Age 40 is the time to evaluate your well-being and plan for a long-run. At this age, you are at higher risk of many health conditions.
According to Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, an internist at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta:
“Forty is a good time to take a deep breath, and, although you have a lot of other things out there, do a little introspection and say, ‘OK, there’s some things I need to do to make sure I stay healthy.”
For most women, this age is the time wherein they face a lot of health challenges such as weight gain, hormonal changes from pre-menopause to peri-menopause to menopause, and slow metabolism.
The said increase in weight may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Moreover, women are also prone to chronic disease or mobility problems like arthritis, which can affect their daily activities.
Aside from an adult, children leaving home, grandchildren coming along, and the need for extra support, women, at age fifty-something, also have a number of life changes such as digestion problems like constipation and flatulence, heartburn, and diverticular disease which make food planning a challenge. Due to this, older women at this age cut out foods from their diet to relieve these symptoms.
A need for adequate calcium, magnesium, and other micronutrients to maintain bone strength. At this age, women often experience a reduction in bone density along with an increased incidence of bone fractures.
Here is the list of the foods you should eat more and eat less at age 40s and 50s
Eat more: Coloured vegetables
Eat less: Potatoes
Colored vegetables contain plant antioxidants that can help combat oxidative stress which damages cells and contributes to age-related disease.
Eat more: Extra virgin olive oil
Eat less: Vegetable oil
According to research extra virgin olive oil can protect you against cognitive decline as you age. Other oils, like vegetable oils and other products found in a package, can possibly have the opposite effect.
Eat more: Wholegrains
Eat less: White bread and grains
After the age of 50, the age of developing type 2 diabetes greatly increases. Consuming whole grains can help support weight management, and reduce blood sugar and insulin spikes.
Eat more: Oily fish
Eat less: Red meat
Your muscles decline as you age thereby slowing down your metabolic rate and causes you to gain weight. Consuming omega-3-rich oily fish like salmon and sardines can help with this.
Eat more: Whole fruits
Eat less: Fruit juice
Due to hormonal fluctuations and lifestyles, your gastrointestinal tract slows down as you age, thus causing constipation. A whole piece of fruit such as an apple with the skin contains enough fiber that can keep your bowels regular. Apples contain almost zero calories.
Eat more: Legumes
Eat Less: Processed meat
Avoid eating processed meats because they increase your risk of bowel cancer. Meanwhile, fiber-rich foods, like legumes have been found to have a protective effect.
