Hit your HEALTH MILESTONES

Lifestyle choices can impact on how you age - here's what to do in each decade to stay active

- JENNY ROWE

Feeling old? Think again. With the average life expectancy for women hovering around the mid-80s, most of us have years of life ahead of us. And if you stay active and healthy, you can enjoy every single one. We actually have more control over how we age than was once thought, says nutritional therapist Kim Plaza. ‘Assessing what you can do to smooth any potential health hiccups will help safeguard your future fitness.’ Each decade brings new challenges, but here’s how to face them and still be thriving at 80 – and beyond.

YOUR 50s

It can be a difficult, confusing time, as most women are going through menopause or perimenopause. ‘Falling oestrogen levels mean we lose the hormone’s protective shield against a number of chronic conditions, including high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis,’ says Kim. But there are ways to counterbalance the effects.

REGULATE EXTERNAL STRESS BETTER

When your ovaries produce less oestrogen, your adrenal glands, which also produce stress hormones, such as cortisol, try to pick up the slack, says Kim. Plus, chronic stress is associated with heart disease, so it’s something you want to master now. To prevent your adrenal glands from working overtime, try a yoga class or learn to meditate – there are guided sessions for both on YouTube.