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…
WHAT YOUR DOCTOR SHOULD TELL YOU, AND MISO COD
It’s no secret that a healthy lifestyle greatly improves our chances of a healthy old age. That’s what this blog is about, after all! Living disease-free for as long as possible is a goal for all of us, and would be enormously beneficial for the NHS, as I blogged here a few weeks ago. Yet…
NOT ALL EXERCISE IS EQUAL: ZA’TAR NUTS AND THE LONDON BOAT RACE
We know exercise is good and that any exercise is better than none. But are we being misled by Government guidelines with their constant references to moderation? In Britain the National Health Service advises us to do “150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or brisk walking every week.” But Swedish research published…
HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP, AND SUSHI BOWLS
How did you sleep last night? If the straw poll of friends around my dinner table this week (all women around 50) is anything to go by, then not very well. Today is World Sleep Day: designated to encourage us to focus on getting some shut-eye. We’re living in an epidemic of sleeplessness which…
SHOULD YOU EAT LESS SALT? LEBANESE BAKED BEANS
Salt is back in the news. I’m sighing as I write this because salt has been one of the most difficult-to-investigate and complex chapters of our upcoming book (so far). Picking a path through the mountains of conflicting research has left my head reeling. Salt, it seems, is an emotive and contentious subject. We need…
WHAT TO EAT EVERY DAY FOR LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE
What’s the ultimate healthy ageing superfood? Blueberries? Baobab? Some weird Brazilian seed? You’re not going to believe this, but there’s something healthier than all of those. Even better, they are way cheaper than blueberries and you’ve probably got them at home already. I’m talking about beans, pulses and lentils. It’s rare to find a list…
BRING NOVELTY INTO YOUR LIFE & FREEKEH WITH PISTACHIOS
Ever wondered why holidays stand out in our memories? It’s because the brain loves novelty. Our brains are hardwired to respond to things that are new or different and to effectively sear them into our memories. Sometimes called the ‘novelty response’, this reaction can also help our brains survive the threat of dementia. Which is…
WHY I GOT VERY, VERY HUNGRY ON YOUR BEHALF: FASTING DIETS
The things we do for Kale & Cocoa! Annabel and I see ourselves as human guinea pigs, testing out (as far as we can) the latest recommendations for healthy ageing. Which means we end up trying all sorts of things on your behalf. So, recently, I have been VERY VERY HUNGRY. AND ANGRY. SO HANGRY…
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…
SAVE THE NHS: LOOK AFTER YOURSELF (AND PERFECT PANCAKES)
I love the NHS (that’s Britain’s beleaguered National Health Service, if you’re not from round here): the dedication of its staff never fails to humble me, its extraordinary achievements at the cutting edge of science awe me. It’s the envy of the world and we should do everything we can to keep it …. The…
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