![\"Leading](\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2016\/06\/06\/19\/34FC120600000578-3627958-Leading_experts_in_the_field_of_ageing_and_longevity_research_ex-a-14_1465237529315.jpg\")
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Leading experts in the field of ageing and longevity research explain what can help to stop the clock<\/p>\n
CHANGE YOUR MEALTIMES AND DON’T WEAR A WATCH\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n Dr Marios Kyriazis, 60, medical adviser to the British Longevity Society and the author of books including Stay Young Longer \u2014 Naturally.<\/span><\/p>\n The key to a longer, healthier life is constant change and avoiding routine.\u00a0<\/p>\n The human brain is made to thrive on uncertainty \u2014 if it knows exactly what\u2019s coming next, it does not thrive.<\/p>\n The body, too, needs stress or stimulation to keep it healthy for longer.\u00a0<\/p>\n This brings about hormesis, which is when, after mild stimulation such as intense exercise or a period without food, various biochemical processes are activated that try to repair the mild damage that happens to the body.\u00a0<\/p>\n In doing so they also repair any age-related damage, too.<\/p>\n So I eat irregularly \u2014 constantly changing what I eat, how much and when I eat it.<\/p>\n For example, I might have a breakfast of a piece of bread and cheese at 6am one day, a full English at 10am the next, fruit salad at 8am the day after, and skip breakfast entirely the day after that.<\/p>\n I do the same with exercise.\u00a0<\/p>\n On one day, I\u2019ll do 30 minutes of tai chi in the morning and 20 minutes of ballroom dancing in the evening; the next day a 20-minute walk and then 15 minutes of yoga; the next day a bit of football; the day after that, no specific exercise at all.<\/p>\n Eating a full English breakfast one day, then eating fruit the next at a slightly different time and even skipping it another, helps the brain thrive, says\u00a0Dr Marios Kyriazis<\/p>\n The following day I may try something new, such as horse riding, or lifting logs.<\/p>\n I challenge myself in other ways, too \u2014 painting, listening to foreign language radio stations.\u00a0<\/p>\n I also have days where I don\u2019t use clocks or watches and just rely on my body, or days where I don\u2019t use any technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n All this disruption stimulates body and mind, and may help to ward off ageing and disability.<\/p>\n And research shows that when brain cells are stimulated, they function better and last longer, and also stimulate the rest of the body to function better.<\/p>\n DON’T WEAR ‘OLD LADY’ CLOTHES OR SHOES\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Gillian Haber, 58, is a retired psychiatrist who specialised in the elderly.<\/span><\/p>\n A lot of ageing is genetic and there is nothing you can do to stave off the ageing process. However, what you can do to help is not smoke, take lots of exercise, read lots of books to keep your mind active \u2014 and avoid wearing old lady clothes.<\/p>\n Obviously you may want to avoid looking like mutton dressed as lamb, but that doesn\u2019t mean you have to wear age-appropriate clothes that makes you look older.<\/p>\n There’s the old adage of you’re only as old as you feel so not wearing ‘old lady clothes’ can help stop people both looking and feeling older says Gillian Haber<\/p>\n A few years ago I went to MS to buy some trousers for my mother, who was 85.\u00a0<\/p>\n The lady showed me a pair \u2014 they were sort of slacks, made from a stretchy material \u2014 and said: \u2018These are the type of trousers the very elderly wear\u2019.<\/p>\n I did actually buy them for her and she was pleased with them, but I can\u2019t imagine ever wearing such a thing no matter how old I am! The same goes for shoes.\u00a0<\/p>\n You might not be able to wear high heels but you can still wear shoes that are attractive and fashionable.<\/p>\n If you resist the temptation to behave in a certain way and refuse to assume certain stereotypes merely because you are old, it can improve your quality of life, which makes you happier generally.\u00a0<\/p>\n And if you are happier generally you are probably healthier.<\/p>\n DO PRESS-UPS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE A WOMAN\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n Carol Jagger, 64, is a professor of epidemiology of ageing at Newcastle University\u2019s Institute of Health and Society.<\/span><\/p>\n As you age most people will know it\u2019s important to keep your weight off and stay active \u2014 but you also need to maintain your upper body strength.<\/p>\n Upper body strength is vital to helping people stay active in latter life, says Professor Carol Jagger<\/p>\n When upper body strength decreases to a certain point you stop being able to dress yourself, shop on your own, get in and out of bed, so you feel the physical affects of ageing and become dependent.