Ageing gracefully should be a healthy goal for everyone: accepting and embracing what time and experience brings us, while actively working to prevent and minimize the health concerns that naturally come with aging. In addition to regular exercise and proper supplementation, your diet is a good place to start your graceful aging endeavors. Add these foods to your plate for health – no matter what your age!
1 Vegetables Antioxidants help counter oxidative stress, a process that can damage cells and may accelerate aging. Vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidants – plus most are low in calories, high in nutrients and fiber, versatile and relatively cost-effective… so there’s no reason not to add more vegetables to your diet! Choose an array of vegetables covering all the colors, making sure to include dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale, which help promote eye health.
2 Berries Blueberries in particular are a good choice: The active components in blueberries are the anthocyanin pigments – the protective compounds that make the berries blue and are responsible for their antioxidant potency. Studies have shown that blueberries may improve motor skills and reverse age-related short-term memory loss, and may also protect the brain from stroke damage. Opt for organic berries, and add them with walnuts to whole fat plain yogurt or salads, or eat as a snack.
3 Soy Studies of the Japanese culture indicate that women who eat soy regularly don’t suffer from hot flashes the way many western women do. While dietary soy may not be entirely responsible (other diet and lifestyle elements may play a role), the isoflavones in soy foods do help balance hormone levels and have some mild estrogenic activity. I recommend two servings of whole soy foods daily. Choose from tofu, roasted soy nuts, tempeh, edamame or miso.
4 Salmon Wild-caught Alaskan salmon and canned sockeye salmon are among my favorite foods. Not only is wild salmon available fresh, frozen and canned, making it a versatile choice, salmon has plenty of health benefits: it is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, the anti-inflammatory, essential fats our bodies need for optimum health (omega-3s from eating salmon and other oily fish offer protection against heart attack, stroke, cancer, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and mental and emotional problems), and it is also a high-quality source of protein.
5 Whole Grains Whole grains are minimally processed grains that are closer to their natural form than processed grains, and therefore have a lower glycemic index (GI), a ranking of carbohydrate foods on the basis of how rapidly they affect blood sugar (glucose). This is important because eating a lot of foods that are high on the GI will produce spikes in blood sugar that can lead, over time, to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is associated with obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood fats, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Barley, quinoa, millet, wheat berries and kasha are good choices, as they provide important nutrients, including protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and, especially, carbohydrates that are low on the GI.
6 Spices Turmeric and ginger are two winners for brain health as you age. Research suggests that turmeric, the major ingredient in American mustard and Indian curry, can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This may help explain the unusually low incidence of Alzheimer’s in India, where people consume significant amounts of turmeric every day. Use this culinary spice to give a healthy sharp flavor to your favorite eastern cuisine. Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that has also been linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s. You can add ginger to your diet by eating crystallized ginger or the pickled ginger (ideally in it’s more natural white form, not the artificially enhanced pink) that comes with sushi, and use ginger when cooking.
7 Dark Chocolate Chocolate provides polyphenols with high antioxidant activity, and the fat it contains is mostly stearic acid, which doesn’t raise cholesterol levels. And a recent study indicates that compounds called flavonoids in dark chocolate are good for the heart: they reduce the stickiness of platelets, inhibiting blood clotting and reducing the danger of coronary artery blockages. When buying, choose products with 70 percent or higher pure cocoa solids.
More information
To protect yourself from many of the conditions that become more common at menopause such as heart disease, strokes, breast cancer and osteoporosis you need good hormone balance and it is never too late to start. Oestrogen dominance is associated with many serious conditions so make sure your progesterone levels are sufficient to counteract it.
Declining oestrogen levels can leave skin dry and with less elasticity so if you think you need additional oestrogen try a combination cream such as 20-1 and a good skin moisturiser with Matrixyl.
https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2014/07/04/top-tips-to-avoid-menopausal-heart-disease/
https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2010/03/15/what-is-osteoporosis/
https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2012/08/17/herbal-help-for-stress-anti-aging-and-hot-flushes/
https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2014/04/21/myth-busting-bioidentical-hrt-and-cancer-risks/
https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2014/09/08/soy-and-breast-cancer-a-balanced-view/
http://wellsprings-health.com/pages/wellsprings-anti-aging-moisturiser/