Life expectancy is rising steadily every year, with women living up to the age of 80 on average and men 75. You can set your life expectancy expectations even higher with my guide to living longer.

1. You’re having a laugh: Research shows that laughter lowers levels of stress hormones, and boosts immunity by heightening the activity of the body’s natural defensive killer cells and antibodies.
2. Sleep less: Sleeping more than eight hours a night may reduce your life expectancy. A study in the Archives of General Psychiatry, US, found that people who get only six to seven hours sleep a night live longer. People who sleep eight hours or more, or less than four hours, a night were shown to have a significantly higher death rate.
3. Make your marriage work: Being happily married leads to greater life expectancy for men and women. However, divorcing then remarrying actually increases the risk of dying prematurely, says a study in Health Psychology Journal. If you aren’t the marrying kind, don’t panic, close and loving relationships with friends, family members, neighbours, and even a pet, can all help you live longer.
4. Get fit: Fit women have a 40 per cent less chance of developing coronary heart disease than those who don’t exercise regularly and people who are unfit are three times more likely to die prematurely than those who are fitter.
5. Have sex: Couples with a healthy sex life can look up to seven years younger than those who don’t, according to a study at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. This is because sex reduces stress, leads to greater contentment and better sleep.
6. Live in the country: People living in rural areas have a higher life expectancy than those living in cities. If moving to the countryside just isn’t an option take advantage of every opportunity you can to walk in the park or visit the countryside.
7. Watch your weight: Overeating is one of the main causes of ageing and increases the risk of heart disease and cancers of the colon, womb, gall bladder, ovaries and breast. The British Heart Foundation says that coronary heart disease causes 270,000 heart attacks each year, and of these 28,000 is attributable to obesity.
8. Learn to play the piano: Whatever your age learning the piano, or any new skill that involves timing and coordination, such as dancing improves brain function.
9. See your glass as half full: Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in the US found that optimistic people live about 12 years longer than pessimistic ones. Pessimists are more prone to viral illnesses, such as colds and flu. They are also less likely to carry out the essential self-examinations that detect breast or skin cancer, while positive thinkers are more likely to take health advice, say the researchers.
10. Celebrate the non-smoking ban: From 1st July smoking has now been banned in public places in the UK and if you want to increase your life expectancy and are a smoker the earlier you give up the better. This is because the longer a person smokes the greater the risk of developing a smoking-related disease, such as lung cancer, heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some 120,000 deaths a year are attributable to smoking, says anti-smoking lobby group, Ash.
11. Get on with your mother: A study by the Harvard Medical School found that 91 per cent of people who weren’t close to their mothers developed a serious disease – high blood pressure, alcoholism and heart disease – by midlife. Only 45 per cent of participants who said they had close relationships with their mothers developed these serious illnesses.
12. Get qualifications: The more qualifications you have, the higher your life expectancy, according to research at the University of Arkansas. The less well-educated are more likely to smoke, which increases the risk of heart disease and cancer, and they are more likely to work in jobs with a high risk of injury, say the researchers. And if you think you’re too old to go back to college you’re wrong; the number of mature students, including pensioners, is increasing dramatically every year.
13. Examine your breasts: Get to know how your breasts normally feel and look, and report any changes, such as a lump, dimpling, unusual pain or discharge to your doctor. The best time to do it is a week after your period. Remember that over nine out of ten lumps are benign, and many breast cancers are curable if they’re caught early enough.
14. Have regular smears: You’ll usually be called once every three or five years for a smear test, but if you’ve been putting it off make sure you fix up an appointment. Cervical screening probably prevents 2,500 deaths a year in the UK, says The Institute of Public Health. If you get a mild and/or borderline smear result then you should be tested for HPV (human papillomavirus). It is now known that HPV, which is also the cause of genital warts, is an infection which is linked to 99.7 percent of all cervical cancers. The current thinking is that by women with mild and/or borderline smear results having HPV testing, this could then prevent them being unnecessarily overtreated. (For more information on abnormal smears see my ebook available from www.marilynglenville.com). And while we are on the subject of screening pay attention to your bowel movements too and report anything unusual to your doctor immediately. Bowel cancer detected early can easily be treated and cured.
15. Eat a rainbow: Our mothers always told us to eat our greens but research suggests that we should actually be eating a rainbow of colours. The rainbow of colours from different fruits and vegetables provide us with the antioxidants which fight free radical damage linked to premature ageing, heart disease and cancer. So especially when you have your main meal of the day, think about the different colours you can have on one plate e.g. carrots, sweetcorn and broccoli or beetroot, yellow peppers and cabbage. These combinations are better for your health than a plate containing green beans, broccoli and peas.
16. Believe: Going to church, or having a belief system, increases life expectancy, according to a study in the International Journal for Psychiatry and Medicine. It’s particularly good at helping people’s stress and emotional problems, and seems to protect against diseases such as heart, respiratory or digestive problems.
17. Join a bridge club: As you get older, playing games or spending time on a hobby could be just as good for your health as physical exercise, according to a Harvard University study. The key to good health, conclude the researchers, is doing what you enjoy and feeling good about yourself.
18. Get your five a day: About 40 per cent of cancers are diet related, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day to reduce your risk of cancer of the lung, digestive tract, bowel, bladder and breast.
19. Enjoy a cuppa: Green and ordinary black tea pack the same amount of antioxidants but green tea is preferable because it is not fermented like black tea. Green tea also has a fat burning effect and anti-cancer properties. Research from Harvard on black tea has shown that drinking one cup of black tea a day cuts heart disease risk dramatically. And scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre found that drinking tea once a day boosts the survival rate, following a heart attack, by 28 per cent.
20. Stress management: According to research from Johns Hopkins University, in the US, stressed people are 20 times more likely to develop heart disease. Prolonged tension also depletes the immune system and robs the body of its antioxidant store, thought to help prevent premature ageing. Try a relaxation technique such as yoga or meditation, both of which are proven to help alleviate stress. Relaxation reduces blood pressure and helps reduce stress-related conditions such as depression. You may also want to consider getting a pet. Families who own a dog or cat are less stressed and visit their doctors less often than those who don’t, say scientists from Cambridge University. Pets make you feel optimistic and relaxed, which lowers your blood pressure. Dogs give best results, but even fish are relaxing.

