ASSESS YOUR LUNGS When you're sitting still and relaxed, count how many breaths you take per minute. Fifteen breaths or fewer? Your lungs are working well. More than 25? You need to improve their function with regular cardio exercise.EXAMINE YOUR FLEXIBILITYStand with your right ...

, despite the astronomical cost of medical treatment abroad. So, what should you look for in travel insurance?'Make sure you have a limit of £1m on health claims, and £2m if you're going to the US because medical costs are sky-high there,' says Bob Atkinson

to remain stronger and do not easily weaken with age. So bye bye osteoporosis.4. Mental health A regular running habit will you lift your mood and build self-esteem. It also increases your self-confidence as you reach fitness and/or weight loss goals

According to a new report by consumer watchdog Which? we're regularly misled by health claims made on vitamin supplement labels. Apparently supermarkets, chemists and health shops' shelves are groaning under the weight of tablets that make

.MAMMOGRAMThis isn't usually offered to women until they hit 50, but if you've a family history of breast cancer, you can be referred to a geneticist. If you are under 40 and at risk, you may be offered an MRI, rather than a mammogram.WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HEALTH

. According to Elizabeth Gunther Stewart, co-author of The V Book: A Doctor’s Guide To Complete Vulvovaginal Health (Bantam, from about £7), a too absorbent tampon can dehydrate the vaginal wall, which could lead to a nasty condition called vaginal ulcers. How

Know your nails'Because they take up to a year to grow out, nails can act as a visual history of your diet and overall health,' says GP Dr Dawn Harper. Look out for:Concave (spoon-shaped) nails - known as koilonychias - may be due to low levels

exam is a good choice, as it includes retinal imaging with high-tech Optos cameras,' says optometrist Carolyn Zweig. 'Alongside the usual checks, these cameras give the most comprehensive picture of your eyes available, which can reveal health

put in. Provided you can keep up a level where your heart is beating briskly, then it can be good cardiovascular exercise – which in turn has many health benefits, such as lowering the likelihood of cardiac arrest or developing diabetes. In addition

Take the guesswork out of your diet and exercise goals with the new Timex Health Tracker, which not only automatically records the calories you're burning throughout the day, but also lets you log how many calories you've consumed