More people are living longer than ever before, which is good, but with these added years, the chance of experiencing health problems becomes more likely.

In this respect health is like financial investment, since what can go up can of course go down too. However, with regard to your health you have more opportunity to influence how rich your future will be.

Whatever your age, there are a few basics that should be part of your routine - eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, drink alcohol only within safe recommended amounts, watch your weight, and control stress. No matter what your age, keep active in whatever way you feel comfortable and enjoy, whether this is walking the dog or marathon running. At each stage of life, particular health problems are more likely to arise and need additional attention and this is where specific supplements can lend a hand.

Life begins at forty

In your forties, certain health conditions may already be pre-paring to change your life and not necessarily for the better. Take heart disease, for example. The damage to the arteries may already have begun but this doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to avoid becoming one of the thousands in the UK who suffer an attack each year. Regular exercise will keep the heart healthy whether you swim, work out at the gym, or do an aerobics class. In addition to a low-fat, low-sugar, and low-salt diet, supplements that can help to keep the heart, circulation, and blood pressure healthy include essential fatty acids, omega 3, cod liver oil, antioxidant vitamins C and E, co-enzyme Q10, garlic and pycnogenol.

The mid-life crisis can affect men and women. The realisation that those younger days have now gone for good, the fact that children may have already, or are preparing to leave home can cause untold stress. It’s at times like these that relaxation is vitally important if stress is to be kept at bay. Camomile, lavender, valerian, hops and lemon balm are all good stress relievers, as is any form of exercise since this will release endorphins, the body’s own natural feel-good chemicals.

From our thirties onwards, more bone cells are lost than are replaced. In time this means that bones may thin, and brittle-bone disease (osteoporosis) may result in painful fractures for men or women. Now is the time to ensure that the body gets enough calcium and vitamin D. Magnesium is also needed for healthy bones. Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking and jogging, are what’s needed to help keep the bones strong.

Halfway to receiving a birthday card from the Queen

It’s in their 50s that many people first notice that their joints are not as flexible as they used to be. Swimming is an excellent exercise for strengthening them since unlike running, it doesn’t place pressure on the joints. For good joint health cod liver oil, glucosamine and chondroitin and MSM can be beneficial. For relief of joint pain, then ginger, devil’s claw or green-lipped mussel all have a natural anti-inflammatory action.

By this stage of life, on the scale of food and exercise, it’s the former that is usually tipping the balance. If you are to avoid becoming overweight with its associated health problems, such as diabetes and osteoarthritis, it’s important to keep active. You may still be fit enough to play hockey or you may prefer to take a brisk walk. It doesn’t really matter so long as you follow the advice of a major sportswear manufacturer and ‘just do it’.

The menopause is an inevitable stage of a woman’s life. Not every one experiences the symptoms though, but when they do strike, the distress caused can be minimised with black cohosh, soy isoflavones and sage extract, which is particularly good for hot flushes.

Another inevitability, for men this time, is that their prostate gland will enlarge. Some are not troubled by this, whilst others find that they spend more of their life in toilets than they should do. It’s saw palmetto, lycopene, selenium and zinc that are helpful here.

Swinging sixties

A common cause of premature disability and death is stroke. Narrowing of the arteries is most often responsible, a process that can be prevented by not smoking, keeping unhealthy saturated fats to a minimum and following a healthy lifestyle with plenty of fruit and vegetables, regular exercise and not too much salt. Essential fatty acids (omega 3), cod liver oil, antioxidant vitamins C and E, co-enzyme Q10, garlic and pycnogenol can help to keep the circulation healthy.

Many people report being busier in retirement than ever before and being more active too. It’s a time when you should be able to do the things you’ve always wanted to. Being on the go all the time may mean that the immune system becomes weakened and cough and cold infections, rather than spending time with family and friends, is what occupies your time. Zinc helps to keep the immune system strong and when infection does strike then vitamin C (available in a stomach-friendly form called ester-C) and Echinacea can help to keep your days out of circulation to a minimum.

With all these things to do during retirement, is it any wonder that a problem sleeping may rear its ugly head? More time on your hands means more time to worry about things too and so it becomes a vicious cycle. Practising good hygiene techniques such as going to bed and getting up at the same can be really helpful. Valerian, hops and lemon balm can also help ease that transition into rewarding and refreshing sleep too.

Seventies and onwards

It’s important to remember that age is not a barrier to keeping active; it’s more often poor physical and emotional health that gets in the way. Calcium supplements are important to maintain strong bones since falls and fractures become more likely with advancing years and a person’s diet may not be providing enough calcium at this time in life. Just as you may wish to take things a bit slower, so does your gut at this stage. Constipation is a common problem, eased by senna, for example. Activity, plenty of liquid and fibre and a daily probiotic (friendly bacteria) can help to keep the bowels moving regularly. Prebiotics promote the growth of these friendly bacteria that our gut needs to function properly and peppermint effectively relieves wind.

Many people become a bit forgetful during these years and as they get older. For some it’s blood-vessel damage that is the cause, for others it’s Alzheimer’s that is responsible. The essential fatty acid DHA, ginkgo, and vitamin B complex can improve brain function. Garlic can help to keep the circulation healthy.

Sadly for us all, bereavement is something that during this stage of life comes round with increasing frequency as loved ones pass on. The loss of independence may also bring us down. It’s here that gentle exercise and social contact are very beneficial in helping to lift our spirits. St John’s Wort, vitamin B6, and ginseng can also help so that exercising and socialising are not seen as such a challenge.

As is done in radio adverts, read the following very quickly: ‘Remember that the quality of your health can go up as well as down. The investments you make for your health depend on your individual circumstances. Always consult your doctor if you are unsure about which supplements to take or are already taking prescribed medication.’

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