We live in a fast world. Fast cars, fast lifestyles and unfortunately fast food. Our increasing use of heavily processed foods that are quick and easy to make when we come in from our busy day might be convenient but may not the most nutritious due to their high sugar and salt content. Despite our appetite for anything organic and the rise of the ´slow food´ movement, fruit and vegetables may now actually contain fewer nutrients than in our grandparents´ time because of intensive farming practices, high fertiliser use and often having to be transported thousands of miles so we can have seasonal produce all year round. Compared to our medieval ancestors, for example who often worked 14-hour days, burning off 4,000 calories daily in the process we now have around half their calorie requirements and much a more sedentary lifestyle. The end product is often diets lacking in essential nutrients and goodness, weight gain and a rise in obesity-linked health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.
It is often not recognised that as we age, it can become harder to get all the nutrition we need. Our digestive system often becomes less efficient at absorbing nutrients and we can become more prone to the effects of too few of these nutrients. From the age of about 35, our me We live in a fast world. Fast cars, fast lifestyles and unfortunately fast food. Our increasing use of heavily processed foods that are quick and easy to make when we come in from our busy day might be convenient but may not the most nutritious due to their high sugar and salt content. Despite our appetite for anything organic and the rise of the ´slow food´ movement, fruit and vegetables may now actually contain fewer nutrients than in our grandparents´ time because of intensive farming practices, high fertiliser use and often having to be transported thousands of miles so we can have seasonal produce all year round. Compared to our medieval ancestors, for example who often worked 14-hour days, burning off 4,000 calories daily in the process we now have around half their calorie requirements and much a more sedentary lifestyle. The end product is often diets lacking in essential nutrients and goodness, weight gain and a rise in obesity-linked health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. It is often not recognised that as we age, it can become harder to get all the nutrition we need. Our digestive system often becomes less efficient at absorbing nutrients and we can become more prone to the effects of too few of these nutrients. From the age of about 35, our metabolic rate starts to decline, so older people need fewer calories daily to maintain a steady weight. Unfortunately for older people who do not reduce their calorie intake, weight gain is almost an inevitable consequence with all the problems this brings. It is perhaps fortunate that appetite can also decrease as we age, helping to counterbalance this tendency, although poor appetite itself may also cause nutritional deficiencies. Prescribed drugs can also enter the equation, interacting with the gut to affect how nutrients are absorbed. (For example, people taking statin drugs to treat high cholesterol may be deficient in Co-enzyme Q10 as a result.) Other common age-related nutritional deficiencies include vitamin B12, vitamins A and E, calcium, iron and zinc. There are also a number of other nutrients that can benefit our health as we age: Aged 40 to 50 St John´s Wort (hypericum). This herbal supplement is effective at helping alleviate anxiety and even mild depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), being well tolerated and simple to take. Plant sterols. These help reduce cholesterol levels and are found in low levels in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, grain products, fruits and vegetables. The optimal daily intake of plant sterols for significant cholesterol lowering is 2-2.5g, which is about five times more than the average plant sterol content of a regular diet. Soy Isoflavones. Found naturally in foods such as soya, these can be obtained in supplement form and help reduce the side effects of the menopause and oestrogen deficiency such as hot flushes and night sweats. Selenium. Antioxidants are essential to good health and this supplement is one of the best, helping fight off the harmful effects of free radicals in the body which are implicated in heart disease and certain cancers. Garlic appears to help fight cholesterol by lowering levels of blood fats or preventing the build-up of plaque on the walls of blood vessels. Between 50 and 60 Glucosamine. A component of joint cartilage, as we get older we cannot make enough of this naturally and so supplements are often necessary to help reduce joint pain. It works best when taken at a dose of 1,500mg/day together with chondroitin, a substance which helps lubricate the spaces around joints. Omega 3. The body cannot make these fatty acids but must get them from dietary sources such as cold water oily fish (sardines, mackerel etc). They help the body make prostaglandins which can reduce blood stickiness and so lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Saw palmetto. As well as being a natural anti-inflammatory supplement, this can be beneficial in reducing symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland such as poor urine flow and frequent urination. For those over 60 Lutein. This is found naturally in foods such as dark-green leafy vegetables and egg yolks. Research has suggested a minimum of 6mg per day of lutein is necessary to realize its health benefit of reducing the risk