Tag Archives: life

Longevity accelerating, says new research

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London: Longevity is accelerating and there are more 100 year olds than ever before, according to a new report by the Cass Business School.

They say that men born in 1985 can expect to live to an average age of 91, according to a new forecast of life expectancy which concludes that all existing projections are too low.

The Government’s key forecast for longevity, which is also used in the pensions and life insurance industry, has seriously miscalculated how long men will live in the future, they also say.

Life expectancy is currently 76.6 years for men and 81 for women. The new research suggests that life expectancy for men born in 1985, who turn 65 in 2050, could be as high as 97 under the most optimistic scenario, although 91 is its central forecast. That is six years higher than the Office for National Statistics’ projection. The new Cass model has been applied only to men so far, but the next phase of the research will cover women.

The new calculation has serious implications for the Government and the pensions industry, who face having to pay an extra £160,368 per person in state benefits and occupational pensions, Cass calculates.

David Blake, director of the Pensions Institute at Cass Business School, said: “Our calculations demonstrate that longevity is accelerating far beyond what is currently predicted, and there is considerable uncertainty surrounding future life expectancy. This will present a huge challenge for long-term healthcare providers and intensifies the problems faced by both government and the pensions industry. They need to update the projections they use before the pensions deficits reach catastrophic proportions.”

Professor Blake said that the Office for National Statistics had a history of underestimating new trends: “It completely underestimated the scale of the postwar baby boom, which had serious implications for the provision of schools and hospitals, and it has continually underestimated longevity of elderly people.”

The Government has voiced concerns about the ageing population and has taken some steps to make provision for more older people. The retirement age is rising from 65 to 68 by 2044. Those actions were promoted by the ONS forecast that the proportion of over65s will go from 15 per cent now to 25 per cent by 2050. However, less provision for the older population has been made in healthcare.

The new centurions

– There are about 9,000 men and women over the age of 100, but the numbers are rising by 7 per cent a year

– By 2050, more than 150,000 people will be centenarians

– The costs of treating dementia and caring for sufferers have been calculated at £17 billion (and rising) per year

Exercise is the

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London: We are always keen to hear of the latest anti-ageing therapy, machine, pill or surgical intervention. Yet possibly the most effective ‘therapy’ for living longer and healthier and the closest thing we have to an ‘anti-ageing pill’ is regular exercise.

The International Institute for Anti-Ageing exercise expert, Professor Wayne Derman, tells us more.

“There is increasing research that suggests specific forms of exercise training, in appropriate doses (duration, frequency and intensity) can slow and in some cases even reverse the ageing changes in the body. This is particularly relevant to the chronic diseases associated with increasing age.

• In type 2 diabetes (when the body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin causing blood sugar levels to soar) strength training can improve the sufferer’s sensitivity to insulin, effectively helping to reverse the disease.
• Exercise enhances blood flow to the brain improving cognitive processing, reasoning and memory, as well as enhancing creativity. It is also profoundly antidepressant.
Exercise is such a good anti-ageing intervention because it is effective at various levels in the biological system. Even simple exercises such as walking can have a profound effect on one’s quality of life as the years add on. Because walking can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that help to keep urine in the bladder, simply walking for 30 minutes a day can reduce a woman’s risk of urinary incontinence by up to 25%.

The key of course, is how much we should exercise for optimal effects and what exercises should we be doing? New guidelines recommend:
• moderately intense cardio-respiratory activity (eg. brisk walking) 30 minutes a day, five days a week. ‘Moderately intense’ means anything that creates a sweat and raises the heart rate.
Or
• vigorously intense cardio-respiratory activity (eg. jogging) 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week. ‘Vigorously intense’ means you can’t carry on a conversation while exercising.
Plus
• Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week. These can be done at home with an elasticised resistance band – an inexpensive and highly effective alternative to conventional weight and exercise equipment and ideal for strength training.

It is always important to remember that if you’ve been sedentary for a long time, are overweight, have a high risk of coronary heart disease or some other chronic health problem, see your doctor for a medical evaluation before beginning a physical activity programme.

Dream of changing your life? Learn how to at One Life Live

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London: Do you dream of achieving a more sustainable lifestyle?

One Life Live (29th Feb – 2nd March, Olympia, London), is the event for people who know we only have One Life and want to make it count.

Have you ever longed to achieve a more green and ethical lifestyle? According to the new ‘Life Change Survey’, commissioned by One Life Live, you’re certainly not alone. Over 72% of people in the UK now recognise that achieving a more sustainable lifestyle on personal, as well as a global, level is now essential to the future of the planet.

Findings from the research also show that 47% of people believe it is the responsibility of individuals to make changes to their lifestyles to help stop the effects of climate change, 77% currently buy products on the basis of environmental or ethical concerns and 32% believe sustainable products and services will become the norm for consumers within the next ten years.

Taking place from 29th Feb – 2nd March 2008, One Life Live is the UK’s only event dedicated to helping people achieve their dream of a more meaningful life. Supported by The Independent, the event brings together a host of options to help people achieve life changes – from helping them create a green and ethical lifestyle to ideas for people who want to put something back through volunteering or who want to retrain for a more rewarding career.

One Life Live is divided into a number of different zones, each providing inspiration and advice about a different aspect of our lives. Zones at One Life Live 2008 include:

– Green & Ethical Living: products, services and advice for those looking to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle

– New Careers: a chance to start again and retrain for a more rewarding career

– Volunteering & Fundraising: options for those keen to put something through volunteer work

– Relocate UK: for those who want to escape the rat race, downshift and live their dream of a life in the country or by the coast

– Be Your Own Boss: support to help visitors break free, start a business and become their own boss

– Travel & Career Breaks: for those looking to take a sabbatical and become a volunteer overseas – ideas for some rewarding time out

– Life Balance: from relaxation remedies and life coaches to new hobbies – its all about here and now ways to improve your life

One Life Live 2008 will also play host to over 150 seminars, a range of clinics offering free one-to-one consultations and over 300 inspirational exhibitors. ‘One Lifer’s’ – people who have already made a change to achieve a more rewarding life – will also be on hand to give first hand advice to those looking to follow suit.

One Life Live 2008 takes place in Grand Hall Olympia, London from 29th Feb – 2nd March. Tickets are priced £12 in advance from www.onelifelive.co.ukor £15 on the door.
Alternatively call booking line 0844 8483225.