By the time you read this the UK smoking ban will be in place and any woman worried about the risk of osteoporosis at menopause will have reason to celebrate.
Many of the health problems caused by smoking and passive smoking are well known; namely heart disease, lung and esophageal cancer and chronic lung disease. Additionally, several research studies have identified smoking as a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fractures.

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones weaken and are more likely to fracture (break). Fractures from osteoporosis can result in pain, disability, and sometimes death. Osteoporosis is a major health threat for women, and, in addition to smoking, risk factors include:

• Being thin or having a small frame
• Having a family history of the disease or of fractures after the age of 50
• Being postmenopausal or having had an early menopause
• Having an abnormal absence of menstrual periods
• Using certain medications e.g. steroids
• Not getting enough calcium and other nutrients like vitamin D and magnesium
• Not getting enough physical activity
• Drinking too much alcohol

Osteoporosis is a “silent” disease: it can progress for many years without symptoms until a fracture occurs. Fortunately, it can be prevented and it is never too late to adopt new habits for healthy bones.

Cigarette smoking was first identified as a risk factor for osteoporosis more than 20 years ago. Recent studies have now shown a direct relationship between tobacco use and decreased bone density. Here’s a round up of what researchers have uncovered:

• The longer you smoke and the more cigarettes you consume, the greater your risk of fracture in old age.
• Smokers who fracture may take longer to heal than non-smokers and may experience more complications during the healing process.
• Significant bone loss has been found in older women who smoke.
• At least one study suggests that exposure to second-hand smoke during youth and early adulthood may increase the risk of developing low bone mass.
• Women who smoke often produce less oestrogen (a sex hormone) and tend to experience menopause earlier than non-smokers, which may lead to increased bone loss. This is also important for women aiming to conceive because smoking will push them towards the menopause quicker.
• Quitting smoking appears to reduce the risk of low bone mass and fractures.

