It’s never too late to make a change for the better.
Aging is an inevitable part of life, but the quality of that journey can be greatly influenced by the choices we make along the way. Nutrition, often overlooked as a mundane aspect of daily life, is a powerful tool in the way we age. It's never too late to make positive changes to your diet, from maintaining physical vitality to preserving cognitive function, embracing nutrition changes can lead to a more vibrant and fulfilling life, and set you up for health well into your golden years - particularly when we’re living longer than ever.
If altered positively, lifestyle and dietary patterns can promote healthy aging and delay the onset of chronic disease and promote mobility, mental function and overall wellbeing.
But we need to look at this over an entire life-course perspective. Short term change is unlikely to lead to long term gain. It’s about consistency over time, not being perfect for a short period of time.
A healthy dietary pattern can be reduced down into a few simple guidelines:
Consume a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins including seafood, with moderate intake of saturated fats, added sugars and sodium. Move your body for around 150 minutes a week, and drink plenty of water.
But how do these guidelines result in a longer, more health filled life?
Move your body to keep it moving
A natural byproduct of aging is a decrease in bone density, which can lead to problems like fractures and osteoporosis later in life. This can be reduced by incorporating strength training into your routine a couple of days a week, and making sure you’re incorporating calcium rich dairy and leafy greens, or fortified plant milks into your diet, alongside a healthy dose of vitamin D. Without action, your muscle mass begins to decrease from your mid 30’s. But this can be counteracted by incorporating plenty of lean protein like poultry and fish in your diet, and moving your body through strength training.
Avoiding heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions
Excessive saturated fats, added sugar and sodium all contribute to the development of conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants essential for good health, while wholegrains and healthy fats like nuts, seeds and avocado can help support gut health and stable blood sugar levels.
Keep the cogs turning upstairs
Unfortunately, cognitive decline is a natural part of aging, but the extent of it can be helped through your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts have been linked to improved brain health and reduced cognitive decline. Antioxidant-rich foods like berries, dark leafy greens, and nuts help combat oxidative stress, which can contribute to cognitive impairment. B vitamins, particularly B6, B12, and folate, found in foods like lean meats, fortified cereals, and legumes, are essential for maintaining cognitive function.
Fight those bugs!
Your immune system becomes vital as you age, and by consuming ample vitamins and minerals through your diet, you can keep it fighting fit! Vitamin C, commonly found in citrus fruits, strawberries, and bell peppers, aids in wound healing and immune cell production. Vitamin E, present in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, acts as an antioxidant, protecting immune cells from damage. Zinc, obtained from lean meats, dairy products, and whole grains, plays a crucial role in immune cell development and function.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the positive influence that good nutrition can have across your lifespan, or the entire spectrum of benefits these specific foods or nutrients can have on your health. If you take anything away from this, let it be that making some small consistent changes through deliberate and informed dietary choices can contribute to a long life full of vitality.