If you run out of puff, try drinking some beetroot juice. It can help you enjoy a more active life, especially if you are suffering from a heart or lung problem.

Research earlier this year showed that the juice extended exercise time among athletes by 16 per cent – but the same researchers have discovered that the elderly or those with a health problem can enjoy similar benefits.

In a new study, researchers at the University of Exeter discovered that the juice helped people use less oxygen when walking, reducing the effort by 12 per cent.

The juice widens the blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure and allows more blood to flow, and also reduces the amount of oxygen needed by muscles.

(Source: Journal of Applied Physiology, 2010; doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01070.2010).

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