I’m really passionate about learning how to improve my overall health and it’s a journey I’ve been on for many years now. Each year I add a little something into the mix and this year I’m aiming to further improve my gut microbiome, as it affects inflammation – which in turn influences how long we live.
The word of the year for me is ‘healthspan’ – which is the number of years we live in good health. Having had cancer, and now suffering from arthritis and a bad back, I want to do as much as I can to remain active and healthy (like abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower like I did last year!) So I love reading about the latest research, and following inspiring people and useful social media accounts online.
Tim Spector – my new favourite guru!
Tim Spector is a pioneering geneticist and the king of gut health who’s transforming how we think about eating for a long, vibrant life. He co-founded ZOE, a personalised nutrition company that uses cutting-edge science to help you discover exactly which foods your body loves. One of Tim’s tips for a thriving microbiome is to aim for at least 30 different plants a week, which I wrote about previously and created a free ticklist which you can use to track how many you eat.
Variety is really important because different microbes feed on different micronutrients in our diet. The list includes tea and coffee as they’re plant-based too!
I bought Tim’s book The Food For Life Cookbook after a friend recommended it, and I absolutely love it too. He describes the science behind tips such as eating a variety of plant foods, time-restricted eating (aka Intermittent Fasting, which I’ve been doing for more than 3 years now) and the benefits of fermented foods in our diet.
As a result I’ve been researching more about how to include fermented foods in my diet, and have tried kefir and sauerkraut for the first time!
If you like yogurt then kefir is an easy swap, and comes in many flavours. I also added some Biona beetroot sauerkraut to my salad and it was very tasty! So if I can do it then anyone can.
Tim also explains how ultra-processed foods are really bad for us, and for a couple of years now I’ve been trying to reduce how much UPF I consume. Diet Coke is my nemesis though, but I’m tackling one thing at a time so let’s get through January first!
Tim has a new TV programme, What Not To Eat on Channel 4, where he talks about UPFs and helps families learn more about the damage they’re doing.
Regularly eating ultra-processed foods is linked to a higher risk of serious conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Research also shows they can impact our mental wellbeing, contributing to anxiety and depression, and may even increase the risk of certain cancers. But more about this below…
Katherine Ryan’s podcast about internal biological age
I love Katherine Ryan anyway so when she started a podcast about longevity it was a match made in heaven! What’s My Age Again is essentially an interview with a celeb about their lifestyle and then they test their blood to find out their internal, biological age. You can watch it on Youtube or listen on Spotify or Apple (and many other places!)
There are many things which influence how long we live, and research has shown that it’s 75% lifestyle, 25% genetics and bad luck. Lifestyle factors include things like :
- Smoking
- Drinking
- Food / obesity
- Exercise
- How much sleep we get
- Stress
- Past ‘trauma’ – which includes diseases, cancer etc.
They use the Glycanage biological age test, which measures inflammation, which is caused by the things listed above and is a key marker of how long you might live.
Testing my own biological age
As 2026 is the year I want to really try and work on my biological age, so that I can live a good ‘healthspan’ (a healthy lifespan) and be around and active for my future grandchildren, I wanted to get my own tested.
Glycanage had an offer over Christmas and although it wasn’t cheap I thought it was a good investment in my long term health. I don’t drink or smoke, or spend a fortune every week in Costa, so thought I’d treat myself! I receive the testing pack in the post which was a pricking device for me to smear my blood on the test card. It’s gone back to them so I eagerly await the results!
Here’s a 15% off link in case you’re interested in finding out more.
Sophie Morris – the UPF swap queen
In a bid to reduce UPFs in my diet I’ve started following Sophie Morris on Instagram, an Irish lady who shares simple supermarket swaps. It’s interesting how many own brands are actually lower in processed foods than the big brands.
Sophie also shares some great recipes, including this black bean protein bar which is delicious! I also made a version using tahini and black eyed beans for my son who’s not a big fan of nuts (pictured below)
Another great Instagram account for UK-based swaps is Emma Hague’s ‘Switch The UPF’ where she shares lower processed options from all the major supermarkets.
Improving Sleep
My stress levels and sleep have both improved over the past five or six months, which is great for reducing internal inflammation. My sleep routine is better and I don’t go on my phone when I go up to bed, reading an actual book instead! I think having a good mattress and pillows is really important and I would recommend Simba pillows particularly, as they include great technology for reducing heat.
Lifespan vs healthspan
So this is where I am in 2026, trying to improve my “healthspan”! As a reminder, lifespan is the total number of years you live, while healthspan is the duration of your life spent free from debilitating illness. My goal is to focus on closing the gap between the two, maximising the years I can be active, independent, and well!