Beating the bloat as we age

IT’S easy to blame hormones for our widening waistbands during the menopause — while eating an extra biscuit to console ourselves.

But piling on the weight is not inevitable and, while hormones contribute, there is much we can do to keep in better shape.

Be positive about ageing: take responsibility for your own health, through diet, exercise and staying in touch with the changes that come. The slowing down of our metabolism (the rate at which we convert food into energy), due to muscle tissue reduction, together with hormonal shifts, which contribute to extra fat distribution, may paint a bleak picture.