When it comes to a long, healthy life, we in Britain do far worse than many of our European counterparts and lag way behind health-conscious Japan and Iceland. What inspiration can we take from age-defying women across the globe?

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Unlike couch potato Britain, where three-quarters of us don't do enough exercise, in Finland keeping fit is a national pastime. Around 70% of Finns are physically active, half of the women walk or cycle to work and people defy sub-zero temperatures to go hiking, skiing or Nordic walking (using poles, which work the upper body, too). Yet in the early 1970s Finland had the highest rate of deaths from heart disease in the world - a trend it has reversed by combining a healthier diet and outdoor exercise. This brings double benefits, says Jules Pretty, Professor of Environment and Society at the University of Essex: ‘Green exercise improves people's physical and mental health. It boosts self-esteem, lifts the mood and reduces stress.'
 
Action point There are 140,000 miles of footpaths in England and Wales - call 01242 533258 or visit www.whi.org.uk for details. Or click here for Allaboutyou's walks: there are over 50. For more on Nordic walking, call 020 8211 3512 or visit www.nordicwalking.co.uk.

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The rates of Alzheimer's disease are lower among elderly people in India than in most western countries. Could it be to do with curry spices? Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, is already used in Indian medicine for problems ranging from rheumatism to abdominal pain, and now scientists at the University of California think it could help protect against Alzheimer's or even slow down its progression. In tests they found turmeric halved the number of amyloid plaques - knots in the brain that are characteristic of Alzheimer's.

Curcumin also blocks a protein that helps cancer develop - trials at the University of Texas found combining it with Taxol, the chemotherapy drug, helped stop the spread of breast cancer. Research shows ginger can relieve digestive problems, while fenugreek and cinnamon are good for diabetes.

Action point Make your own curry, as most takeaways are high in salt and saturated fat. As curry twice a day isn't an option for most of us, though, you could take these spices as supplements.

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Get cooking with Allaboutyou's delicious curry recipes...

In remote Bama county in southern China, women work in the rice paddies well into their 90s. Scientists believe the key to this longevity is the locals' love of singing to express their feelings. Singing boosts immunity and lifts your mood, say researchers at the Universities of California and Frankfurt, and scientists in Washington found older people who joined a choir saw the doctor less, needed less medication and suffered less depression.

Action point Join a local choir, go to a karaoke night with friends, or just bellow along with a CD as you chop the vegetables.

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Relax with our chill-out tunes

While all honey has anti-bacterial properties, extensive research has shown New Zealand's manuka variety to be so potent that researchers at the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff are now looking at whether it can help combat MRSA. The NHS already provides manuka honey wound dressings on prescription and in extensive clinical trials the honey has been shown to help heal wounds and ulcers, reduce inflammation and treat stomach and digestive problems, throat infections and gum disease. Manuka's anti-bacterial action even comes in different strengths for different conditions according to its unique manuka factor (UMF) - the higher the UMF, the stronger the anti-bacterial action.

Action point Use honey as a natural remedy. Manuka honey can be taken internally or applied neat to the skin. Only sterilised honey, which is designed for medical use, should be used on wounds.

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How bees help our health

Harsh weather, a rugged terrain and long seasons of darkness hardly sound like a formula for healthy living, but Icelanders are among the fittest people on the planet and among the longest lived of any nation in the western world. The secret to their wellbeing? The amount of fish in their diet. The health-giving properties of oily fish are well known - the Omega 3 oils it contains have been shown to protect against stroke and heart disease, as well as fight joint disease and signs of ageing, and may even help protect against Alzheimer's.

Action point Eat salmon once a week. At the moment, the average intake of oily fish in this country is around a third of a portion a week and 70% of us eat none at all. The Department of Health says everyone should eat a minimum of two portions of fish a week, and at least one of these should be an oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, trout or herring.

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The doctor's surgery in the Italian hilltop village of Campodimele shut years ago through lack of use. The villagers have cholesterol levels similar to that of babies and it's rare for anyone to die before their mid-80s. A Mediterranean diet, the daily trek to the fields and a mild climate do play a part, but here, elderly people aren't left to grow old alone - they are part of extended families and a supportive, close-knit community where all generations meet and chat daily. Research shows human contact and social support may be as vital as exercise and a varied diet to good health and a long life. Studies have found people with lots of social contact are less likely to develop minor illnesses and have a lower risk of serious problems such as heart disease. They may even live longer than isolated people.

Action point Make time for friends young and old. Set aside an evening every week to phone or meet up with the important people in your life.

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The health benefits of red wine are now well known - a regular glass may help slow down mental decline, ward off lung cancer and protect both your heart and immune system. But what isn't common knowledge is that not all red wines are equal. Professor Roger Corder, professor of experimental therapeutics at Barts and The London, has found they vary dramatically in their potential to reduce damage to arteries. The Cabernet wines from areas with long-lived inhabitants, including the Mendoza region of Argentina and the Sardinian mountains, are particularly high in polyphenols - antioxidants that can help prevent blood vessel damage. It's thought the wines have a lot of polyphenols because the grapes are grown at high altitude and exposed to more UV light.

Action point Drink red wine in moderation. For the maximum health benefits, have no more than one or two glasses at a time, with a couple of alcohol-free days each week.

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Raise your glass with the healthiest drinks for you

The traditional Japanese diet, which combines fish, rice, soya and vegetables, almost certainly contributes to the low rates of heart disease and certain cancers in Japan and other parts of Asia. Soya may help protect against heart disease, improve bone health and guard against menopausal hot flushes. It's also been shown to lower the risk of lung and some other cancers. The Japanese love broccoli and cauliflower, which are rich in cancer-fighting substances, and green tea, which may lower heart disease risk and boost insulin activity to protect against diabetes. Green tea may also reduce risk of bladder, colon, stomach, oesophageal and pancreatic cancer, and offer some protection against high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Action point Drink green tea, eat more fish and vegetables, and include a couple of servings of soya (yogurt, milk or beans) in your daily diet.

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It has baffled health experts for years that, despite a diet full of cream, butter, cheese and meat, the French are slimmer, have lower levels of heart disease and live longer than Brits do. The protective effects of garlic and red wine aside, some experts now say it's attitude that counts. ‘French women think about good things to eat. Other women worry about the bad things they eat,' says Mireille Guiliano, author of 'French Women Don't Get Fat' (Chatto & Windus, £12). ‘And French women don't eat fat-free, sugar-free or anything artificially stripped of natural flavour. They go for the real thing in moderation.'

In France, portion sizes are smaller - in fast food outlets, restaurants, supermarkets, even in cookbooks. People eat less, take longer over it and enjoy the experience more.

Action point Banish fast food. Take time to prepare food, eat slowly, choose quality over quantity, stop before you're full and have a salad with every meal.

Extract from French Women Don't Get Fat © Mireille Guiliano 2005

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