Naturally we all want to age as well as we can, and research by the British Chiropractic Association had some results that might surprise you:

• 20% of over 55’s worry most about becoming less active as they age
• 51% of that age group are currently suffering from back or neck pain
• 33% complaining that they suffer daily

What’s important as we age?

We are at our most active in our twenties and thirties and after that we start to notice less flexibility, more back or joint pain and the number one culprit is an increasingly sedentary lifestyle with much less frequent exercise.

For many of us nothing is more ageing than not being able to move freely and one element of that is paying attention to the role our posture and fitness play in keeping us fit and active into old age.

On average, we are living longer than previous generations, but with fewer healthy years at the end. It doesn’t have to be this way but one good source of help is nutritionist Patrick Holford who has some excellent tips to help your overall health and mobility in his book 10 Secrets of Healthy Aging.

There is a great deal we can do to stay healthy as we age and scientists have discovered that markers for how well you are ageing – found in every cell in your body – can be altered by, amongst other things, the kind of exercise you do, the food you eat and the way you handle stress.

44% of us between the age of 45-54 claim back pain prevents them from playing sports and once we hit our fifties our fitness levels definitely wane.  Over half of all 55 year olds are currently suffering from back or neck pain but could find this may be relieved with some light exercise.

Which of the Top 10 secrets apply to you?

Secret 1:    Stay smart as you age – and forget about Alzheimer’s

Secret 2:    Keep your joints mobile and your bones strong

Secret 3:    Beat the bulge, prevent diabetes and boost your energy

Secret 4:    Switch off the stress factor and sleep for seven hours straight

Secret 5:    Keep your skin youthful

Secret 6:    Stay free from cancer

Secret 7:    Keep your heart healthy and your blood pressure low

Secret 8:    Improve your digestion without drugs

Secret 9:    Stop your eyesight deteriorating

Secret 10:  Discover the natural anti-ageing hormones that perk you up

Helpful information:

Being overweight limits your mobility and flexibility so if that weight is hormone related, usually at menopause to oestrogen dominance, you might want to look at getting that back in balance first.

The 10 Secrets of Healthy Ageing uses the latest findings to provide a 10-step nutrition/lifestyle programme and anti-ageing diet that will increase your chances of staying healthy and functioning well for longer plus how you can avoid developing common chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes.  The book is available from bookstores or direct from www.patrickholford.com

For specific help with exercises for your back and to improve flexibility there is free information here: http://www.chiropractic-uk.co.uk/For-Everyone-5-Posture-111-ms.aspx