Diabetes link to dementia

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New York: There could be a link between an adult’s diet and their risk of developing dementia, according to a newly published article in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

Individuals with diabetes are believed to be particularly susceptible to reduced cognition in old age and an unhealthy diet is known as a significant risk factor for the increasingly common condition. Eating less fattening foods and maintaining a healthy weight can help people avoid diabetes and therefore should mean they are less at risk of losing cognitive capacity in later life, the authors of the recent study suggest.

World’s oldest creature may hold key to longevity

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Bangor: British scientists have found a 400 year-old clam, believed to be the world’s longest-living animal, off the coast of Iceland.

The scientists, from Bangor University in Wales, say that the discovery of the quahog clam, aged between 405 and 410 years old, might allow them to get a better understanding of the ageing process, as well as revealing the secrets of long life.

The creature was nicknamed Ming, after the dynasty which ruled China at the beginning of its life.

“When this animal was a juvenile, King James I replaced Queen Elizabeth I as English monarch, Shakespeare was writing his greatest plays – Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth – and Giordano Bruno was burnt at the stake for espousing the view that the Sun rather than the Earth was the centre of the universe,” they say in a press release.

The scientists calculated the age of the animal by counting annual growth rings on the shell, a technology similar to that used when estimating a tree’s age.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, before Ming, the longest-lived animal was a clam found in 1982, aged 220.

Stroke the silent killer – new guide for victims and carers

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Are you at risk from the the third leading killer of young and old alike?

Discover a life transforming view of life after stroke, and discover new and beautiful ways to improve the quality of your life, even in the face of adversity…

Have you already suffered a stroke, or witnessed the struggles of a family member that has suffered, and want supportive, helpful and encouraging information that will allow you to lead an improved quality of life?

Every year for thousands of people stroke becomes a silent killer. For those lucky enough to survive, life following a stroke can be filled with pain, sorrow and feelings of loss and abandonment.

Fortunately, there are ways to overcome those feelings and limitations, and discover a new independence; one that you will discover is rich and rewarding.

Each year thousands of people become victims of stroke but can fail to recognize the early warning signs…

• Sudden weakness in your arm, leg or hands.
• The impression that you are not able to feel one side of your face or body.
• Difficulty seeing or experienced temporarily blurriness from one eye.
• Difficulty walking or experiencing balancing problems.
• The worst headache of your life…

If you have experienced one or more of the symptoms above, your life may be at risk. Stroke is increasingly prevalent in modern times. Call your doctor immediately or visit the nearest ER!

The impacts of stroke can be devastating for the more than
700,000 people that suffer from stroke each year.

The good news is when armed with knowledge and information; you can learn to lead an extraordinary life even following a devastating stroke. One of the most important desires stroke survivors have is the ability to regain an independent lifestyle.

How is this achieved? It is often achieved through rehabilitation, support and counselling, as well as caring for one’s individual health related problems following a stroke.

“The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of others…“
Adapted from M. Williamson

Friends and loved ones can also find they are confused about how to cope with a loved one’s loss. Fortunately, there is help and guidance just a moment away. Everyone can learn to heal others and heal their own sense of loss by learning more about life following a stroke.

“Life After A Stroke” is a moving, tell-all guide that teaches survivors, caregivers and close family how to cope with the after effects of a stroke. Using this guide you can learn how to regain some of your independence and improve the quality of your life to the greatest extent possible. It is available in standard and mp3 format for your convenience.

Imagine what your life would be like if you could learn to communicate with others in a sensible, logical and non-frustrating manner after a stroke…

While you may not return to the state of health you were in before, there is much evidence suggesting with proper knowledge and information, you can lead a rich and rewarding life after a stroke.

Are you ready to take back your life, or help another to do so?

Perhaps you are a caregiver looking for guidance and support while caring for a family member or loved one suffering from stroke. No matter the case, you’ve landed in just the right place to find the information you need.

Introducing a Revolutionary New Approach To Healing…Find out how to
improve the quality of YOUR life and that of your loved ones,
by adopting a few simple, common-sense strategies.

In this unique and gentle approach to Stroke, learn everything there is to know about stroke whether a survivor, friend, family member or caregiver.

This important guide contains information that will:

• Educate you about the immediate after – effects of stroke, so you know what to expect and how to overcome setbacks in the early weeks following a stroke.
• Teach you how to set goals following a stroke that will speed the progression of your healing.
• Help you understand what rehabilitation is all about, including what forms of rehabilitation are available and how they can improve your quality of life and standard of living.
• Help you discover and learn new and innovative tools for treating the physical symptoms of stroke, including spasticity and muscle pain.
• Tell you about new ways of treating old problems, including use of a popular cosmetic procedure that may reduce muscle tightness and help improve coordination and balance.
• Teach you what ITB therapy is and how it can improve delivery of targeted medications to your system, so you feel better faster, longer.
• Show you how to set up an individual approach to rehabilitation that aligns with your personal needs, goals and interests.

Learn how to avoid future strokes

Someone who has had a stroke is almost twice as likely to experience another. Learn the 2 most important steps you can take to prevent future strokes and enhance your odds for an improved quality of life following stroke.

Friends, Family and Caregivers

Friends, family and caregivers also need support and guidance during the period of time following a stroke. The good news is in Life After Stroke, you can learn how to communicate and reevaluate each member of a household’s roles, so everyone enjoys an improved quality of life when caring for a loved one.

Most importantly, Life After Stroke offers hope for the future. When you have nowhere else to turn, you always have hope.

You can find more information here: www.intrepreuner.ws

Diabetes and obesity continue to rise in UK

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London: Rates of obesity and diabetes continue to rise across England, although people are living longer than ever, the UK Government has revealed.

Obesity rates in England were by 2005 the highest among the 15 member states who then formed the European Union. Also life expectancy continues to increase.

A girl can expect to live to 81, more than a year and a half longer than a decade before. But life expectancy in the north of the country is shorter than in the south.

Women in the North East and North West live over two years less than those in the South East and South West, while men live over two and a half years less than their southern contemporaries.

In the decade ending in 2005 covered by the report, the proportion of obese men rose by over 40%, although the figures did start to fall slightly in the final year.

The proportion of obese women however rose by almost 35% and shows no signs of slowing. Among children, it was up by over 50%.