\u00a0<\/p>\n And because women generally tend to be weaker than men, they get to that point quicker. I can\u2019t necessarily halt the decline, but I can ensure I start from a higher point.<\/p>\n So, three times a week, I do a ten-minute upper body workout DVD in my lounge \u2014 a minute for each exercise, such as press-ups and bicep curls.<\/p>\n EAT BERRIES OFTEN AND ONLY SIT IN THE SHADE\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mark Birch-Machin, 54, Professor in Molecular Dermatology at Newcastle University, who is speaking at this week\u2019s anti-ageing conference.<\/span><\/p>\n Anti-ageing really is about your lifestyle rather than a single factor. It\u2019s about what you eat for breakfast as well as keeping fit and staying out of the sun.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve just completed research using a new blood test that measures levels of free radicals in the blood \u2014 these are the damaging molecules linked to disease and ageing \u2014 and we found that eating antioxidant-rich food such as blueberries and tomatoes every day reduced the damage caused by the molecules.<\/p>\n Staying out of the sun is key to keeping skin young, as is keeping fit and eating antioxidant rich foods<\/p>\n I practise what I preach \u2014 a healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetables.<\/p>\n Also when outdoors, if possible, I\u2019ll sit in the shade, or position myself with my back to the sun.\u00a0<\/p>\n And when I\u2019m watching rugby at Twickenham, I work out which end will get the sun and book at the other end.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s anti-ageing and you get a better view.<\/p>\n WORK STANDING UP – THEN GET ON YOUR BIKE\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Professor Diana Kuh, 63, is the director of the Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at University College London.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n She also runs the National Survey of Health and Development, which has tracked more than 5,000 people born in England, Scotland or Wales for 70 years since 1946.<\/p>\n There is no silver bullet \u2014 but what our research shows is that many of us live very sedentary lifestyles.<\/p>\n And being able to move around isn\u2019t just good from a physical perspective, it\u2019s also good for your emotional wellbeing, which has a key role to play in healthy ageing.<\/p>\n Taking steps like cycling from A to B can help you get out of the sedentary lifestyle many of us have become accustomed to, says Professor Diana Kuh<\/p>\n I recently discovered that when I\u2019m working, in terms of activity, it\u2019s equivalent to a day in bed \u2014 so 18 months ago I bought my first standing desk and I now try to remain healthy by cycling everywhere.<\/p>\n I\u2019m also attempting to improve my work-life balance and have just taken up singing!<\/p>\n STARVE YOURSELF A FEW TIMES A MONTH<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n Michael West, 63, is head of BioTime, a California-based company specialising in regenerative medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot of talk about ageing and the role of telomeres, which are essentially the ticking clocks inside each cell which control their ageing, and make them mortal.<\/p>\n We know that the older you are, the shorter the telomeres. There\u2019s also talk about reversing ageing in eyes, for instance, with stem cells. But realistically these are at least three to ten years in the future.<\/p>\n For now there is a consensus building that there is something you can do that could add, say ten years of healthy lifespan: periodically fasting \u2014 even just for one day every couple of weeks or once a month can have the same positive effect on the body as keeping your weight way down.<\/p>\n So going without food for a day is something that I try to do (though don\u2019t always succeed) regularly.<\/p>\n CONSIDER TAKING A DIABETES DRUG\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Nick Lowe, 71, is a consultant dermatologist at the Cranley Clinic, London and a clinical professor at the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine.<\/span><\/p>\n For the last five years I\u2019ve taken 500mg a day of metformin, a drug used to help control blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t have diabetes, but there\u2019s good evidence it helps prevent the damage sugar can do to cells, which can contribute to ageing.<\/p>\n Studies have shown metformin can extend the lifespan of mice by almost 40 per cent, and U.S. researchers are going to test it on humans, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n London dermatologist\u00a0Nick Lowe takes a host of vitamins as part of his routine to keep skin young<\/p>\n Rather than wait 20 years for the full results, I take it now (prescribed by my U.S. doctor) because we know it\u2019s a safe drug.<\/p>\n Every morning, I use a broad spectrum sun screen with UVA and UVB protection \u2014 SPF 15 or 20 in winter and 30 in summer. As a dermatologist, I want my skin to look as youthful as possible.