Proper nutrition is always important. But as a person gets older it becomes much more so. After 50 the human body tends to need more good nutrition in order to keep its energy level up, fight disease and just be able to do the things it did when it was younger.
There are many good diets out there. Keto, Paleo, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Vegan and more. While there is no one perfect way of eating that works for everyone, here are some guidelines you can follow to create a plan that works for you.
1) Avoid processed foods as much as possible. Processed foods often have a majority of their nutrients stripped away, while extra fats, sugars, sodium, additives, and preservatives get added. While processed food is much easier to prepare and usually tastes good, they don’t give you the same nutrition as a comparable meal you prepared from fresh foods.
2) Vary your protein. While you should have protein every day, it doesn’t always have to be animal protein. No, I am not saying go vegetarian. I’m saying, try plant protein (beans, lentils, soy foods, nuts, seeds) a couple times a week. I usually eat beef one day, then chicken, then pork, then veggie, then fish. Not in any particular order but not all beef, pork or chicken. It’s more fun to keep in a variety. And if you don’t like something, don’t force yourself to eat it. But do give plant protein a chance. There are lots of good recipes online.
3) Limit your carbs, sugar and alcohol. A high carb diet – lots of bread, pastries, potatoes, rice, etc. and excessive drinking will raise your blood sugar, add pounds, increase stress and fatigue. This also raises your risk of diabetes and increased insulin resistance.
4) A Daily MultiVitamin to insure you are getting all the nutrients you need. Unfortunately, today’s farmland soil has much less of the essential minerals today than it used to and people no longer get anywhere near sufficient quantities of the needed nutrition from food. Therefore, a high quality multi vitamin and mineral supplement is highly recommended.
If you are over 50, actually, whatever your age, you need to eat healthy. You need to figure out not only what a healthy diet is for you, but a healthy diet you can stay with. No matter how healthy the diet is, if you don’t follow it or if you cheat too often, it is not going to work.
So, work out what you can live with, then up it a bit using the tips above and then stick with it. Add in a bit of exercise every day and have a happy healthy life. You deserve it.