The figures for children are seen as much more precise than those for adults, as they are based on hard data provided by almost every school in the country, while the adult figures are extrapolated from sample surveys.

This latest report comes on the back of a major study into obesity sponsored by the government, which forecast that the majority of us would be obese by 2050.

Obesity is known to contribute to some health conditions, including type 2 diabetes. Overall rates for diabetes increased from 5.8% of the population to 8.4% between 1998 and 2004.

Other conditions on the increase include chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. This latest data shows that among females, rates for these diseases have increased above the average of Western Europe.

Mortality rates from cancer are on the decline, although the outcome still varies according to the specific type of the disease.

And life expectancy is improving for everyone. While a baby girl can now expect to live to 81.2, a baby boy can expect to live to 76.9, nearly 2.5 years longer than ten years previous, according to the 2005 statistics.

Stress increases breast cancer risk

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Stockholm: Stress at work can increase the risk of women developing breast cancer by upto a third, a new study of Swedish women suggests.

It is thought the increased risk is a result of poor lifestyle choices which lead to obesity, increased alcohol consumption, leading to a weakened immune system.

The study published in the journal of Epidemology found that women in demanding jobs are 30 per cent more likely to develop the disease than those who feel on top of their work.

The results of the study, which involved 36,000 women, appear to contradict previous research which has not found a link between stress and breast cancer.

Thousands of women die each year from the disease and although survival rates are improving, the number contracting it is on the increase.

The study looked at information on 36,000 Swedish women aged 30 to 50 who were in work when the study started in 1990. The study followed the women until 2004, by which time 767 of them had been diagnosed-with breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer increased by around 30 per cent for women with stressful jobs after other factors, such as alcohol consumption, number of children, weight, and age, were taken into account.

The Swedish researchers found no link between stress and cancer among women in part-time work.

The reason why stress might increase the risk is unclear, although studies show it may raise levels of the hormone oestrogen which can heighten the risk of cancer. Another theory is that stress changes women’s behaviour, making them adopt unhealthy habits such as smoking and not exercising.

Recent research has found that long working hours and stress from work can bring on the menopause early and, in pregnant women, increase the risk of a miscarriage.

However, a Danish study of 7,000 women over 18 years found those with high levels of stress were less likely to develop breast cancer than women with low stress levels. Leading-cancer scientists yesterday said more research is needed before stress can join other well-known risk factors.

More 100 year olds than ever before

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London: The number of people living past 100 in England and Wales reached almost 9,000 last year for the first time, figures show.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of centenarians had increased ninety-fold since 1911 when there were only 100 in the country, according to estimates.

The rise is being attributed to dramatic improvements in healthcare and housing conditions over the past century which have have led to people living longer.

While the number of women surviving past the landmark birthday still far outnumber men, the gap has narrowed slightly in recent years, the figures show.

The ONS calculates that there were seven women over 100 for every man in the same age group last year, compared with a ratio of eight to one four years before.

The figures, calculated from mortality rates and other factors, estimate that there were 8,970 people over the age of 100 in England and Wales last year – up from 8,340 in 2005.

The rate at which the number of people in the 100-plus age group has grown has quickened in recent years.

The 7.5% rise last year compares with an average rate of 5.8% for most of the current decade.

The ONS said that before 1940, the average annual increase was 1.9%.

While that rate picked up to 6.4% after the Second World War, it later slowed between 1981 and 2001 – partly as a result of the effects of the First World War and the 1918 flu pandemic on the population.

Cancer cure jab two years away

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Cambridge: Some humans have cancer fighting cells which may be used to fight the disease in others.

Dr Zheng Cui, of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, whose work has been published in the latest issue of the New Scientist magazine, has shown in laboratory experiments that immune cells from some people can be almost 50 times more effective in fighting cancer than in others.

Dr Cui has previously shown cells from mice found to be immune to cancer can be used to cure ordinary mice with tumours.

These cancer-killing immune system cells are called granulocytes which could be made available from donors to significantly boost a cancer patient’s ability to fight their disease, and potentially cure them.

In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week gave Dr Cui permission to inject super-strength granulocytes into 22 patients.

He said: “Our hope is that this could be a cure. Our pre-clinical tests have been exceptionally successful.If this is half as effective in humans as it is in mice it could be that half of patients could be cured or at least given one to two years extra of high quality life.The technology needed to do this already exists, so if it works in humans we could save a lot of lives, and we could be doing so within two years.”

Dr Cui believes patients could benefit from the technique quickly because the technology used to extract granulocytes is the same as that already used by hospitals to obtain other blood components such as plasma or platelets.

Prof Gribben, a cancer immunologist at Cancer Research UK’s experimental centre at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, said: “The concept of using immune system cells to kill off someone else’s cancer is very, very exciting.”

Dr Cui, who presented his latest findings at an anti-ageing conference in Cambridge last week, extracted granulocytes from 100 people, including some with cancer.

When the immune cells were mixed with cervical cancer cells, those from different individuals demonstrated vastly varying abilities to fight the cancer.

Those of the strongest participants killed close to 97 per cent of the cancer cells in 24 hours, while those of the weakest killed only two per cent.

The abilities of the cells of participants aged over 50 were lower than average, and those of cancer patients even lower.

Dr Cui noticed that the strength of a person’s immune system to combat cancer can also vary according to how stressed they are and the time of year.

Initial experiments suggest it may be possible to transfer granulocytes which have demonstrated strong cancer-fighting powers into cancer sufferers.

In 1999 Prof Cui and colleagues discovered a male mouse that appeared to be completely resistant to virulent cancer cells of several different types.

Since then more than 2000 mice in 15 generations have been bred from the original cancer-free mouse and 40 per cent of the offspring have inherited the immunity.

With the immune system, some types of cells which provide “innate immunity” are constantly on patrol for foreign invaders, while others have to firstly learn to identify a specific threat before going on the attack.

Scientists developing cancer vaccines have generally attempted to stimulate responses in the immune system cells that require prior exposure.

Last year Dr Cui caused shockwaves in the cancer research community when he identified granulocytes as the cells responsible for the mouse cancer immunity – because they are among those which act automatically.

Prof Gribben said: “This is surprising because it goes against how we thought immune system works against cancer. It makes us think again about our preconceived notions.”

Prof Cui injected granulocytes from immune mice into ordinary mice, and found it was possible to give them protection from cancer.

