5 HEALTH AND DIET TIPS FOR WOMEN OVER 40
When women reach the age of 40, many changes happen in their body. First are the hormonal changes. At this stage, the body produces less estrogen and progesterone, resulting in a slower metabolic rate and weight gain. Second, women lose muscle mass and these muscles turn into fat. Lastly, women start losing bone mass and because of that bones become weak and brittle, thus becoming prone to developing osteoporosis.
In order to suit the ever changing body of an older adult, they will need to transition to a healthier lifestyle. Here are 5 health and diet tips to help you be healthier at 40 and above.
- Switch to whole carbohydrates
With weight gain comes obesity, diabetes and other weight related diseases. To prevent these diseases, women over 40 are suggested to switch from refined carbohydrates to whole carbohydrates.
The difference between the two is that refined carbohydrates have been processed and stripped of their natural fiber and other nutrients. Examples of foods of this type are white bread, white pasta and white rice, Whole carbohydrates are kept in their original state, fiber and all. Some of these foods are whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta and brown rice.
- Eat smaller portions
When we're in our 40s, our metabolism will not be the same compared to when we're in our 20s. We will have to consume less food because of the lower hormone levels that make our metabolism slower.
If you're not sure if you're eating the right amount of food every meal, then use a calorie tracker to keep yourself from having too much food.
It'll also be easier to track your food if you keep a food journal so that you can see the progress in what you're eating.
- Evenly distribute your daily protein intake
In order to build muscle, our body needs protein. Since our body will start losing muscle mass at this age, we have to be more diligent in eating protein.
Our body can use only 30 grams of protein at a time, so having protein for every meal is crucial.
- Have Calcium and Vitamin D rich foods
Osteoporosis is a disease that happens when the quality and density of the bone are reduced. Older adults are more prone to this disease because as time goes by, bones become weaker and porous.
In order to keep the disease from happening, make sure to have enough Calcium and Vitamin D in your diet because they are crucial nutrients for bone health. There are many supplements in the market that contain these, but it is also important to incorporate Calcium and Vitamin D rich foods in your diet.
Examples of foods that are rich in calcium are: milk, cheese, spinach, kale, salmon, oatmeal, etc.
These are the Vitamin D rich foods you can add to your meals: soymilk, orange juice, egg yolks tuna, etc.
- Healthy fats
For a long time, fatty food has always gotten a bad reputation, so there were a lot of food products that were "fat free", but lately this myth has been proven to be wrong. It turns out that people who ate unsaturated fat lose weight more easily. This is because fat has higher calories than carbohydrates so it keeps you fuller for longer.
Additionally, unsaturated fats or healthy fats will not only help you keep off the weight, but also it'll give better quality hair and skin.
Foods that contain healthy fats are: avocados, cheese, dark chocolate, fatty fish, nuts, etc.
In order to live as healthily as we age, these are the diet tips that we all have to follow. Still, remember to go to see a doctor or a nutritionist to have a more tailored diet plan.