Good Nutrition is Vital
for Healthy Aging

We are what we eat. Food is our fuel and good nutrition will help us function both mentally and physically and fight off disease.

We must learn how to eat for this time in our lives. It's no longer just what we eat, but how much, when, and how.

As we baby boomers age nutrition plays a bigger role in determining how we feel. Because our body slows down, the processing of foods is less efficient.

With age we burn calories less efficiently and our body stores more fat and less muscle. The proportion of fat to muscle may increase by as much as 30%. The padding of body fat under the skin usually thins out in our limbs and becomes more dominant around the stomach area. Since fat burns less energy than muscle, we tend to get rounder even though we aren't necessarily increasing calorie intake. Exercise and a diet rich in nutrients and low in fats can reverse this process.

By eating healthy you can reduce age related risks of heart attack, diabetes, stroke and other chronic diseases.

A healthy diet includes a variety of foods:

Whole grains
Foods made from whole grains include pasta, bread, rice, oatmeal. Stay away from refined grain foods. Read labels and look for 100% whole grain foods. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber as well as a variety of nutrients that include several B vitamins, iron, magnesium and selenium.


Fruits and Vegetables
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Baby boomer women should eat at least 7 servings a day of fruits and vegetables. They provide fiber, and vitamins and nutrients important in fighting chronic diseases.



Protein rich foods
Focus on eating more poultry and fish rather than red meat. Nuts, seeds, beans and eggs are also good sources of protein. Proteins function as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.






Dairy
Limit dairy products to one or two servings a day. If you like dairy foods, try to eat low-fat or no fat products. Whole-milk products contain saturated fats.
Dairy products have traditionally been thought of as a good source of calcium. But today we know that most of the calcium from dairy products is very hard for humans to absorb. In fact there is scientific evidence that indicates milk products could be harmful to our health.
Excellent alternative sources of calcium are: leafy green vegetables such as kale and broccoli, baked beans , fortified soy milk, and canned fish.

For additional information on food groups, healthy nutritional tips, and more, click here:

The importance of nutrition for good digestion

The foods you eat and how you eat them can have an effect on your digestive system. Try these tips for improved digestion:

Begin your meals with fresh fruit or a fresh vegetable salad. They can help supplement the acids our stomach is missing. Fresh papaya and pineapple contain an enzyme which is helpful in the digestion of protein.

Drink lots of water. When we don't drink enough we force the body to absorb more water from the large intestine causing dry, hard stools, in other words – constipation. You should drink 8 glasses a day.

Do not drink with your meals. It not only encourages less chewing, and dilutes gastric juices.

Eat foods high in fiber. Fiber adds bulk to stools and softens them because it absorbs water, thus making them easier to pass. Foods high in fiber are beans (including peas, chickpeas, lentils), 100% whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice, fresh fruits and vegetable with their skin.

Keep away from processed foods, especially those made with white flour and white sugar. These foods have no nutritional value and among other problems can create high blood sugar and cause constipation.

Prepare meals with few ingredients. The simpler the meal, the easier it is to digest.

And in spite of all we know…

It takes time and effort to prepare a healthy meal and most of us, although we have good intentions, fail to eat right some, if not most of the time.

So how can we overcome bad habits?

It's not easy. You will have to work at it. Start by planning a few meals for the week. Be realistic in your menu planning. Keep it simple and good tasting, and use as many fresh ingredients as you can.

Do your best to eat right, exercise, and keep a positive attitude, and you will succeed in reaching your goals. Don't beat yourself up when you do stray. Get back on the right track and don't look back.

Good Luck!

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