Even more excitingly he found the transfusions caused existing cancers to go into remission and to clear them completely within weeks.

A single dose of the cells appeared to give many of the mice resistance to cancer for the rest of their lives.

Granulocyte transfusion has previously been used to try to prevent infections in cancer patients whose immune systems have been weakened by chemotherapy.

However their effectiveness has been unclear because they have mainly been given to patients in an advanced stage of disease.

Prof Gribben warned the US researchers would have to be careful to avoid other immune system cells from the donor proliferating in the patient’s body.

He added: “If they’re using live cells there is a theoretical risk of graft-versus-host disease, which can prove fatal.”

But Dr Cui said he is working on ways to minimise this risk.

Statins may be new weapon against Alzheimer’s

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Seattle: The family of anti-cholesterol drugs called statins and taken by millions around the world, can protect against Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research.

An examination of brain tissue has provided the first direct evidence that statins – taken to prevent heart disease and strokes – can also ward off dementia and memory loss. The study is published in the American Journal of Neurology.

The new findings s come from a study of 110 brains – donated for medical research – at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. The researchers led by Dr Gail Li examined the brains for changes linked to Alzheimer’s -including the creation of ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ made from the protein called beta amyloid.

These changes appear in the brain long before any symptoms of dementia develop. Eventually, they damage enough brain cells to trigger confusion, memory loss and eventually death. The researchers found far fewer tangles in the brains of people who had taken statins, compared to those who had not.

The findings were true even after age, sex and the history of strokes were taken into account. This is the first study to compare the brains of people who took statins with those who did not.

Dr Eric Larson, study co-author said: “These results are exciting, novel and have important implications for prevention strategies.”

Statins work by blocking the action of a chemical in the liver which is needed to make the ‘bad’ form of cholesterol, LDL. Reducing levels of bad cholesterol keeps blood vessels unclogged.

The researchers are not sure how statins also prevent the buildup of protein tangles in the brain. They suspect that a healthy flow of blood is a key factor.

Another study, five year’s ago at Boston University found that statins may cut the risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 79 per cent, even in people with a family history of the disease. Some small- scale studies have found an apparent link between statins and cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Other studies, however, suggest that the drugs can ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.

Scientists unlock key to longer life

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La Jolla, California: The day when humans could enjoy at least a partial “elixir of life”, a pill extending lifespan by up to 40 per cent, is now closer with the discovery of a “longevity gene”.

Scientists studying worms have found a gene that links eating less with longer life. This confirms earlier studies carried out over the last 70 years which have looked at dogs, mice, yeast, fruit flies and nematode worms, which have shown that a reduction in calorie intake by 60 per cent of normal, while maintaining a healthy diet of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, consistently prolongs life by up to 40 per cent.

That regime also reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, while staving off age-related degeneration of the brain and nervous system.

Although some people are already imposing this strict diet on themselves, and primate experiments appear to back this longevity effect, it is still too early tell whether calorie restriction will have the same effect in humans.

The new research from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, have identified a critical gene in nematode worms that specifically links eating fewer calories to living longer and why persistent hunger leads to a longer life.

Identifying this “longevity pathway” opens the door to the development of drugs that mimic the effects of calorie restriction and might allow people to reap health benefits without adhering to an austere regime that only the toughest ascetics can endure.

In a paper published in the magazine Nature, Prof Andrew Dillin and colleagues show that pha-4, a gene that plays an essential part in embryonic development of the worm, has a newly discovered function in adults – increased activity of the gene is associated with longevity in the “sweet spot” of food consumption between the extremes of harm caused by starvation and overeating.

Professor Dillin says: “After 72 years of not knowing how calorie restriction works, we finally have genetic evidence to unravel the underlying molecular program required for increased longevity in response to calorie restriction,” said Prof Dillin.

“This is the first gene that is absolutely essential and specific for the increased longevity response to dietary restriction.”

Initially, researchers thought that the effect of calorie restriction on ageing was to do with signalling pathways related to the hormone insulin but experiments by graduate student Siler Panowski in Prof Dillin’s lab suggested reality was more complex and another gene called SMK-1 was more involved in the effects of starvation, to their surprise.

The work suggests that insulin signalling and calorie restriction are independent pathways, but SMK-1 plays a role in both, said Panowski. The team studied 15 genes that could be involved with SMK-1 and found that the loss of only one, a gene called pha-4, negated the lifespan-enhancing effect of calorie-restriction in the worms.

Dramatically, when researchers undertook the opposite experiment— making more pha-4 in worms — longevity was enhanced, suggesting that this could offer a target for life extension drugs.

Detailed work showed that the gene can boost levels of proteins called SODs (superoxide dismutase) which mop up free radicals, harmful chemicals linked with ageing.

The researchers think that this may be a defence mechanism that helps the creatures tolerate starvation. The pha-4 gene is similar to those in people called Foxa transcription factors, which also have important roles during development and act later in life to regulate glucagons – hormones made by the pancreas to burn fat – and glucose levels, particularly in response to fasting. Humans possess three genes that are “highly similar” to the worm pha-4, all belonging to the Foxa family.

All three play an important role in development and then later on in the regulation of glucagon, a hormone made by the pancreas that unlike insulin increases the concentration of blood sugar and maintains the body’s energy balance, especially during fasting.

When food is in short supply, these genes may alter glucagon levels or cause other changes in hormones that are ultimately able to regulate the ageing process.

The team is now going to study these human genes to see if they react the same way as those in nematodes do when the worms are denied their favourite treat, bacteria.

Prof Dillin said that they would also test a range of drugs to see if they can find some that boost the activity of the human equivalent of the worm gene and, in theory, could boost longevity.

So far, only one other gene, called sir-2, has been implicated in the life- and health-prolonging response of the boy to calorie restriction. Increased use of the gene extends longevity of yeast, worms, and flies.

However, the link is not so clean cut because the loss of sir-2 disrupts the calorie restriction response only in some strains of yeast and has no effect on other organisms, such as worms.

Neurotic men likely to die earlier, says new US report

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Mellow men live longer, according to o new research from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana in the US.

“We found that neurotic men whose levels (of neurosis) dropped over time had a better chance at living longer,” said Dan Mroczek, an associate professor of child development and family studies at Purdue

“They seemed to recover from any damage high levels of the trait may have caused. On the flip side, neurotic men whose neuroticism increased over time died much sooner than their peers.”

