September 29, 2015
Are You Eating a Diet Designed for Your Age? Find Out the Right Foods for Your Optimum Health
We've been told through various platforms the foods to incorporate into our diets for optimum health, but foods for different stages of our lives? That's a new one to many of us. According to dietitian Helen Bond, what we eat from when we're teenagers to in our later years differs.
Teenagers ought to ditch sugary drinks, which can result in weight gain and an increased BMI. Teenage girls have higher iron requirements and need to eat lean red meat in order to offset the blood loss due to menstruation. Teens should also eat zinc-rich foods, including shellfish (oysters, crab), eggs, nuts and seeds to help keep their immune system healthy, eat calcium-rich foods like milk, yogurt and cheese, as well as seafood, leafy green vegetables, beans and lentils to ensure they have strong bones.
Those in their 20s should consume vitamin C to better their immune system by eating berries, kiwi fruit, citrus fruits, (oranges, lemons etc), and their juices. They should eat beans for healthy bones, as well as low fat dairy, tinned fish with bones, dried fruits, beans and oranges, and stock up on spinach and other green, leafy vegetables which are full of folate, a B vitamin that can prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida, as well as reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue.
Women in their 30s juggle quite a bit, between full-time jobs and motherhood, they're super multi-taskers, so if they skimp on vital nutrients, they can suffer from infertility and a weak immune system. They need to make sure they avoid sugary foods like donuts, which can cause a sharp rise in blood sugar, followed by a crash, which can cause mood swings and lack of energy. They also need to make sure they are getting enough B vitamins in order to release energy from food and ward off stress.
In their 40s, women begin to experience menopause, which means hormonal changes and the loss of muscle mass, which slows down the metabolism. Estrogen levels start to reduce as well, which raises the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. They need to incorporate heart healthy almonds to ward off excessive hunger, stock up on whole grain for their energy-releasing carbohydrates that are also rich in fiber, protein, B vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and need to avoid sugar-rich foods for unnecessary calories.
In their 50s, women need to make sure they don't skimp on dairy, since they are prone to osteoporosis. People should also avoid saturated fats in order to lower their risk of cancer, by including oil-rich fish, olive oil and avocado into their diets, and they be mindful of their salt intake, which can cause a spike in their blood pressure. Great alternatives are garlic, lemon juice, pepper and chilli.
In their 60s and beyond, people are at a high risk of getting osteoporosis, heart disease and dementia. They should incorporate green, leafy vegetables like kale, lettuce, spinach and broccoli, eggs and vibrant fruits and vegetables like oranges, tangerines, carrots and corn.
Are you eating the right foods for your age?
Source: Daily Mail