Expert advice from holistic doctor Sarah Brewer to keep you fit and healthy in your 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s...

The best moves: Exercise boosts your metabolic rate tenfold, to help burn extra calories.

While your joints are still creak-free, follow active, energetic pastimes such as dancing, aerobics, jogging and visiting the gym.

The right diet: Don’t starve yourself. If you lose weight any faster than 0.5kg to 1kg (1lb to 2lb) a week, your metabolism becomes more efficient, so you burn fewer calories overall. Once you go back to normal eating, your metabolism stays super-efficient, so you quickly regain all that hard-lost fat – and put on more, too.

Up your fruit and veg intake. Remember that your five daily servings are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and other beneficial substances that protect against future health problems, such as heart disease, osteoporosis and even cancer. And, as a bonus, antioxidants help prevent wrinkles, too.

Suitable supplements: While diet should always come first, a multivitamin and mineral supplement acts as a nutritional safety net. Evening primrose oil really helps maintain healthy cell membranes, nerves and hormone balance. If you have problems with premenstrual syndrome, try the herb agnus castus. Valerian extract is excellent for helping to relieve stress.

Be aware of...

Foot problems: Women are four times more likely to develop foot problems than men because they wear high heels – 30 per cent of women will develop corns. Alternate heels and flatties whenever possible.
Varicose veins: Put your feet up as often as possible – avoid standing still for hours at a time.

Next: fitness advice for your 40s...

The best moves: Joint-friendly exercise includes brisk walking, cycling, swimming and low-impact aerobics. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week.

Be aware of…

Your waistline: By your late 40s, your metabolism has slowed down, so you need around 180 fewer calories per day than when you were in your teens. Most women tend to eat more, and exercise less, too. No wonder that waistline is expanding!
Gallstones: Women are four times more likely to develop gallstones than men, and they tend to strike during this decade.
Joints: Once you reach 40, it’s important to look after your joints, especially if you notice creakiness, stiffness or reduced flexibility.

The right diet:

Increase beneficial fats such as olive and flaxseed oils. This will help reduce the risk of gallstones, as will foods rich in soluble fibre, such as gums (oat bran, beans) and pectins (apples, carrots). These bind bile salts and cholesterol so less is absorbed.

Increase vitamin C. Those with moderate to high intakes of vitamin C (two or more times the recommended daily amount) appear to be three times less likely to develop knee pain than those with lower intakes.

Drink plenty of fluids. Juice, soup or water help keep skin plump and moist.

Suitable supplements

● General multivitamin and mineral supplement
● Antioxidants
● Evening primrose oil
● Glucosamine sulphate, which provides building blocks to help maintain healthy joints
● Omega-3 fats, which are good for oiling the joints
● Siberian ginseng – for reducing stress, boosting energy levels and balancing hormones
● Milk thistle extract, which supports the liver (especially if you drink alcohol regularly) and may help reduce gallstone formation.

The best moves: Aerobic exercise (brisk walking, swimming and cycling) strengthens bones and boosts heart and lung fitness. For those who dislike exercise, the good news is that DIY, gardening and dancing can be effective at improving health.

Pelvic exercises help control incontinence. Pull up the front and back passages tightly as if trying to stop your bowels from opening. Hold tight for a count of four and repeat ten times. Repeat this several times a day.

Be aware of…

● Lack of oestrogen. Raises the risk of hardening of the arteries. Diet and lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

● Smoking. Quitting can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 50 per cent within five years.

● Osteoporosis. Falling oestrogen levels mean your bones start to thin.

● Keep up a healthy weight. Exercising for 20-30 minutes five times a week can reduce your risk of a heart attack.

● Incontinence. Caused by muscles in the pelvic floor that thin and stretch, so the bladder is less well supported.

The right diet:

● Calcium. In dairy foods, eggs, green leafy vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, for strong, healthy bones.

● Vitamin D. In oily fish, liver, eggs and cereals, for strong bones and muscles.

● Isoflavones. In chickpeas, legumes and soy, to help ease menopausal symptoms.

Suitable supplements

● A vitamin and mineral supplement designed for this age group will include higher amounts of B- group vitamins and antioxidants. It may also contain carotenoids, like lutein and lycopene, which help maintain healthy vision

● Essential fatty acids

● Antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E, selenium Pycnogenol from the French maritime pine, alpha lipoic acid, green tea, bilberry and grapeseed extracts) have anti-ageing properties and may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer

● Black cohosh reduces hot flushes and anxiety through a direct action on the brain – it is as effective as HRT

● St John’s wort really helps lift a low mood, which can accompany this time of life

● Coenzyme Q10 if you feel you are lacking in energy.

Next: fitness advice for your 60s... 

The best moves:

● Keep fit. In a study, nearly 100 people aged 60 to 70 who had not exercised for at least two years were started on a gentle programme of jogging, rowing or cycling for 45 minutes, three days a week. After a year, they had replaced flab with muscle, and looked great.

● Take up an active hobby such as golf, ballroom dancing, bowls, walking or cycling. Non-weight-bearing exercise, such as stretching and swimming, are also beneficial for bones and strengthen muscles, so you're less likely to fall.

Be aware of...

● Memory loss: This becomes common, along with poor concentration. Keep your brain active by reading demanding books and doing crosswords and puzzles.

● Vision problems: Visit the optician to check for problems such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma.

● Persistent problems: If you have any pain, lumps, blood loss, weight loss, cough, change in bowel habit or difficulty swallowing, see your doctor, as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack and cancer become more likely.

The right diet

● Vary your diet. This ensures you get all your nutrients. You may need to change from three meals a day to six smaller ones. By the age of 75, most women need around 300 fewer calories per day than when they were 18.

● Eat more sweetcorn, carrots and spinach. These help protect your eyes, as they maintain the yellow pigments in the eye that act as nature's sunglasses.

Suitable supplements

● A special multivitamin and mineral supplement designed for your age group (50-plus) reduces the risk of infections, such as the common cold, in older people

● Antioxidants

● Evening primrose and/or omega-3 oils

● Isoflavones

● Garlic to help maintain a healthy heart

● Ginkgo biloba to improve circulation, concentration and memory

● Calcium tablets - usually combined with vitamin D and other bone nutrients to reduce the risk of fractures.

● Look for the suggested herbal supplements in health food shops. If you are on medication, check with your pharmacist before taking any herbs to ensure there are no interactions