Researchers defined a neurotic personality as “a person with the tendency to worry, feel excessive amounts of anxiety or depression and to react to stressful life events more negatively than people with low levels of the trait.”

While researchers tracked 1,663 men — more than 90 per cent of whom were white — for 12 years, Mroczek believes the results would be similar for women or other ethnicities.

“You can find the full range of personalities in any ethnic or gender group,” he said. “There are those who are laid-back and then there are those who worry, who react very poorly to stress, who are always on edge.” Mroczek suspects a contributing factor behind early death in neurotic men may be high levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Later this year, he will study the link.

The study’s results will be published in the Psychological Science in late May.

Pacifica – London’s new pampering haven

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London: The Pacifica Day Spa has recently opened its doors in London’s Nottinghill with the ultimate in pampering and rejuvenation treatments.

Pacifica recognises the stress of modern living and has developed a full range of services to fit in with and complement a busy lifestyle. From the minute you enter the Pacifica Day Spa you will be taken on a unique journey that has been created specifically for you.

Designed to stimulate all your senses and transport you to a world of tranquillity, you will enter an exotic world that combines the colours, textures and sounds of the Pacific. Listen to the waterfall, smell the aroma of tantalising essential oils, and pamper yourself in stylish and comfortable surroundings.

Pacifica combines the latest developments in skincare with the expertise of the most highly trained beauty therapists. All the therapists are CIDESCO trained (the highest level of education in the field of aesthetics and the only degree recognised worldwide) and are specialists in detox, anti ageing, pigmentation, and acne, as well as being able to recognise other skincare conditions and disorders that clients might have.

“My vision for Pacifica Day Spa was to create a sensuous, state-of-the-art space that provides the highest level of customer service, excellent hygiene standards and top notch therapists who are well educated and can be seen as trusted advisors. I wanted to create an escape from the pressures of city living and believe that Pacifica Day Spa is the perfect place to rejuvenate and unwind,” says Kathleen Granados, Director of Pacifica Day Spa.

Pacifica Day Spa offers an extensive menu of Dermalogica, Elemis, O.P.I and Lycon treatments, delivering the very best services to meet individual needs. The spa therapy menu has been created to respect the body’s complex physiology and work in synergy with the skin, body and mind. In addition to booked treatments, clients are offered a complimentary aroma steam treatment that is customised with a personal blend of essential oils to balance, relax or invigorate. The spa also invites clients to enjoy a complimentary tea, coffee or juice in the cosy relaxation area, as well as learn more about their skin and sample products at the skin bar.
pacifica SPA-THERAPY MENU

The spa boasts an extensive menu of Elemis and Dermalogica treatments as well as Pacifica’s own bespoke therapies based on Swedish and Thai techniques, designed to indulge, detox and de-stress.

Treatments include a wide selection of facials such as the revolutionary Elemis tri-enzyme facial which involves safe resurfacing of the upper layers of the skin, Elemis Skin IQ Facial, an anti-ageing facial for male skin that adapts to super boost the skin and protect against the effects of shaving and environmental damage, through to the Dermalogica Facial which includes their signature Face Mapping technique which analyzes the 14 zones of the face in order to provide a thorough skin analysis.

Body treatments include for example Thai Herbal Ball Massage, which is a combination of deep tissue and Thai massage designed to release tension, strengthen your metabolism, and rejuvenate the skin and release toxins, Elemis Exotic Coconut and Milk Ritual Wrap excellent for skin smoothing and softening, combining an exotic wrap with a facial pressure point massage and de-stress scalp treatment to stimulate the senses and Aromatherapy Body Massage a gentle, relaxing massage using a variety of essential oils to relax, re-energize, soothe aching muscles or stimulate your circulation.

In addition to individual body and facial treatments, Pacifica Day Spa offers waxing, self tanning, manicures and pedicures, as well as courses of treatments to prepare the holidaymaker, the mother or bride-to-be.

Whatever the excuse for pampering, enjoy the ultimate relaxing and sensory experience at Pacifica Day Spa.

LOCATION AND OPENING DETAILS

1 Courtnell Street, Notting Hill, London W2 5BU
T. 020 7243 1718
E. info@pacificadayspa.co.uk
W. www.pacificadayspa.co.uk

OPENING HOURS

10-9pm Monday to Friday
10-7pm Saturday & Sunday

THE DESIGN

Developed and influenced from therapies around the world, the spa reflects a blend of Asian cultures including Pacific Islands, Thailand, Bali and Polynesia. The aim was to create a spa environment that transports clients away from their London lives to an enticing destination exciting the senses with the colours, aromas and materials of the Orient.

On entering the reception area, you will be immediately transported to a foreign destination with Asian inspired furnishings and water gently trickling down a wall feature. Drift away in the relaxation area which is decorated in a calming shade of green, where flames flicker in the fireplace and the air is filled with a gentle fragrance to soothe the soul.

As you descend to the downstairs treatment rooms, you enter a rich, warm and earthy environment, with walls decorated in rich chocolate, cushions and throws fabricated from hand woven silks, and basins of marble – the gentle floor lighting adds to an environment that offers an exotic, yet secure and homely feel.

THE FOUR SENSORY SUITES
Earth, Air, Fire, Water

• Earth suite is for mother and baby massages
• Fire suite forms part of the couple’s treatment area and is primarily used for body treatments
• Water is an adjoining suite to Fire and caters for wet treatments such as seaweed wraps.
• Air is a corner treatment room that is primarily used for facial treatments

AromaSteam capsule: clients are offered a complimentary 15 minute aroma steam treatment that can be booked at time of appointment. The AromaSteam is your own private steam sauna that is customised with a personal blend of essential oils to balance, relax or invigorate.

