One in ten men aged 50 taking the Heart Age Test have a heart age at least 10 years older than they are, according to analysis by Public Health England (PHE). The online test is the only known way of measuring our heart age, which shows how many years we can expect to live healthily without a heart attack or stroke. The higher our heart age, the higher our risk. Analysis of 1.2 million test results shows the majority of...Read more

"Doing moderate exercise several times a week is the best way to keep the mind sharp if you're over 50," BBC News reports. A review of existing data found both aerobic exercise and strength training appeared to improve cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, and how well people carry out tasks. The review brought together information from 39 studies in the biggest summary of the effects of exercise on mental ability to date. Previous summaries of research have had unclear...Read more

More Good News for Garlic Several studies have shown that aged garlic extracts can protect against hardening of the coronary arteries by preventing a build-up of calcium. Researchers have now found that garlic extracts also inhibit, and may even reverse, the ‘soft’ furring up due to an accumulation of fatty plaques – at least in people with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome affects an estimated 20% of Western populations, and is associated with abdominal obesity, raised triglycerides, low ‘good’ HDL-cholesterol, high...Read more

Latest alcohol guidelines reduce limits Tough new guidelines issued on alcohol have cut recommended drinking limits and say there is no such thing as a safe level of drinking. Drinkaware has welcomed the clarity of the new alcohol guidelines being announced today by the UK’s Chief Medical Officers (CMO) following their review of evidence on the links between alcohol and health harms. Under the Chief Medical Officer’s updated guidelines men and women will be advised that: You are safest not...Read more

Over 50s health & exercise A recent report reveals the full extent exercise could have in preventing disease and treating many conditions. After two years analysing more than 200 separate pieces of research, the lead author, Scarlett McNally, a Consultant Orthopaedic surgeon, reveals the full impact that regular physical activity could have on the nation’s health. While savings to the NHS are incalculable, it is clear that many billions of pounds are being spent on treating diseases such as type...Read more