How life really can begin at 40: Ten easy steps to a healthier life
Men's Health Magazine, May 2001
Over 40 does not have to mean over the hill. Even though your body might not be as firm and fit as it once was, there are easy ways to hold on to your health. Small changes now, whatever age you are, can make a huge difference in later life.
Men's Health has brought out a one-off magazine, MH 40+, free with the June issue. Lee Kynaston, Deputy Editor of Men's Health, says: "This magazine could be the key to giving every man over 40 a better, longer and more fulfilling life. All it takes are a few simple changes to your diet, lifestyle and fitness regime. Best of all, they're changes you can make whatever your age and fitness level."
It's never too late to make a difference. Here are ten ways to get started:
1. Don't pass the salt
Changing to lower-salt bread and reducing your intake of salt-laden foods (burgers, sausages, ham, bacon, savoury snacks, salted butter and ready meals), could cut your salt intake in half and reduce the risk of strokes and heart disease.
2. Take long lunches
A French study revealed that cholesterol levels soared in men who ate in stressed conditions, compared to those who ate in calmer environments.
3. Splash on the ketchup
A chemical in the humble tomato, lycopene, protects against prostate cancer - and it's most concentrated in ketchup and tomato puree. Tomatoes may also help you fight heart disease, thanks to a bloodclot-reducing substance called P3.
4. Take a hike
...Or a brisk walk. A recent study has found that brisk walking at four miles an hour for 30 minutes, three or four times a week, significantly lowered the risk of adult-onset diabetes.
5. Eat more fruit
You've heard it all before, but a daily shot of fruit really can lengthen your life, according to a 17-year study of 10,000 people. Fresh fruit was found to have the greatest effect on longevity, mainly due to its cancer-fighting properties.
6. Avoid Liquorice All-Sorts for a healthy sex life
Cutting out liquorice can maintain your libido. A study in Italy discovered that a substance called glycyrhizic acid, found in liquorice, can cause your testosterone levels to drop by as much as 44%.
7. Kick the habit
Smoking is the leading cause of cancer - full stop. And for every week you smoke, you lose a day of life, so the sooner you quit the better. Your lungs, heart, and libido will all benefit - as will your wallet.
8. Shed a few pounds
Simple health equation: reduce your weight and you'll reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure. And it's never too late to start exercising: a study of British men over 40 found that starting moderate exercise, even in late middle age, played a major role in cutting the risk of coronary heart disease.
9. Watch your cholesterol
Cut the amount of saturated fat you eat and you'll cut your heart disease risk by up to 30%. Easiest way to do this? Go easy on red meat and dairy produce.
10. Be positive
With a long-term US study of more than 1,000 men revealing that optimists live longer than pessimists, it's time to ditch the Victor Meldrew impression and start looking forward to what could be the best years of your life.