THE COMPANY PHILOSOPHY – POINTS OF DIFFERENCE

1. Pacifica Day Spa is an intimate, sensuous, state-of-the art sanctuary in the heart of London.
2. Pacifica Day Spa combines the latest developments in skincare with the expertise of the most highly trained beauty therapists.
3. Every therapist at Pacifica Day Spa is CIDESCO trained, this is the highest level of education in the field of aesthetics and the only degree recognised worldwide. This ensures clients receive the very best treatment possible as well as truly expert advice in matters of skin and body health.
4. Because all of Pacifica’s therapists are CIDESCO trained, treatments will be consistently excellent. Clients will never be disappointed to find they can’t book a favourite therapist for a particular treatment – all treatments will be performed in the same way and to the same standard by every therapist, every time.
5. Pacifica Day Spa offers an excellent choice of treatments for men and women, that relax, rejuvenate, repair and revive both body and mind. Indulge in luxury pampering but don’t forget weekly grooming essentials.
6. Pacifica Day Spa practices the highest standards of hygiene at all times, extra steps, such as personal manicure tools for clients, help make the spa a place your can trust.
7. Pacifica Day Spa provides a relaxing haven in the heart of London. With the scents, sights and sounds of the Pacific, you can give yourself a luxury holiday without packing a suitcase.
8. Pacifica Day Spa can be booked exclusively for parties or business functions. Catering can be organised and the spa even has WiFi to ensure clients can stay in touch with the office.
9. Pacifica Day Spa is full of extra touches to make it a special place, from a session in the complimentary AromaSteam Capsule, to free skincare sampling and a generous loyalty programme, Pacifica offers a little bit more than most.

THE COMPANY PHILOSOPHY – THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE DREAM

Kathleen Granados/Director
Pacifica Day Spa is the vision of Kathleen Granados. Prior to coming to the UK, Kathleen graduated in business from Berkeley and worked in both consulting and entertainment marketing industries.

Kathleen says: “I wanted to create an environment where customers could go and feel safe, receiving value for the money they spent. Over the years, I have been a frequent customer of spa treatments and felt that I could bring some of the customer service standards and benefits that we would expect in a US spa to London.”

Kathleen feels that it is particularly important to know a business inside out so she trained as a beauty therapist herself and did the CIDESCO training degree. This not only gave her greater admiration for the therapists with whom she works but they in turn have respect for her as someone who really understands the beauty therapy world. Kathleen strives to make Pacifica a place of employment where therapists are satisfied, challenged and encouraged to be the very best in their field. What’s more she is now in a much better position to advise her friends and clients about treatments that would be most beneficial for them.

Anita Patel/Operations Manager

To strengthen Pacifica, Kathleen joined forces with Anita Patel who has worked in the beauty industry for over 12 years and trained with Noella Gabriel from Elemis. “Anita is a great asset to the team and was a former CIDESCO instructor, which ensures that all our therapists are knowledgeable, experienced and will carry out treatments to the level I expect,” says Kathleen. Anita has worked with many brands including Elemis, Dermalogica, Thalgo, Decleor, Clarins, St. Tropez, Jessica among others.

CIDESCO TRAINING

• CIDESCO is the only qualification recognised worldwide.

• Unlike other beauty therapy qualifications where the student is assessed immediately by their instructor, CIDESCO therapists are given an exam at the end of the program and they are examined by appointed examiners from around the world. They are expected at this point to have carried out the needed hours of practical work plus theory and deliver a thesis focused on any topic related to health and beauty.

• CIDESCO students are passionate about the industry and spend a significant amount of time on their exam preparations and thesis. This alone means that they are interested in health and beauty and care about being knowledgeable for themselves and their clients.

• This qualification goes into an in depth level of anatomy and physiology coupled with the practical hours. The training is intense and ensures that the therapists undergo educational training coupled with over 1200 hours of practical training. (This means that each therapist must do at least 500 hours of manicure, 500 hours of waxing, 500 hours of massage, 500 hours of facials, etc before they are even tested)

• www.cidesco.com

Stress of London life ages skin

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London: Living in London prematurely ages your skin by three-and-a-half years, according to new research.

Pollution, smoking, stress and poor sun-care are the principal contributing factors, said the study by a skin treatments firm.

It suggested people in north-east London were likely to have the oldest skin in the country, appearing nearly four years older than they should.

Lack of sleep, bad diet and poor sun-care were to blame, the study said.

Dermatologist Dr Sean Lanigan said: “The skin is a barometer for our general well-being so those not feeling comfortable in theirs should address various lifestyle factors.”

Researchers devised the “skin age” formula based on factors such as stress, sleep levels, diet, social habits, and pollution levels that all can contribute to premature skin ageing.

Women given liver transplants outlive male recipients by about four years

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Birmingham: Female liver transplant recipients outlive men given the same procedure by an average of 4.5 years, suggests UK research to be published in the medical journal Gut.

And while younger people tend to live longest of all, they also stand to lose more years of their life compared with those who have not had liver transplants, the research shows.

The research team assessed the life expectancy and years of life lost of 2702 people who had received a liver transplant between 1985 and 2003, and who had survived more than six months afterwards.

The information was taken from the National Transplant Database, held by UK Transplant, and compared with that from healthy people matched for age and sex.

The analysis showed that, on average, after reaching the critical six month period, survival time for liver transplant recipients was 22 years compared with 29 years for the general population.

The life expectancy of male liver transplant recipients was 18 years compared with 26 years for women.

This compares with 27 years for men and 31 years for women in the general population, equating to twice as many years of life lost for male transplant recipients compared with their female counterparts.

Those aged between 17 and 34 had the highest life expectancy of 28 years after a liver transplant. But this compares with a life expectancy of 51 years for their peers in the general population.

Transplant recipients with primary liver disease fared significantly better than those undergoing the procedure because of hepatitis C infection, cirrhosis, or cancer.

The authors note that while one year survival rates have increased over time, death rates beyond this period have remained more or less the same.

They attribute this to the types of patients undergoing the procedure, who now include older, sicker patients, as well as the use of more “marginal” livers.

Hectic lifestyle is main cause of stress

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London: Our hectic lives are making us ill, a new survey has discovered.

Those questioned were anxious about – not getting enough exercise (48%), not getting enough sleep (42%), general fatigue (34%), not being able to find a National Health Service dentist (29%), daily stress (27%), cleanliness of public hospitals (25%), depression (23%), food additives (20), hospital waiting lists (17%) and passive smoking (5%).

The poll indicates many of us are far more worried about not getting enough sleep and the stresses of everyday living than smoking, drinking or poor diets.

Public health experts believe the findings reflect the increasing pressure of surviving in a 24-hour society.

They have warned that the strain of modern life – in which employees work longer hours and spend less time with family and friends – could be costing the health of millions. There is no santuary at home where there are still mobile phones and the Internet.

The research carried out by healthcare insurance provider Legal & General questioned 5,000 men and women about their biggest health worries over the past three months.

