C Could be much better – they’re shrinking
and teeth are loosening. +2
Gum disease is linked to a higher
risk of heart disease.3
How many days a week do
you have non-fruit
snacks (for example,
biscuits) between meals?
A Occasionally. 0
B 3 to 5 days. +0. 5
C Every day. +1
regular snacks slow the
metabolism and increase the risk
of diabetes.s?T m s r a f yTry THE sITTIng-
TO-rIsIng TEsT
Carefully lower yourself from
standing to sitting cross-legged on
the floor. Then get back up. Your
maximum score is 10. Five points
for sitting and five for standing back
up. Lose a point every time you use
a hand or knee for support, and^1 / 2
a point every time you wobble. ‘In
a study of 51 to 80 year olds, those
with the lowest score were five to
six times more likely to die in the
next six years than those with the
highest,’ says physio Sammy Margo.photosGetty