Weight gain

Health checks

• Waist measurement, no more than 80cm (for women) and 94cm (for men) BMI, which should be 18.5–24 (unless heavier due to muscle)

Diet

• Serve small portions and eat food low in fat, glycemic index (GI) and kilojoules)
• Address food allergies and eat spicy food to boost metabolism

Exercise

• Exercise for 30 minutes or more on most days
• Cross-train to increase strength, aerobic fitness, balance and flexibility

Emotions

• Learn to live in the moment to beat stress, which can lead to abdominal weight gain (from cortisol), cravings and increased appetite

Lifestyle

• Avoid smoking
• Get enough sleep— less than six hours can cause increased appetite and insulin levels
• Home-cook food

Supplements/herbs

• Chromium and lipoic acid to stabilise blood sugar
• Gymnema sylvestre and L-gluatamine for sugar cravings
• Lecithin and L-carnitine for fat burning

Skin

Health checks

• See specialist for yearly skin cancer screening
• Monitor own skin and see GP about changed moles, freckles or concerning new spots

Diet

• Eat antioxidant-rich fruits/vegetables
• Minimise sugar intake and browned or barbecued foods, which cause wrinkles via glycation
• Cut alcohol and caffeine

Exercise

• Do aerobic exercise (eg cycling, jogging) to boost circulation, enhance oxygenation to cells and keep skin supple from the inside

Emotions

• Avoid arguments — studies show they slow healing
• Minimise anxiety, which can dehydrate skin

Lifestyle

• Reduce sun damage: use a broad-spectrum sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat and avoid sunbaking
• Increase water intake to maintain skin moisture

Supplements/herbs

• Glucosamine for collagen synthesis
• Antioxidants to penetrate the dermis eg Q10, silymarin, catechins and pycnogenol
• Fish oil for inlammation

Bones

Health checks

• Get bone density checked over 65 or earlier if you you have a small build, family history of fractures or use corticosteroid medication

Diet

• Eat more fish and high-calcium foods, eg dairy products, legumes and green leafy vegetables
• Avoid soft drinks, too much alcohol and caffeine and excess salt

Exercise

• Weight-bearing activities eg walking, running and strength training, to maintain bone mass and strength

Emotions

• Seek counselling for depression, which increases osteoporosis risk, possibly due to hormone changes

Lifestyle

• Avoid smoking and diabetes
• Enjoy 10 minutes of sun exposure every day to increase your levels of vitamin D

Supplements/herbs

• Calcium and HRT if needed at menopause
• Vitamins K and D if deficient
• Phyto-oestro gens, such as genistein