Nearly half said lack of exercise was their number one health concern. Lack of sleep followed at 42 per cent while 34 per cent said general fatigue was a major worry.

More than a quarter blamed stress as a cause of anxiety while almost the same number said they worried about feeling depressed. Passive smoking, however, was mentioned by 15 per cent of those surveyed and drinking by just 12 per cent.

Only 14 per cent said they worried about not following a healthy diet and a fifth about food additives such as salt, colouring and preservatives.

Young adults ravaged by lifestyle disease, says new report

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London: Poor lifestyle habits such as binge-drinking, bad eating habits and smoking are to blame for the increasing number of young adults who are not getting enough vital nutrients, a new UK study says.

As a result it is predicted that many will go on to suffer debilitating illnesses such as the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis and even a drop in life expenctancy.

The study, commissioned by Boots Health Club, part of the nationwide chemist chain, found that large numbers of men and women have low intakes of at least eight key vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc and vitamin A.

It warned that millions of young people are thought to be ‘vita-rexic’ – a term coined for vitamin deficiency. Alarmingly, the study found that 96 per cent of women aged 19 to 24 were at risk of becoming iron deficient. This can lead to symptoms of anaemia, which leaves the sufferer feeling weak and tired.

More than half of women and a third of men were also found to be deficient in calcium, which is vital to help maintain healthy bones.

Dr Ann Walker, senior lecturer in nutrition at the University of Reading, said: ‘Modern lifestyles are at fault with many people working long hours, with bad diets and little time for exercise.

‘Bad diet, smoking and binge drinking are having a devastating effect on people’s health – women in particular – and adding to the burden of full-time work. It is hugely important that young adults start eating more healthily to avoid stressing the immune system.’

Every year Britons spend £300million on vitamin and mineral pills in the belief they can help prevent illnesses or make up for the nutrients lacking in their diet.

But earlier this year an influential panel of U.S. scientists said there is no strong evidence that they provide any benefit.

They warned that as many as one in ten of those taking supplements could even be in danger of overdosing and exceeding the daily ‘safe’ intake when nutrients in their food are included.

Most nutritionists agree that a healthy and balanced diet – which includes plenty of fruit and vegetables – will provide all the nutrients that most people need.

Blackcurrant nutrients fight hospital superbug

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London: British blackcurrants are known to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, fight cancer, UTI infections and heart disease. Now new scientific research into this small but mighty superfood has been found to effectively prevent the dreaded MRSA bacteria that lurks in most hospitals.

We are exposed to bacteria on a daily basis and more often than not they cause us no harm. Most infections can be treated with general antibiotics such as methicillin, however over use of such antibiotics has led to a dramatic increase in bacteria which are antibiotic resistant.

Staphylococcs aureus, more commonly known as MRSA, is normally harmless but due to its durability it can be fatal if picked up by those already weak or ill, especially in hospitals. Scientific studies have found that the best way to ward off damaging bacteria may reside in our food. Recent research has found that special compounds found in British Blackcurrants are particularly effective at inhibiting MRSA growth and at the same time successfully stopped the development of many other bad bacteria including Salmonella and Listeria.

Derek Stewart, from the Scottish Crop Research Institute says: “It is clear from the increasing numbers of scientific studies that the natural compounds found routinely in blackcurrants show a diverse range of anti microbial activities which may help reduce the incidence of or help alleviate the symptoms of infection by the life threatening ones known as MRSA.”

Eating blackcurrants or drinking blackcurrant juice as part of a healthy diet, is an easy, natural way to improve your antioxidant intake and maintain a healthy lifestyle, ward off infections and a fine way to load the body with the wonder compounds found in blackcurrants. British blackcurrants are extremely high in health promoting compounds called proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins and ellagitannins (1-3). It is these proanthocyanidins that have been successfully shown to interfere with the bad bacteria and their proliferation.

The Blackcurrant Foundation

The Blackcurrant Foundation has been established by British growers and has close links with partners from all over Britain and Ireland, to raise awareness of the numerous health benefits of blackcurrants from the British Isles. Blackcurrant Foundation members grow 2,000 hectares of blackcurrants across the British Isles which produces a crop of approximately 14,000 tonnes of fruit every year during the harvest season in July and August. At present there are 50 blackcurrant growers in Great Britain compared to440 in 1973. For more information on British blackcurrants or the Blackcurrant Foundation, visit

Life expectancy grows in Norway

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Oslo:The average life expectancy of Norwegians grew by 0.2 of a year from 2004 to 2005, according to new figures from Statistics Norway.

Norwegian men can now expect to reach the age of 77.7 years, while women have nearly an extra five years to look forward to, with their average life span now 82.5 years.

Over the last 20 years the Norwegian life expectancy has increased by nearly five years for men and nearly three for women. The difference between men and women was only smaller than it is now during the 1950s.

Since the 1990s more women have died in Norway than men due to an increasing majority of women in the age group with the highest mortality rate.

The increased life span is due both to sinking infant mortality, now at its lowest level ever, and reduced mortality for the elderly.

Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world, with 85.6 years for women and 78.6 for men.

Quality of life can improve in old age, say researchers

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London: Increasing age does not necessarily cause a reduction in the quality of life, and in some cases, can even improve it.

Research published online this month in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, describes how researchers looked at indicators of the quality of life, and found that in England it is above average between the ages of 50 and 84, and in some cases increases compared with earlier years.

The researchers from Imperial College London, Karolinska Instituet, Stockholm and City University, London studied the effect of health factors such as long standing illness, social factors like trusting relationships and socio-economic factors on the quality of life.

Dr Gopal Netuveli from Imperial College London, and lead researcher, said: “Although many worry that old age and retirement could be a time of hardship, this study shows that for many their quality of life actually improves as they get older. In particular, social engagement such as volunteering can significantly improve quality of life, even in very old age.”

The researchers found that factors such as a long standing illness, difficulties in moving about and carrying on with every day activities, depression or financial difficulties can all reduce the quality of life.

Factors such as trusting relationships with friends and family, frequent contact with friends and living in a good, safe neighbourhood were all found to increase the quality of life.

The team looked at data from 12,234 individuals aged 50 or over living in 2002 from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Professor David Blane, from Imperial College London and senior researcher, said: “An increasingly ageing population has raised the possibility of a ‘long and morbid winter’ for many old people, and a potential problem for national economies with more people to support than there are people to work.

