Diet and exercise are vital to living an active, healthy life.
As you age, your needs change.
Take these steps to get what you need at this stage in your life.
A healthy diet with the right nutrients helps your bones and muscles stay strong while
staving off health problems.
A few tweaks to your diet can deliver what you need.
Bump up your calcium: Calcium helps your bones stay strong to ward off osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Aim for three servings of calcium-rich foods and drinks every day. Try dark green, leafy vegetables, fish, fortified cereal, milk, and plant beverages.
If you have trouble getting enough calcium in your diet, try a supplement. Be sure it has vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium.
Get more fiber: Fiber helps you stay regular and wards off constipation. It also lowers your odds of getting heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer, and it lowers your blood cholesterol level.
Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, and beans and peas. Men need about 30 grams of fiber a day. Women need about 21 grams.
Boost your protein: Protein helps preserve muscle tissue. Women need about 46 grams a day. Men need about 56 grams. Good sources are low-fat milk, meat, fish, poultry, cooked dried beans, and yogurt.
Cut the salt: Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Eat fresh, low-salt foods. Don’t add salt when you cook. Instead, use herbs and spices for flavour.
Your Health Coach, Christine!
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