To sum up, the best thing a smoker can do to protect her bones is to quit smoking and the best thing non-smokers can do is to stay away from smokers and smoky atmospheres; as the effects of passive smoking can be equally dangerous. In addition to avoiding smoking and places where people smoke the following self-help measures will also reduce your risk of osteoporosis:

Eat a well-balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D: Good sources of calcium include organic yogurts, dark green, leafy vegetables and sesame seeds. Also, supplements can help ensure that you get adequate amounts of calcium each day.

Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium absorption and bone health. Vitamin D can be obtained naturally through exposure to sunlight and through various foods and supplements. A good ‘bone’ supplement I use in the clinic which contains calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, boron and digestive enzymes is Osteoplus. Food sources of vitamin D include egg yolks and oily fish.

Exercise for your bone health: Like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. Weight-bearing exercise that forces you to work against gravity is the best exercise for bone. Some examples include walking, stair climbing, dancing, and lifting weights. Regular exercise such as walking may help prevent bone loss and will provide many other health benefits.

Avoid excessive use of alcohol: Chronic alcohol use has been linked to an increase in fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist. Drinking too much alcohol interferes with the balance of calcium in the body. It also affects the production of hormones, which have a protective effect on bone; and of vitamins, which we need to absorb calcium. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to more falls and related fractures.

Talk to your doctor about a bone density test: Bone mineral density (BMD) tests measure bone density in various sites of the body. These tests can detect osteoporosis before a fracture occurs and can predict your chances of fracturing in the future.

If you are a current or former smoker, you may want to ask your doctor whether you are a candidate for a bone density test. If you can get to the Tunbridge Wells clinic then you can come in for a bone ultrasound scan which includes a 30 minute consultation with dietary, supplement and exercise recommendations (for more information call 01892 515905).

This month’s case study is ‘Sarah’ – who came to the Clinic because of irregular periods

Sarah’s Story:

“Having always suffered with irregular periods of around 50-60 days I just got used to it and sometimes it actually felt like a blessing because I didn’t have a period every month! However, it wasn’t until I was starting to try for a family that it became a concern. Then for no apparent reason my period stopped altogether and I had no cycle for three months which was quite worrying. I went to my GP who ran some routine blood tests which all came back normal suggesting no hormone imbalance. He suggested I take the Pill to regulate my cycle.

“Even after seeing my GP I still knew it was not normal to be without a period. Aside from wanting a baby, I had read that there was an increased risk of the bone thinning disease, osteoporosis due to the lack of the female hormone oestrogen. But because I was 28, this didn’t seem to be an issue for my doctor. I knew I didn’t want to take the Pill because this would simply mask the problem and not address exactly why my periods were irregular.

“I decided to be a bit more proactive and typed ‘irregular periods’ into the internet and it generated lots of information and links. The first link that stood out to me was the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic.’ I downloaded an ‘e-book’ on Irregular Periods which gave me all the information I needed about why periods become irregular and what the medical and natural approach is. After reading the information it made so much sense, but I decided I needed some more support rather than trying to follow it on my own.

“I phoned the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic to book my first appointment in London. This felt like such a positive step for me because I was actually taking control and trying to find answers to why I had an irregular cycle and what I could do about it.

“Before my initial appointment I was asked to complete a very detailed questionnaire which formed the basis of the consultation. It went into my medical history, symptoms and very importantly what I ate and drank on a daily basis. Actually writing this all down was quite interesting as I didn’t realise just how much chocolate and cola I consumed! The receptionist at the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic did tell me it was best to be honest when filling in the dietary section because the advice given to me would be more relevant.