“However this study indicates that many of the problems associated with old age may be compressed to the last few years and people are able to lead a fulfilling life after retirement.”

People in their fifties likely to live to 100 years

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Stanford: People in their 50s today can expect to live to 100, according to a leading US biologist.

Dr Shripad Tuljapurkar, from Stanford University in California, speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference in St Louis, Missouri, said that medical advances including cholesterol-lowering drugs and new cancer medicines which have already treated some of the illnesses of old age would be joined by new discoveries, adding an extra 20 years of life for most people.

This means that by 2050, the average age of death will be 100 instead of 80. And means people may have more than one career and several marriages may become more common.

Life expectancy currently increases by one year every five years.At the moment, every five years life expectancy goes up by one year, he told the
But from 2010 onwards it could start to go up five years for every five calendar years that pass.

‘Lifespan has been increasing over the last 150 years and shows little sign of slowing down,’ said Dr Tuljapurkar.

‘Some people believe we are on the brink of being able to extend human lifespan significantly because we’ve got most of the technologies we need to do it.’

There are no specific ‘antiageing drugs’ yet, and scientists are still a long way from even beginning trials in humans.

But Dr Tuljapurkar said blood pressure drugs and statins are already helping prolong life for many. Statins help lower harmful cholesterol and are already taken by more than one million Britons.

In the future, he said, drugs may be found that can slow down cancer progression for decades rather than months or years.

He also predicted that drugs to control our metabolism may one day allow us to delay the normal tissue breakdown that is part of the ageing process.

Doctors may also develop treatments which enable our bodies to repair damage to the genetic material of our cells and so prevent the kind of mutations that lead to diseases such as cancer.

For his research, he looked at the U.S., China, Sweden and India and concluded that growing life expectancy could have huge economic consequences for all.

He warned that if anti-ageing drugs were developed, they would probably only be available in wealthy countries.

UK women have lowest life expectancy in Europe, says new report

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London: UK women have the lowest life expectancy in the European Union, according to a new report from the Office of National Statistics. But UK men are living longer than most in other European countries.

In a major report based on official statistics, the life expectancy for English men is 76.6 years, the second highest in the European Union which had an average male life expectancy of 74.8.

English women live longer than men, with a life expectancy of 80.9 years, but fare less well in comparison with the EU, where women live to 81.1 years on average. However, Britain is the second “fattest” nation in the EU, with more than a fifth of adults deemed obese, a figure second only to Greece.

Scotland has the lowest life expectancy for men (73.8 years) and women (79.1 years), and the greatest proportion of heavy smokers, a fact reflected in it also having the highest rate of lung cancer.

Wales has the lowest death rate among infants in 2003 and the highest proportion of disabled people in 2003-04.

In Northern Ireland in 2003, 17 per cent of 15-year-olds have some teeth missing due to decay. In England the figure is five per cent

Among the most worrying trends in the report, United Kingdom Health Statistics, was the level of sexually transmitted diseases, which was highest in England. The English rate of gonorrhoea infections in men was more than twice the rate for Scotland and Wales, and the English rate in women was twice the rate for Wales and four times that for Scotland.

Despite a rather poor impression of public health in Scotland, the country had the highest proportion of people taking part in high levels of physical activity, at all ages from 26 onwards.

In the UK, the most common type of health problem reported was arthritis and back pain, affecting about a third of men and women.One person in seven said they had considered suicide at some point.Anxiety and depression was suffered by seven per cent of men and 11 per cent of women.

More people will live to be 100, say experts

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London: Experts are predicting that more than a million people born in the UK and now aged 30 could live to be 100 years old and more.

Currently there are around 10,000 centenarians but this figure could grow to 1.2million by 2074. In effect this means that one in eight people could live to be 100 while thousands of others will live to be 110 or more, acccording to statistics from the UK Government’s Actuary Department.This spurt in longevity is attributed to better diet and medical care.

Improved diet and lifestyle, especially among the affluent, are also responsible. And the decline of heavy industry means that workers are far less likely to be exposed to the health risks and dangers or heavy machinery.

The increased use of cholesterollowering drugs in recent years has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Under new prescription guidance to GPs, up to one in ten adults could end up taking statins to prevent cardiovascular disease.

This could save 20,000 lives a year while some experts believe a quarter of Britons could end up taking the drugs for life.

Doctors now perform regular screening to detect diseases such as cervical cancer and the breakthrough of drugs such as herceptin to treat breast cancer are helping to keep the number of deaths down.

The eradication of many infectious diseases during the last century has had a huge impact.

Child immunisation, better sanitation and increased use of antibiotics have swept away most cases of smallpox, diphtheria and tuberculosis.

Britons are also more aware than ever of the benefits of taking regular exercise. This can help reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

Countless studies have also shown that eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables can help control cholesterol and prevent some types of cancer.

The growth in longevity would also have a big impact on the size of the UK population as a whole, with the number of people living in the country growing to 75million by 2074 based on these figures.

The population could soar even higher, to 90million, if the highest projections for fertility rates and immigration are also factored in.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics last year revealed big differences across the UK. People living in Scotland and the north of England came out worse, with the lowest life expectancy for both men and women found in Glasgow. In contrast those men living in the affluent area of Kensington and Chelsea in London enjoyed the longest lifespan, at 80.8 years – 11.5 years more than in Glasgow. Women in this area also had the longest life expectancy at 85.8 years, compared with 76.4 in Glasgow.

Mediterranean diet extends life

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A Mediterranean-style diet can extend the average life by a year, according to experts at the University of Athens Medical School.

Eating fruit, vegetables, fish and olive oil together with an occasional glass of wine and a low consumption of diary and meat, can contribute to longevity.

The findings are based on a study of 74,000 men and women in nine European countries and found that a healthy man of 60 who followed the diet could expect to live a year longer than one of the same age who ate differently.

The conclusion endorses the findings of previous research in which the Mediterranean diet is responsible for a lower risk of death from heart disease and cancer, the biggest killer diseases in the developed world.

Analysis of the findings showed those who followed the Mediterranean-diet quite closely were less likely to be among the group who died.

The Greeks were found to adhere most closely to the Mediterranean diet followed by the Spanish, Italians and French.

The British were fifth – ahead of the Danes, the Germans, the Swedes and the Dutch, who came last.