Eating healthily becomes more important as we grow older and it is crucial that we eat the right foods to suit our bodies’ needs and our need to listen to our body could prevent chronic diseases from developing.
Healthy eating is a growing business in the modern day, with so many diets making their way on to our mobile devices or in to our favourite daily reads. It has become increasingly challenging and confusing to find the right things to do to eat right.
To help with this confusing subject, we have selected vital parts of the body and further explained great foods to include in your diet to keep these healthy.
A Healthy Mind
The brain is the central command for your body and keeping the brain sharp is crucial for its functionality. It is important to nourish your brain and choosing the right foods can prevent or delay chronic diseases taking hold.
A diet rich in Essential Fatty Acids, like Omega-3, has shown to dramatically reduce the risk of Dementia. Omega-3 increase levels of EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), both of which effectively support your cognitive processes. Oily Fish like Salmon, Mackerel and Sardines are rich in Omega-3 are easy to include in your day to day meal planning so why not replace the traditional bangers with some grilled salmon with some tasty mash.
Including chicken and eggs in your diet is also essential for B vitamins that are imperative in the reduction of homocysteine; reducing homocysteine in turn reduces the risk of strokes and Alzheimer’s.
A senior favourite past time are Sudoku and crossword puzzles, adding some pumpkin seeds that are rich in zinc will help enhance memory and cognitive thinking.
Healthy Heart Habits
Fruits and vegetables are great for the heart. They’re already low in fats, calories and have no cholesterol. Fruit and veg contain little sodium and are high in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that keep your heart healthy and can reduce the risk of coronary heart diseases.
A remarkable source of mono-saturated fat, a highly beneficial type of fat, are nuts. A recent study in to dark chocolate, yes you heard right-chocolate, shows that people who consume 70% dark chocolate show a marked improvement in blood flow and reducing platelet aggregation.
Replacing processed snacks that are high in sugar and saturated fats with a one portion of nuts reduces the risk of heart disease by as much as 30%- so make sure you add a mixed bag of nuts to your trolley next time you visit your local supermarket.
Let’s Not Break A Leg
Unfortunately, as we age our bones begin to lose their strength and by increasing our intake of calcium and vitamin D this will help prevent weak bones. The poster child for a calcium source is milk, a glass of fat-free milk will provide up to 30% of your daily calcium requirements, all you need to do is resist the urge for a few cookies to go with it!
Why not also add some spinach to your daily intake? One cup of cooked spinach adds 25% calcium, plus it is high in fibre, iron and vitamin A.
It’s important not to forget about Vitamin D, as it helps your body absorb calcium. Even though a simple walk in the sunshine can boost levels of vitamin D it’s also handy to know that egg yolks and fatty fish can also provide your daily vitamin D requirements.
A Little Oil Can Go A Long Way
One of the most common conditions faced as we grow older is Arthritis and although there is no diet cure for the condition, certain foods can help ease the symptoms. Olive oil is loaded with mono-saturated fats, antioxidants and contains a natural compound called Oleocanthal which is a natural anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofen.
Incorporate this into your diet, using it to cook with instead of vegetable oil or butter.
Food For Thought
Healthy eating leads to a healthy body which will allow us to be active in our daily life for a longer period. As our bodies age it becomes increasingly more crucial to listen to our bodies and eating right is a simple element of our lives that we can improve to have a prolonged life.
So let’s be more aware of what we put into our bodies, how they help keep our bodies in tip top shape so we can put the right things on our plate.
