As we age, our bodies change. Metabolism slows and hormone production fluctuates and wanes. The end result? Mid-section spread and overall weight gain. Diabetes. Heart problems. Declining ability to exercise due to strain on joints.
To keep healthy, you will want to make dietary changes that counter these natural bodily changes. If you eat properly, you will notice a significant improvement in multiple areas of your life.
Dietary Changes to Support Hormone Balance
Both men and women find their levels of progesterone dropping as they age. Women’s levels of progesterone (essential for fertility) start falling in the mid-30’s, and men’s levels of progesterone (used to produce testosterone and cortisone) begin to fall as they hit age 40.
Why does this matter? As progesterone levels fall, estrogen (yes, men produce estrogen, too!) becomes more dominant. The change in hormonal balance leads to fat storage – especially in the mid-section.
To fight this imbalance, you will want to eat the following foods:
• Cruciferous vegetables, which have been proven to reduce excess estrogen
• Citrus fruits, which will bind with excess estrogen and remove it from the body
• Insoluble fiber, which will bind with and remove extra estrogen from your body
By increasing your intake of these three foods, you will improve your hormone balance, significantly decreasing your tendency towards weight gain.
Dietary Changes to Prevent Diabetes and Maintain a Healthy Weight
However, hormone balance is not enough to produce healthy results. Sure, hormonal balance is important, but you will also need to protect your body against the development of diabetes or inappropriate insulin production.
As we pass the age of 40, our bodies may begin to struggle to process blood sugar adequately. Your body has always had to work hard to deal with blood sugar spikes and lows, but people who are 40 and over need to pay closer attention to their diets in order to reduce stress on your pancreas, which produces the insulin you need to process blood sugar. When your body experiences a spike in blood sugar, it responds by producing insulin. Some of the glucose in your blood is converted and used as immediate energy, but any excess glucose is stored as fat. If too much insulin is released, you will experience a blood sugar drop, prompting you to crave carbohydrates in order to increase your blood sugar. Most likely you’ll eat something high carb at this point, causing another blood sugar spike.
If your body experiences multiple blood sugar spikes and lows, you will end up storing more fat. You may also develop diabetes.
This is why it’s essential for people over 40 to follow a diet similar to the diet promoted in the South Beach Diet, which was created by a doctor who worked with heart patients and people with diabetes. You will be healthiest if you:
• Cut down on sugar and processed foods, almost completely eliminating them from your diet
• Eat plenty of lean protein
• Eat plenty of vegetables
• Eat sparse amounts of fruit and whole grains
• Eat a moderate amount of (low sugar) dairy
Solutions You Can Follow
I’ve found it most helpful to follow a guide such as the South Beach Diet to get myself on track. You’ll find that the book recommends three levels of adherence to the diet. If you need to jump start your weight loss or track to fitness, you can try the strictest diet (which honestly, is not that hard to follow – it’s very doable.) If you just want to ease your way into healthier eating, you can follow the least strict diet plan. In any case, you won’t go wrong if you read the nutritional explanations behind the dietary choices recommended in the book. This is just a guide to get you on track for eating healthy and learning how different foods effect your body. This is not to be used for a lifetime but only as a guide. I still believe you cannot diet forever just choose more wisely.
Leave a comment describing your dietary choices. When we work together, we all benefit!
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