Here are the magic numbers you need to know aged 50 and beyond…
150 Minutes of exercise a week
Dr Tom Micklewright, associate medical director at the online consultation service Push Doctor, says: ‘Women in their 50s should be aiming for at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week. This may include fast walking, jogging, swimming or an exercise class. Whatever you do, it should be enough to make you feel out of breath or a little sweaty and each activity should last at least 10 minutes.
‘If you combine this with two days of muscle-strengthening exercise per week, you’ll be on the road to excellent health.’
120/80 Blood pressure
One in four adults in the UK has high blood pressure, so it’s recommended you have it tested at least every five years if you’re over 40.
Dr Micklewright says: ‘Blood pressure is measured in two numbers to reflect the difference in blood pressure during and after each heartbeat. An ideal blood pressure is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, but doctors will usually accept up to 140/90 before diagnosing high blood pressure.’
90 Grams of sugar
Dr Micklewright says: ‘A woman in her 50s should have less than 90g of sugar in her diet per day, but it’s important to note that this includes healthier sugars, like those in fruit, vegetables and milk. When it comes to added sugar, known as ‘free sugar’, the figure is less. Free sugars are added to sweeten foods and include syrups, honey, refined sugar, ketchup and fruit juices.
‘Women should have no more than 25g of free sugar per day, the equivalent of 6 teaspoons. The nutritional colour wheels on packaged foods can help you to monitor your sugar intake.’
700 mg of calcium a day
Dr Micklewright says: ‘All adults under 65 years are advised to consume 700mg of calcium a day. For those at a higher risk of osteoporosis and fractures, this increases to 1000mg a day. To put these figures into real terms, an average pot of yogurt contains 200-300mg of calcium, a cup of milk contains about 300mg and 30g of cheese contains about 200mg.’
14 Alcoholic units
As we reach 50, our risk of developing heart problems or high blood pressure increases and alcohol can play a role in high blood pressure.
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Dr Micklewright says: ‘Women should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week — the equivalent of six 175ml glasses of wine — and this should be spread over several days, rather than consumed all in one go.’
60 Heart rate
Dr Dan Bunstone, chief medical officer at Push Doctor, says: ‘A healthy resting heart rate is between 60-90 beats per minute. Physical activity helps to maintain your heart health and improve both your circulation and blood pressure and also protect against conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
‘A quick measure of fitness is how soon you recover to normal heartrate after modest exertion, like running upstairs. Broadly speaking, a quicker recovery is a sign of better physical fitness.’
31 Inch waist
Dr Bunstone says: ‘The advice given by the NHS is that if your waist measurement is above 31.5 inches (80cm), then you should try to lose some weight. Carrying too much weight around your middle is a significant risk factor for some serious conditions including heart attack, cancer and stroke. Exercising a little more is always a great first step.’
4 Cups of coffee
Coffee has been linked with health benefits including the decrease of cognitive decline, but how much should we be drinking?
Dr Bunstone says: ‘The advice is 400mg of caffeine per day, around four normal-sized cups of coffee. There is some evidence that coffee can lower the risk of cognitive decline, but there is stronger evidence for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, not smoking, keeping active and enjoying only modest alcohol.’
4 Cholesterol level
Dr Bunstone says: ‘A cholesterol level below five is considered healthy. You can help lower your cholesterol by losing weight, keeping active and avoiding foods that are high in saturated fat. Lower cholesterol will reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Edited by Stephanie May
Push Doctor is an online service which provides same day video consultations. For more information, visit pushdoctor.co.uk