Staying Alive

Amy Fleming collects some advice on how to age better (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/sep/23/eat-beans-and-scratch-your-own-back-expert-advice-on-how-to-age-better-inside-and-out). Fleming notes that, appropriate exercise is clearly important. As they say, "Use it or lose it"! What can be done at different ages will, however, change. Fleming also refers to research on diet. It's relatively uncontested that long-term health can be improved, by eating more fruit and vegetables as well as less red meat. Legumes, wholegrains and nuts receive glowing reports in some quarters. Taking in too many calories is clearly not a good idea. Time restricted feeding (fasting) can have benefits if it's a regular practice. Mental health can also be improved by positive thinking and embracing joy (the emotion, that is). Improving one's sense of balance (e.g. by standing on one leg) is also said to slow the impact of aging. It may reduce the chances of falling over. Perhaps the whole thrust of current advice can be simply summed up? Folk are effectively advised to 'Keep moving, eat sensibly as well as look after their mental health'. Simples!