Doctors’ tips to staying healthy at any age

“But it’s very easy to go, ‘Oh, I’ll eat more yoghurt and I’ll be smarter.’ It’s just not that simple. We really don’t understand, in great detail, how that link is active. There’s a lot of shonky stuff around, lots of it. But there’s a huge amount of research in the gut-brain axis that’s really fascinating.

“I recognise the deeply connected link. And so I try to do things that look after the body and the mind – and things I enjoy. Most people know they should eat less, exercise more, drink in moderation. Most people know the broad-brush things about what’s healthy and not. But it’s the application of that into everyday life that everyone struggles with. It’s just working out a mix of the things you enjoy.

‘I call it “wunning”, sort of a mixture of walking and running.’

Professor Jane Gunn

“I try to do three hours of exercise over three days, every week. In the morning I walk to a nearby park. I gave up running a long time ago but started jogging around the park again – I call it ‘wunning’, sort of a mixture of walking and running. It took me a year to be able to jog the whole park without stopping. I’m not fast! Lots of people pass me. But we definitely know it’s about being active, a lot can be gained from incidental exercise – just walking more.

“You can get extremely scientific about this. Tweak everything like you’re an elite athlete. But the big gains are to be made just by being active. And when you get very, very scientific about it, that often stops people from doing anything.

“Caring for my mental health, by keeping a practice of mindfulness, has really become second-nature to me now. I’ve tended to use yoga as a way of putting all that together. Yoga is mind and body, so it’s really good for flexibility. But at the heart of yoga is mindfulness, really. It’s all about your mind. The exercises are just a distraction to get your mind to be still. The most important part, the hardest pose, is really the end – shavasana, lying flat on the floor.”

‘There’s a lot of misinformation and low-quality advice out there’

Professor Stephen Nicholls, director of the Victorian Heart Institute

“I try to do regular exercise, mostly a brisk walk with the occasional jogs. I find that getting outside helps clear my mind.

“I am trying to eat better. That can be challenging with a busy job running from one thing to another during the day. I am definitely trying to eat less.

“And I am trying to sleep longer at night. I am involved in a lot of projects around the world, and that means a lot of calls late at night and early in the morning – all of that can challenge achieving better sleep – I know with better sleep I’m better focused to do the things I need to do during the day.

‘I talk to friends and family a lot – they’re not that interested in what I did at work, so we talk about lots of other things!’

Professor Stephen Nicholls

“Mentally, I am trying more to focus on the bigger picture and not sweating the small stuff so much. Exercise is a big thing for me. I really do think it clears my mind. Disconnecting from cardiology, hospitals and research and taking interest in other pursuits is really important. I’m definitely moving more to a state of mind about the long game and how I can help my colleagues achieve success – it lifts us all. And I talk to friends and family a lot – they’re not that interested in what I did at work, so we talk about lots of other things!

“There is a lot of misinformation and low-quality advice out there at the moment. It happens at a time when trust in science is at its lowest for a long time – we all need to do better at conveying clear messages.

“My advice in terms of healthy heart advice is all about tailoring the message depending on what your risk of having a heart attack is.

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“For the general population it is: diet in moderation, regular exercise – walking is fine, it’s not about marathons – and not smoking. I think we’re understanding more the importance of sleep and mindfulness in promoting heart health. I see a lot of people taking vitamins and other things over the counter to improve heart health. I’d ask your doctor: is there any evidence to support that? Often the answer is no.

“Everyone needs to know their numbers – know your cholesterol, know your blood pressure. If we don’t know they are high, we can’t do anything about it, and there are genetic forms, so these can be silently there in early adulthood.

“For people with heart disease or at a high risk of heart disease, our approach to prevention is going to be stronger. For many people that is going to mean medications. For these people, an annual flu vaccination is really important. I would also say, there is a lot of information out there and it can be confusing. It’s always good to have a chat with your GP – they are pretty good at sifting the noise from the fact.”

‘Complete denial of ageing is a positive strategy!’

Patrick McGorry, executive director of youth mental health organisation Orygen and a professor of youth mental health at the University of Melbourne

“I was always into team sports, especially rugby union and league when I was young, up until early to mid-20s, and [I] learned the discipline and habit of training, which embedded itself a fair bit.

“I played touch football intermittently even into my 50s. Perhaps most importantly – also in an identity sense – I learned to surf when I immigrated to Australia at 15. We were lucky enough to live very near the beach in Newcastle, NSW, and this has always given me huge motivation to stay fit so I could keep surfing. In my early 40s I joined a gym mainly to keep fitness up for surfing. In my early 50s I got a new lease of life by surfing through annual trips to the Maldives with my old friends from NSW, and I am still doing that.

“I also learned to ski and snowboard from my 40s onwards – not affordable in my youth – through attending scientific meetings which were held in ski locations. So these days I just go to the gym twice a week, surf in Coffs Harbour and the Surf Coast in Victoria around once a month, ride my bike a bit, and walk when I can. I am probably not as fit as I would like these days, just because of my heavy workload. In 2016, my wife and I walked 300 kilometres of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela [in Spain], and I would like to do more of those long walking holidays in future. After that demanding and rewarding walk I had an incredible feeling of wellbeing.

“I find that exercise, especially vigorous exercise, gives me a boost in energy and wellbeing and reduces any stress and anxiety I might be feeling. It is definitely one of my major coping mechanisms and a preventive tool. I don’t know to what extent it has helped me to stay physically healthy to my current age, but my only health issue is mild hypertension and some musculoskeletal wear and tear. I would find it very challenging if I could not exercise and have tried to keep doing at least some of the sports I have done since I was a young man. Complete denial of ageing is a positive strategy!

“It is not clear whether a lot of just walking is beneficial or whether high-intensity exercise is the best thing to do. I suppose it is sustainable for people if it is enjoyable and one derives pleasure or a sense of wellbeing from it. Connection to nature is another health-promoting strategy. Diet is obviously important, but my diet is not ideal – I am almost allergic to the taste of bitter green vegetables, and I probably drink alcohol pretty moderately but above recommended levels. The Mediterranean diet [is] the best option, I think. By eating protein more than carbs my weight has been stable for decades.

“I think the sense of purpose that comes from my work is a great protective factor for me in maintaining positive mental health. Exercise, connection with family, friends and nature. But each of these is a double-edged-sword, as when things go wrong with your sources of support and protection, you are vulnerable.”

‘For my mental health, I garden’

Jill Tomlinson, hand surgeon and Victorian president of the Australian Medical Association

“To try to regularly reach or exceed five serves of vegetables a day, I’ve set a regular fortnightly vegetable box delivery. I make time to prep the vegetables when they arrive, and I look up recipes for any that are unfamiliar to me. If I have salads and prepped vegetables in the fridge, then I will reach for them at meal times, and I feel better and healthier for it.

“I try to keep hydrated, which is not always easy when working and breastfeeding, but I almost always have a glass or bottle of water nearby.

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“For my mental health I garden, which includes growing vegetables, herbs, berries and feijoas.

“I’m also trying to get back into regular running – I ran a marathon before and after my years of surgical training, and while it’s not easy to fit in a run, and I’m definitely not race fit currently, running sparks joy and reminds me to be grateful for the ability to run.

“I make sun-smart choices for me and my children as my mum had a melanoma at around my age, and I prioritise preventative healthcare, which means seeing my general practitioner and dentist regularly, and getting my annual flu vaccine.”

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