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

Heart

Health checks

• Blood cholesterol for HDL, LDL and triglicerides
• Once yearly screening for high blood pressure and diabetes

Diet

• Adopt the Mediterranean diet, which is low in glycaemic index, saturated fats and sugar while high in fish, vegetables and fruit

Exercise

• Exercise regularly, to a point of exertion
• Walk 30 minutes a day and halve your risk of heart attack

Emotions

• Minimise depression, anxiety and loneliness, all strongly linked to cardiovascular disease and heart attack

Lifestyle

• Avoid high blood pressure, diabetes, gum disease, snoring and sleep defecit, which increase risks of a heart attack

Supplements/herbs

• Fish oil for inflammation of arteries and lowering cholesterol
• Q10 for blood pressure
• SAMe for depression

 

Joints

Health checks

• Blood checks for inflammation and rheumatoid factor if arthritis is suspected
• X-rays to check for damage to cartilage and bones

Diet

• Eat spicy foods —turmeric may help reduce arthritis
• Cut saturated fats, sugar and salt
• Eat more fish
• Identify and address food sensitivities

Exercise

• Improve circulation of synovial fluid between your joints via exercise such as swimming, walking, yoga and tai chi

Emotions

• Do daily relaxation to minimise stress which produces inflammation that may contribute to some forms of arthritis

Lifestyle

• Prevent weight gain
• Warm up before exercise
• Avoid repetetive strain injuries
• Treat all joint injuries promptly

Supplements/herbs

• Glucosamine and chondroitin for cartilage health
• Ginger, evening primrose oil and fish oil to reduce inflammation and pain
• SAMe for arthritis

 

Brain

Health checks

• Memory checks and CT/MRI scans if problems such as stroke or Alzheimer’s are suspected

Diet

• Cut out trans fats and cut back on saturated fats in red meats and dairy products
• Boost omega-3s with fish, nuts and seeds and antioxidants with fruit, vegetables and green tea
• Minimise alcohol intake

Exercise

• Every form of exercise whether walking, jogging or gardening, increases circulation to the brain and reduces belly fat (which bumps up dementia risk)

Emotions

• Meditate daily — stress damages brain function and memory by shrinking the hippocampus in the brain
• Maintain friendships — a good social network helps reduce dementia risk

Lifestyle

• Reduce cholesterol and risk factors for stroke/diabetes
• Wear headgear when cycling, skiing and renovating
• Quit smoking
• Read, do puzzles and continue education to boost brain function

Supplements/herbs

• Ginkgo biloba to improve neural circulation
• Withania to help you adapt to stress
• B vitamins for brain function
• Magnesium to stabilise nervous system

 

Bowel

Health checks

• Foecal occult test involving a stool sample every two years over age 50
• Colonoscopy (a thin tube and camera to view bowel) every five years over 50 or if bowel symptoms occur or you have family history

Diet

• Minimise red meat intake and saturated fats
• Eat plenty of green cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and chard, which protect against bowel cancer
• Eat plenty of wholegrains and fibre
• Eat yoghurt with live cultures
• Drink adequate water

Exercise

• Exercise enables oxygen to better fight cancer cells
• Studies show an hour of vigorous activity every day is particularly protective

Emotions

• Laugh more, prioritise sleep and do progressive relaxation to combat tension, which can compromise the natural peristaltic motion of the bowel

Lifestyle

• Reduce bowel inflammation by avoiding any foods, situations or vices (eg drinking, recreational drugs) that cause bloating or bowel upset and inflammation

Supplements/herbs

• Probiotics to promote good bacteria and nutrient uptake.
• Slippery elm for mucous membrane health
• Dandelion root for liver function and constipation

Bladder

Health checks

• Bladder stress test
• Urinalysis and culture via sample
• Ultrasound or cytoscopy (a thin tube and camera inserted via urethra)

Diet

• Eat more phyto-oestrogens, found in fruit, vegetables, soy, lentils, flaxseed and chickpeas
• Minimise curries, tomatoes, corn syrup, caffeine, fruit juice, alcohol and carbonated drinks, which irritate the bladder

Exercise

• Regularly squeeze the muscles of your pelvic floor and hold for 10 seconds to maintain muscle tone
• Jumping, jogging and skipping to utilise your pelvic muscles

Emotions

• Use long and short (spot) meditations to reduce anxiety —distress can lead to hormonal changes and muscle tension that affect both kidney and bladder and can cause an over-active bladder or fluid retention

Lifestyle

• Avoid weight gain and conditions such as diabetes (they increase bladder problems)
• Treat digestive problems, allergies — bloating, coughing and sneezing can reduce bladder function and muscle tone

Supplements/Herbs

• Black haw root and cramp bark to relax muscular tension and spasm in the bladder
• Uva ursi to reduce bacteria and smooth and sooth irritated bladder tissue

 

Fertility

Health checks

• Have two-yearly pap smears to screen for cervical cancer and ask for a chlamydia test
• In 20s, have thorough examination to discount polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis

Diet

• Eat plenty of raw and cooked vegetables and fruit, whole grains and healthy protein, such as deep-water fish
• Cut alcohol and reduce refined carbs such as white bread, which raise insulin and deplete nutrient stores

Exercise

• Aerobic exercise boosts circulation
• Rebounding on a trampoline increases lymphatic drainage
• Yoga benefits flexibility and mood

Emotions

• Foster a healthy sex life through intimacy, cuddling, open communication and sexual variation to increase desire
• Address mood problems that can halve chances of conception

Lifestyle

• Use condoms with new sexual partners to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia
• Avoid smoking, obesity and diabetes, which reduce fertility

Supplements/Herbs

• PABA to increase oestrogen
• Siberian ginseng for uterine function
• Folate to prevent neural tube defects in baby

 

Libido

Health checks

• Hormone blood checks can indicate deficiencies of testosterone and oestrogen

Diet

• Avoid extreme or restricted diets, which may reduce energy and libido-producing hormones
• Cut back on all the usual unhealthy suspects like salt, sugar, fat, caffeine and refined carbs

Exercise

• Exercise your pelvic floor daily (men as well) to improve tone and orgasmic response
• Work out regularly to boost body image, which nurtures libido

Emotions

• Schedule sex — make regular "dates" to increase anticipation and desire
• Address mood problems that can lower desire and hormones that kickstart arousal

Lifestyle

• Avoid weight gain, diabetes and vascular disease, which compromise erections
• Cuddle, kiss and be intimate when not being sexual
• Minimise alcohol and medication use — they can lower sexual response

Supplements/Herbs

• Horny goat weed for testosterone boost in men and women
• Chasteberry and red clover for hormonal balance
• Ginkgo biloba to improve genital circulation