You Can OutMuscle Old Age Genetics Is A Pain In The Neck

LESSON 04 PREEMPTIVE STRIKE Instead of arm wrestling OUR BRAINS MATURE INSIGHT LESSON 05 PREEMPTIVE STRIKE It’s been 26 years since I said goodbye to my father MATURE INSIGHT OUR CAROTIDS

Paul says: Want to know how you measure up? If your gym or doctor’s office doesn’t have a dynamometer, order a Camry EH101 on Amazon for around £20. Don’t cheat and train for it beforehand; do the test right out of the box, three trials per hand. If you do poorly, commit to raising your bar. Specifically, work in three sets of pull-ups, hanging windscreen wipers, hanging leg raises and dead hangs into your evening run. If your local park isn’t generous enough to furnish you with overhead bars, a narrow tree branch, or even kid’s climbing frame will do. Just wait until no one else is using it, first. Joe says: I’ve eased up on my resistance training over the years, so it was a quick win for Paul. But my losses extend beyond pride – both upperand lower-body strength are linked with longevity. I suspect my sporadic protein intake may play a part, too: “Your body doesn’t store protein,” says Mohr. “It uses what it needs and excretes the rest, so you need to split your intake throughout the day.” Without enough protein, exercise can actually break down muscle. About 30g per meal (that’s a small chicken breast) will help keep your focus high. Paul says: Genes can be managed, but they can never be mastered. The Kita family gene pool is brimming with heart disease. I know this, yet I ignore it. But when you’re staring at an image of your neck arteries pumping blood, you realise you’re basically just a machine prone to breakdown. Being aware of weak points motivates maintenance, so make time to brush up on your family history. The sooner you start to take note, the better. Joe says: A carotid ultrasound is an easy way to detect plaque build-up and avoid stroke; these take just 30 minutes and cost from around £100. Because carotid plaque often correlates with stenosis (narrowing) of the coronary arteries, it may be the most crucial life-saving test you’ve never heard of. But diet and lifestyle play a role, too. In one UCLA study, garlic extract was shown to reduce artery build up by a huge 80%, while further research has linked skipping breakfast with arterial narrowing. Crush a clove into your morning eggs and rebalance the odds in your favour.