Your advice to 40-year-olds: #2 Your body is a temple
Good health and fitness are priceless.
In the 2025 National Seniors Social Survey we asked you what advice you’d give to people in their 40s to prepare for a possible time when they can no longer live independently.
This series of Connect articles showcases the top 8 pieces of advice from our 2965 survey respondents.
Today we will share the second most common piece of advice you gave: stay fit and healthy.
Over 850 of you gave advice along these lines.
As is the case with financial advice, the NSA Research Team cannot give personally relevant health advice. So please bear in mind that what follows is the advice given by survey respondents and it is not necessarily endorsed by NSA. Though of course we agree that good health is a wonderful thing.
One of the reasons you gave for emphasising health and fitness was a recognition that physical abilities can and often do decline with age, and minor problems at younger ages can worsen with time. Your comments included:
“Be aware that once you reach a certain age (possibly 60s & 70s) your capacity to do the things that previously easy, become more difficult due to unsteadiness, and other health concerns.”
“Look after your body; any damage, accidental or otherwise, will come back to haunt you in later life.”
“My advice would be to consider your future needs first any disabilities or ailments that you are managing quite well in your 40s, for as you age these manageable issues can deteriorate as you get older and some can deteriorate quickly.”
Some of you had a slightly different take, advising that fitness and health can be maintained later in life if a person starts early enough and persists:
“Stay fit & healthy - an 'investment in the future' - to delay the arrival of the day when you can no longer live independently.”
“Keep fit now so you don't fall apart when you are over 70.”
“Stay fit and active because they are too hard to get as you get older.”
“I would prefer to suggest that there are 'lifestyle options' that can be adopted routinely that effectively contribute to mitigating the ravages of aging. At some risk of portraying myself as 'self- righteous', for the last several during my seventies and now eighties, I have been assiduously following a daily series of physical drills and stretching exercises that have eliminated some chronic physical (mainly back related and cardio-vascular issues). My GP would testify that, on the basis of the results I have presented on a range of tests, he has assessed my fitness level to be the equivalent of a person half my age.”
Whatever your views on the inevitability of physical ageing, your specific advice for how to keep healthy and fit often comprised the usual suspects:
“Stay active and everything in moderation”
“Diet, exercise, sleep.”
“Eat fresh foods. Exercise daily.”
“Exercise, eat well, avoid sugar, avoid toxic people, go to therapy”
“Exercise regularly, eat good food and do not drink to excess. Definately do not smoke.”
“Keep up with no smoking, good nutrition, limited-to-no alcohol, adequate physical activity.”
Particular parts of the body were also singled out for attention by some of you, including “build up bone health”, “Take care of your teeth”, and “walking, good shoes”.
A second opinion
Despite this consistency in general pro-health advice, there were also differences among you on some topics.
One was a difference in how much exercise you thought people should do and what sort of exercise it should be.
Some of you seemed pretty laid back:
“Exercise by at least walking”
“Walk to the shops.”
“Exercise by being active in the community not necessarily at the Gym which costs money”
Others sounded way more intense:
“Do a LOT of exercise”
“Stay fit. Only the fit are fearless. Do yoga. Exercise. Swim. Run. Do weight training.”
“Do not underestimate the importance of daily exercise (strength, balance, cardio) and eating healthy to avoid diabetes etc.”
“Look after your health and fitness and make it a habit for life - preferably take up Yoga and develop a home practice to practise daily. Learn to adapt practices as you age and become your own therapist.”
Another point of difference was your opinions on the medical establishment and mainstream Western medicine:
“Look after your medical needs by not putting off attending your doctor.”
“Cultivate a good relationship with your on-going doctors/health team.
“Have regular medical checkups”
“Have regular mammogram”
“Research the effects of medications. Avoid doctors. Use Natural remedies. Don't have mammograms. Avoid chemical products especially toothpaste. Research healthy living practices. Grow your own food. Bring yoga and meditation into your life.”
“Look further than conventional medicine. Use naturopathy, chiropractic, eat organic food etc”
“Avoid overtreatment by the medical industry, avoid unnecessary radiation (they did an unnecessary CT scan on me).”
Finally, around 50 pragmatists recommended younger Australians get and keep private health insurance:
“Your life/health can change in an instant. If you can afford Private Health Insurance get it so that you don't have to wait years for treatment in public health.”
“Plan to have and maintain good health insurance that will be applicable to your status in the later years of your life”
“Maintain as high a private health care as you can”
“Retain private health especially for dental, optical, physio etc”
“Always have private health insurance - don't depend on the public system !!”
But one idealist continued to fly the flag to support public health:
“Lobby and vote for politicians who will strongly support Medicare, all aspects of public health and the PBS.”
Next month’s advice: get your housing in order.
Thousands of Australia-wide discounts
Exclusive offers and savings across dining, shopping, gift cards, and more – all in the EAT | PLAY | SAVE app.
Members save 10% on Travel Insurance*
National Seniors members receive a 10% discount on travel insurance policies*.
Financial Information Consultant
Speak to a real person and receive up-to-date information on retirement planning, superannuation, and more!
Branches
Expand your social circle, enjoy social events, day trips, guest speakers, and meet like-minded members.
Exclusive Travel Discounts
Save on tours, cruises, and holidays with exclusive discounts on National Seniors Travel.
Our Generation Digital Magazine
Receive a yearly subscription to Our Generation Digital Magazine.
The Good Guys Commercial
Members enjoy exclusive access to The Good Guys Corporate Benefits. Save on small and large appliances as well as technology.
Advocacy & Research
Your membership directly funds our advocacy and research work fighting issues that affect you.
Competitions
Access exclusive member-only weekly competitions including books, DVDs, CDs, movie tickets and more.
Discounts
In addition to the discounts app, members can save thousands on eGift Cards and other discounted products.
*The discount applies to the total National Seniors travel insurance premium and is for National Seniors Australia members only. Discounts do not apply to the rate of GST and stamp duty or any changes you make to the policy. nib has the discretion to withdraw or amend this discount offer at any time. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offer or discount
National Seniors Australia Ltd ABN 89 050 523 003, AR 282736 is an authorised representative of nib Travel Services (Australia) Pty Ltd (nib), ABN 81 115 932 173, AFSL 308461 and act as nib's agent and not as your agent. This is general advice only. Before you buy, you should consider your needs, the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Financial Services Guide (FSG) and Target Market Determination (TMD) available from us. This insurance is underwritten by Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd, ABN 83 169 311 193.