“My first appointment was one hour and the nutritionist took a very detailed history from me. She had also studied my questionnaire beforehand which made me feel very confident that someone was actually taking the time for me. All too often when I have seen my doctor, they don’t seem to have the time to really take a detailed history. Firstly she asked what my main aim was from the consultation and I explained that it was to ultimately conceive. She explained that we would work on the irregular cycle first because this needed to be sorted before starting to try for a baby.

“The nutritionist explained that suffering from irregular periods is a fairly clear indication that the menstrual cycle had become imbalanced usually due to lifestyle factors including stress and poor diet. I knew stress was a major factor for me because of my career and the long days I work which is very demanding. I confessed that some days I worked through lunch just living on cola and chocolate to get me through the day. She said that stress can completely shut the female reproductive system down because in a ‘fight or flight’ situation where the body is under extreme stress, it would not be in a position to reproduce! This all made so much sense.

“I explained that my routine blood tests from my doctor had come back normal, but apparently this is not always reliable. She explained to me that the natural approach is designed to encourage the body to re-establish regular ovulation and to get hormones back in balance. One of the first things I had to work on was reducing and then ultimately avoiding sugar and cola. I thought this would be impossible but once the nutritionist had explained how sugar and caffeine can affect hormones and create such imbalance it really motivated me to change my diet. She explained that the B vitamins, the mineral magnesium and essential fats from oily fish and nuts and seeds are all essential for hormone balance and to think of these nutrients as ‘fuel’. She explained it so well – ‘if you don’t have enough fuel your car will break down and similarly if your body doesn’t get enough essential nutrients it will also ‘break down’ and stop functioning’. All of my hormones are dependent on a good supply of vitamins and minerals and essential fats. She also explained that some herbs like agnus castus and black cohosh can help to regulate the cycle.

“The nutritionist gave me a plan of action which involved me changing my diet, taking specific vitamin and minerals and a special herbal tincture when contained several different herbs, all with the intention of bringing my period back. She explained that using a herbal formula rather than a single herb is often more valuable because it has a more nourishing effect on the menstrual cycle.

“I was asked to come back after eight weeks so the nutritionist could review and monitor me. She explained that it is particularly important to be monitored when taking herbal preparations. It felt really reassuring that I was coming back after a set time rather than just being left to my own devices. During the eight weeks I was asked to fill in my daily diet diaries which helped me to keep focused.

“In this time I also started to think more about how I could reduce my stress. I knew that some things like my job I could not alter and would always be a ‘constant’, but I decided to have acupuncture and make time for yoga which would hopefully allow me and my body to deal more efficiently with the stress.

“After the first 2 months I was already feeling like a new woman! I had had a period which was fantastic and aside from that I just felt so much better and had more energy and rather than coming home after work and collapsing in front of the TV, I came home and started exercising a couple of nights a week.

“After 6 months I had had a 32 day cycle which was totally unheard of – the first ‘normal’ cycle in years. Even though my partner and I had decided to put trying for a baby on hold, it just felt so reassuring that my body was functioning normally and in balance to prepare us ultimately for having a baby. All I can say is how powerful I have found nutrition to be and only wish I had sought advice sooner, but you know what it’s like – we all put things to the back of our minds until we are forced to deal with them. This has taught me to always listen to my body and take action rather than letting the weeks and months and years pass by.”

My Comments:

“This is just one of many cases where people ignore what their body is telling them. The only reason Sarah sought advice for her irregular cycle was because she was thinking about trying to start a family.

“Ideally she should have acknowledged her cycle as not being normal and done something about it sooner. Unfortunately though we see this at the clinic all too often because of people leading increasingly busy lives and putting off until tomorrow. Thankfully Sarah is young enough to take the time to follow a good 3-6 month preconception programme and putting her fertility plans on hold is a good thing to make sure that we have really got her body back in to balance.

“We can see from Sarah’s story how powerful nutrition can be in encouraging your body to re-balance. Given the right tools, your body has the remarkable ability to balance itself. It is just a question of being ‘in tune’ with your body as we are all so unique and listen to what it is telling you.”