Why We Need to Change Our Diet As We Age

We are all familiar with the adage, "You Are What You Eat". However, that adage takes on a whole new meaning in midlife and beyond. How we eat during our later years drastically changes our health outcomes. New research shows that the way we eat in later life can increase our lifespan from 6 – 10 years. As we age, changes in our body significantly change our nutritional needs. So, we need to change how and what we eat.

Much of our knowledge on how to live longer comes from studying people who live in the "Blue Zones" of the world, where it is common for people to live to be 100. The top 5 Blue Zones are: Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica), Ikeria (Greece), and Loma Linda (California). It is no surprise that their diet consists primarily of fresh fruit and vegetables, bean and rice, whole grains, and lots of fish. In is original book "The Blue Zones, Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who Lived the Longest" author Dan Buettner outlines the diet and lifestyle of Octogenarians (80-89), Nonagenarians (90-99) and Centenarians 100 and over. A discussion of all the factors that contribute to longevity would require a lengthy series of newsletters.

This newsletter is taking a different approach to all my previous ones. Rather than gleaning and curating health information about diet and longevity from various sources, I am citing only 1 source.

In the latest issue of New Scientist magazine, author David Cox, wrote an article entitled; “Eat Your Age” that provides a scientific perspective on Aging and Nutritional Wellness.

THE KEY TAKEAWAYS ARE:

How to counter inflammation, the root cause of most ailments

Which nutrients we need more of as we age.

Changes in our metabolism such as the decreasing ability to metabolize alcohol.

Boosting our immune system and brain health.

Menopause and Osteoporosis.

Increasing and changing our sources of protein.

It is a quick read, only 4 pages. I highly recommend it.

If you're interested in exploring the topic further, I encourage you to read the complete article here:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2579544-your-body-changes-as-you-age-and-so-should-your-diet-heres-how/

Stay tuned for my next newsletter: Your Age and Your Skin: The Role of Collagen

Yours In Good Health,
Salvatore,
Your Health Transformation Coach