of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) one of the commonest causes of blindness in the UK and one which occurs more commonly with increasing age. Psyllium seeds. To help prevent the problem of constipation in older age, take these daily, sprinkled on cereal or salad. They mop up fluid as they pass through the bowel, helping add bulk to faeces and so promoting normal bowel function. Calcium and Vitamin D. Someone breaks a bone every three minutes in the UK due to osteoporosis (bone thinning). Calcium is needed for strong bones and vitamin D makes sure the calcium does its job effectively. Women naturally start to lose bone density in their 30s but later for men. A daily combination supplement helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis occurring, especially when used in combination with exercise and eating dairy products. To help gain maximum nutrition from your food, try to choose locally grown, organic fruit and vegetables as often as possible and avoid pickled and salted foods. Keep margarine and polyunsaturated and hydrogenated fats out of your diet and use extra-virgin olive oil instead. Aim to eat fresh rather than processed food, eat five servings of fruit and vegetables daily and remember to drink several glasses of water a day.tabolic rate starts to decline, so older people need fewer calories daily to maintain a steady weight. Unfortunately for older people who do not reduce their calorie intake, weight gain is almost an inevitable consequence with all the problems this brings. It is perhaps fortunate that appetite can also decrease as we age, helping to counterbalance this tendency, although poor appetite itself may also cause nutritional deficiencies. Prescribed drugs can also enter the equation, interacting with the gut to affect how nutrients are absorbed. (For example, people taking statin drugs to treat high cholesterol may be deficient in Co-enzyme Q10 as a result.) Other common age-related nutritional deficiencies include vitamin B12, vitamins A and E, calcium, iron and zinc.
There are also a number of other nutrients that can benefit our health as we age:
Aged 40 to 50
- St John´s Wort (hypericum). This herbal supplement is effective at helping alleviate anxiety and even mild depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), being well tolerated and simple to take.
- Plant sterols. These help reduce cholesterol levels and are found in low levels in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, grain products, fruits and vegetables. The optimal daily intake of plant sterols for significant cholesterol lowering is 2-2.5g, which is about five times more than the average plant sterol content of a regular diet.
- Soy Isoflavones. Found naturally in foods such as soya, these can be obtained in supplement form and help reduce the side effects of the menopause and oestrogen deficiency such as hot flushes and night sweats.
- Selenium. Antioxidants are essential to good health and this supplement is one of the best, helping fight off the harmful effects of free radicals in the body which are implicated in heart disease and certain cancers.
- Garlic appears to help fight cholesterol by lowering levels of blood fats or preventing the build-up of plaque on the walls of blood vessels.
Between 50 and 60
- Glucosamine. A component of joint cartilage, as we get older we cannot make enough of this naturally and so supplements are often necessary to help reduce joint pain. It works best when taken at a dose of 1,500mg/day together with chondroitin, a substance which helps lubricate the spaces around joints.
- Omega 3. The body cannot make these fatty acids but must get them from dietary sources such as cold water oily fish (sardines, mackerel etc). They help the body make prostaglandins which can reduce blood stickiness and so lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- Saw palmetto. As well as being a natural anti-inflammatory supplement, this can be beneficial in reducing symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland such as poor urine flow and frequent urination.
For those over 60
- Lutein. This is found naturally in foods such as dark-green leafy vegetables and egg yolks. Research has suggested a minimum of 6mg per day of lutein is necessary to realize its health benefit of reducing the risk of Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) one of the commonest causes of blindness in the UK and one which occurs more commonly with increasing age.
- Psyllium seeds. To help prevent the problem of constipation in older age, take these daily, sprinkled on cereal or salad. They mop up fluid as they pass through the bowel, helping add bulk to faeces and so promoting normal bowel function.
- Calcium and Vitamin D. Someone breaks a bone every three minutes in the UK due to osteoporosis (bone thinning). Calcium is needed for strong bones and vitamin D makes sure the calcium does its job effectively. Women naturally start to lose bone density in their 30s but later for men. A daily combination supplement helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis occurring, especially when used in combination with exercise and eating dairy products.
To help gain maximum nutrition from your food, try to choose locally grown, organic fruit and vegetables as often as possible and avoid pickled and salted foods. Keep margarine and polyunsaturated and hydrogenated fats out of your diet and use extra-virgin olive oil instead. Aim to eat fresh rather than processed food, eat five servings of fruit and vegetables daily and remember to drink several glasses of water a day.
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