Balance March Issue 2018 - 46

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disease and diabetes, to lower libido,
and erectile dysfunction. People in this
age bracket also often put on belly fat
and their visceral fat increases, which
is the harmful fat around the internal
organs. That increases your risk of heart
disease and so on even further. Plus,
you naturally start to lose muscle mass
during this decade and that means you'll
burn fewer calories overall.
You can't drink like you used to
either. In fact, research shows that from
your 40s on, you'll suffer from more
painful hangovers than before. This,
say researchers from the University of
Pennsylvania who looked at how age
affects alcohol absorption, is down to
your changing body composition - with
more fat and less water and muscle,
there's increased alcohol in the blood.

REPAIR:
HAPPINESS More support is what you

DAMAGE:
This is when things can get really
wobbly in some areas, particularly life
satisfaction and happiness. 'At this age
there are worries about health, work and
kids leaving home, as well as caring for
elderly parents,' says Joanna Wilkinson,
founder of e-mental health app My
Possible Self. In fact, according to the
Office of National Statistics, things
are so bad even people over 90 report
feeling happier and more satisfied than
those in their 40s. This, the ONS says, is
when we hit an all-time emotional low.
The burden of responsibilities is not
the only issue. The hormonal changes
you're beginning to experience now
can trigger a host of unwanted side
effects - from increased risk of heart

46

Whatever your age, most
of your body is probably
only around 10 years old
- on the inside anyway.
According to research
published in scientific
journal Cell, the cells in
your tissues are under
constant renewal. So,
when researchers took
cells from the ribs of
people in their late 30s,
they found they had an
average age of 15.1 years.
Other cells, in the gut,
renew every five days.
Even your bones are
replaced completely over
10 years or so. There are
some cells, however, that
appear not to renew at all
- and, unfortunately, some
of them are in your brain.
Researchers have found
that cells in the visual
cortex are the same age
as you, while other parts
(such as the cerebellum)
are slightly younger,
suggesting they do
indeed regenerate.

BA LA N CE March 18

ALCOHOL Relieve hangover pain by paying
extra for your tipple. Not only will this mean
you savour it more (and so drink less), it's
also not as likely to give you a hangover.
Expensive whisky, for example, has probably
been distilled more times, which means it
has fewer congeners (and it's these that
worsen your hangover).

PHYSIQUE Chin up, it's time to get tough.
The only way to fight back your loss of muscle
mass is with diet and strength training. 'Aim
for 2g of protein per kg of body weight over a
whole day and try to eat some at least every
four hours or so,' says Dr Emil Hodzovic,
Medichecks' doctor and nutritionist. 'Great
sources of protein include chicken, tuna,
lean beef mince and eggs. Vegans should
have Quorn, beans and seitan.' Also, stave off
muscle loss with exercises including the
plank, squats and chair lifts.
DISEASE European Society of Cardiology
research shows those who begin intensive
exercise after the age of 40 can see similar
health benefits to those who started before
30, including improved oxygen intake and
lower resting heart rate. Better circulation
and heart health will bring improvements in
energy levels and metabolism. Start with half
an hour of exercise per day, a brisk lunchtime
walk maybe. There's no time to lose! B

IMAGES: STOCKSY

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YOUR BODY'S
REAL AGE

desperately need, especially if caring for
elderly parents, so don't forget to look
into the help available. Many carers are
eligible for earnings replacement benefits,
contributions towards costs and also
tax credits (see nhs.uk for more).
And for an easy way to increase happiness
further, try giving time, money or things
away to charity. If that sounds weird, it's
not. Various studies have shown that
behaving altruistically makes us happier.
http://www.nhs.uk
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance March Issue 2018