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve done a lot of research on sun protection and some years ago, we showed that even sitting in a car for 30 minutes a day will expose you to enough UVA through the windows to age the skin.\u00a0<\/p>\n I also take vitamin D every morning as it\u2019s important for general health but its production is blocked by sunscreen.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been on statins for 25 years, because there\u2019s good evidence they reduce the risk of disease.\u00a0<\/p>\n I also take fish oils for heart, brain and skin health, and a baby aspirin (a lower dose than standard aspirin) because it\u2019s been shown to lower the risks of heart attacks and other conditions.<\/p>\n Does it all help? I\u2019m nearly 72 and still working hard, five days a week.<\/p>\n EAT PURPLE OR RED BERRIES EVERY DAY\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n Chris Griffiths, 61, is a professor of dermatology at the University of Manchester and a consultant dermatologist at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.<\/span><\/p>\n As well as protecting myself against the sun, in recent years I have eaten a daily portion of red or purple berries because they contain a lot of antioxidants which may prevent some age-related damage.\u00a0<\/p>\n Red and purple berries every day can help prevent age-related damage with their high levels of antioxidants<\/p>\n Reducing sugar intake can prevent signs of ageing and may prolong life \u2014 sugar can detrimentally affect the collagen tissue, a structural protein in skin.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not obsessional about this but I try to avoid having a bread roll or dessert with dinner, don\u2019t add sugar to things, and don\u2019t have big portions (I weigh 11st 3lb and am 5ft 8in).\u00a0<\/p>\n The key is not just to have a longer life, but to have a healthier life.<\/p>\n PS. BUT DON’T MAKE YOURSELF MISERABLE\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n Joao Pedro Magalhaes is a senior lecturer in the Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease at the University of Liverpool.<\/span><\/p>\n Each of us must find his or her balance between a healthy lifestyle and the pleasures derived from some unhealthy habits.<\/p>\n I care for my health but I don\u2019t overdo it \u2014 we can try to mitigate some effects of ageing and have a healthy lifestyle to try to live longer, but I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything we can do to avoid it.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a question of finding the right balance. Take calorie restriction for example. This is arguably the only intervention known to slow ageing.<\/p>\n However a number of people who\u2019ve attempted it have told me how difficult it is. So I see little point in being miserable to live, at most, slightly longer.<\/p>\n To quote Woody Allen: \u2018You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We want to live long and healthy lives \u2014 and we seem to be getting better at it: Public Health England recently reported that the life expectancy in England has risen to its highest level. Since 1960, the average lifespan has increased by about ten years for a man and eight years for a woman, Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81128"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81128\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/healthmedicinet.com\/i\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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\n <\/a>\n <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n![\"Eating](\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2016\/06\/06\/18\/34FBF33700000578-3627958-image-a-7_1465235683941.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"There's](\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2016\/06\/06\/19\/34FBFF4200000578-3627958-image-a-12_1465236419904.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Upper](\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2016\/06\/06\/18\/34FBF3C200000578-3627958-image-a-8_1465235692375.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Staying](\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2016\/06\/06\/19\/34FC04E400000578-3627958-image-a-10_1465236040499.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Taking](\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2016\/06\/06\/18\/34FBFAB200000578-3627958-image-a-4_1465235600487.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"London](\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2016\/06\/06\/18\/34FBFC0E00000578-3627958-image-a-5_1465235605648.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Red](\"http:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2016\/06\/06\/19\/34FBF47100000578-3627958-Red_and_purple_berries_every_day_can_help_prevent_age_related_da-a-11_1465236415157.jpg\")
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