Hardwire Your Health

Yes, yes, we know we should be saving for retirement, but with the latest estimates saying we could be working until we’re 77, perhaps we ought to be banking some health capital too. Here’s what to do, decade by decade.

- Sophie Goodchild

Your 20s

EXERCISE

When you’re sweating your arse off at the back of that spinning class, it might not feel like it, but your body finds it easier to tone up in your 20s than at any other point in your life. It’s all down to your pituitary gland: a tiny pea-sized area of your brain that produces the hormones responsible for growth, body shape and muscle formation. At this age, it’s firing on all cylinders and you can cash in on this by lifting the heaviest weights you can to bank muscle memory for your 30s and 40s. Personal trainer Luke Worthington advises focusing on the frequency of your workouts rather than the loads you lift. ‘In your 20s, you’re set up perfectly for recovery, so four strength-training sessions plus two cardio ones per week is totally achievable,’ he says. You heard the man.

DIET

Peak bone mass is reached between the ages of 25 and 30, so you should capitalise on your calcium now. And milk can go a long way in helping you reach your 1 000mg RDA, whether you drink dairy or you’re vegan (you can find calcium-fortified plant milks in shops now, such as Almond Breeze Original Almond Milk, R44 at Faithful-tonature.co.za). Vitamins D (fish, orange juice) and K (think green veggies) are also crucial for optimum bone health.

HEALTH TESTS

Micronutrient test

Watch out for deficiencies: brittle nails are caused by a lack of B7, and hair loss can indicate low levels of iron and zinc. Your GP will investigate obvious problems.