Once people begin to age, they start to notice slight changes in the way that their bodies react to certain foods. A once craved stake can now make you feel sick. Why is that? Because as we age, our metabolism slows down, food takes longer to process and sometimes our stomach has to put an extra effort into digesting certain products. One of the most important things people in their 50s should keep in mind is this: lower the consumption of fatty foods.
At this age, health problems such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, raised cholesterol levels are more and more common. People in their 50s should alter their diet accordingly if they want to prevent these diseases and afflictions from taking hold. They should consume more foods which are low in fat and have low glycaemic index. Their meals should be made up of 80 % vegetables and only 20 % meat. As far as meat is concerned, it should be very light meat, like chicken or fish. Fish and chicken contain less unhealthy fats and more healthy ones than red meat like pork or beef. Also, sweets should be replaced with fruit. Women in their 50s tend to experience a decline in their estrogen levels, because of menopause. They begin losing calcium from bones, which can cause osteoporosis and brittle bones. This is one of the reasons why their diet should include products rich in calcium and low in fat. It is also important to drink plenty of water daily. The consumption of caffeine should be limited because it can stop our bodies from properly absorbing calcium from food.
What should people in their 50s eat? There are a few basic steps which have proven to be quite helpful. Switch to a Mediterranean diet. This diet will help level the good and the bad cholesterol levels. The Mediterranean diet is based on the consumption of fresh fruit and fresh vegetables – for vitamins and minerals. Another thing to keep in mind is the limitation of fatty foods. In our 50s, our bodies tend to need less energy-providing foods. Therefore, if we continue eating fatty foods, all that excess fat will be deposited. The solution is replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These can be found in all sorts of nuts, seeds and oils made from them. Phytoestrogens are a wise change in a woman’s diet. Phytoestrogens are easily found in soya based foods. There is a great variety of products made from soya, from milk to miso and temph. The consumption of 25 grams of soya protein each day can help reduce cholesterol levels. Other sources of phytoestrogens are peanuts, linseed, sweet potatoes and lentils.
The key to proper diet in your 50s is to adjust the intake of food according to your metabolism. If you consume less energy, make sure you eat lighter. This way, your body will not have to get exhausted. Also, make sure you provide enough minerals and vitamins for more vitality.