Nutrition for Healthy Aging

Nutrition Ideas for Perimenopause & Beyond

It’s no secret that as we age things change with our nutritional needs and wants. Many women, including myself, have talked about not eating as much food, avoiding certain foods that may cause bloating or gas and a change sometimes in (yes we must talk about it) our bowel movements. The changes in our digestion and our appearance is often affected by our hormone production. Our hormones influence the look of our skin and hair, our metabolism, our ability to sleep well and focus. Hormones control our appetite and stimulate metabolism, it optimizes our digestion and helps to reduce inflammation.

Everyone is different and every body is unique, so there is no one size fits all collection of health data that will make us feel and look our best. Please don’t use any information as the only way to think or go…ideas, science and theories are shifting and improving every day. Start with simple things like improving what you eat or clearing out and organizing your pantry or trying a new recipe. Success happens when we listen to our body and take care of ourselves.

Tips for your overall health

Create A Healthy Pantry

Take the time to clear your pantry of foods that are processed or artificial and fill it with ingredients that will nourish your body. Read the labels and check for high sodium levels, added sugar or colouring!

Grocery shopping Tips

Make a shopping list before going to the store. Shop around the outside of the store where most of the whole foods are – stock up on frozen vegetables to have access to at anytime.

Meals Full of Colour

Try to aim for 4 colours of whole foods on your plate at any time – the most important one is green. Most green vegetables are packed with building nourishment.

Your Whole Body Health

Nourishing the whole body is just as important as eating well. Find some time for a bit of self care – including good sleep, exercise, stress management, creativity etc..

Your Collection of Yummy Recipes

Within each category you will find a link you to a collection of recipes – I have curated snacks, drinks and meals that will help support us as we age. Just click on the picture and enter the email you have registered with My Fit Over 50 to gain access and enjoy!

Feeling hot & sweaty?
More tips for your nutrition
Simple ways to prevent bone loss
Good digestion - how's yours?

Feeling hot & sweaty?

Avoid eating spicy food - that will only add more fuel to the fire
Try adding some cooling foods into your meals if you are having hot flashes or night-sweats, like cucumber, celery, peppermint tea, but DON'T eat lots of raw foods - that may leave you feeling cold
Try to avoid eating processed, packaged or refined meals as this can exacerbate the ever changing shift in your hormone levels
Don't eat or drink alcohol right before bed - this can also cause disruption and heat in your body
Make sure to sleep in a cool room and in something light and comfortable (a light cotton is great)

More tips for your nutrition

Eating regularly in your day (every few hours) will help keep your blood sugar level stable, supporting your body and maintaining good weight and waistline
Calcium can be found in green leafy vegetables as well as figs, beans, legums, oatmeal and sweet potato
Our bones need Vitamin D to help absorb calcium - which can also come in the form of sunlight and fish (oysters, wild caught, salmon, cod)
Walnuts can help support your brain health - just a little will do
We need magnesium to metabolize calcium and Vit D which can be found in green vegetables, fish and nuts
Don't eat late at night

Simple ways to prevent bone loss

Resistance exercise can help to keep the structure and quality of your bones strong - aim for 4-5 half hours workouts a week using weight that is appropriate for you
Calcium can be pulled out of our bones when we eat too much salt, processed foods and drink caffeine and pop
Smoking can deplete nutrients from our bones, which can lead to Osteoporosis
Stress management is important as we age...if our cortisol levels rise it can disturb our bones homeostasis as well as affecting our sleep, energy etc.

Good digestion - how's yours?

We need good digestion to provide nutrients for all metabolic functions within the body – for our organs, muscles, tissues, bones etc..
It is the essence of our immune system, supplying valuable proteins for our white blood cells to do their job of protecting, breaking down and eliminating foreign bacteria.
If you get sick often, are very tired after eating or experience pain in the abdominal area you may have poor digestion! Other common symptoms of poor digestion include: gas, bloating, cravings for sugar and chocolate, bad breath, irregular bowel movements, extreme fatigue, yeast infections, mood swings, memory loss, headaches, constipation, diarrhea.

ROASTED VEGGIES - rock it out!

What can cause poor digestion?
Prebiotic foods to improve your digestion
Probiotic foods to improve your digestion
Foods that support our immunity

What can cause poor digestion?

stress
eating quickly/eating too much
too much liquid with meal
smoking/pollution
poor food choices
poor sleep
mercury fillings
lack of fibre in food
lack of exercise

Prebiotic foods to improve your digestion

Support your whole digestive system by adding in some of these foods to one daily meal to help prevent constipation/diarrhea and level blood sugars

chicory
Jerusalem artichoke
honey
asparagus
cottage cheese
eggplant
garlic
leaks
green tea
kefir
legumes
peas
onions
rye
yogurt

Probiotic foods to improve your digestion

Friendly bacterial organisms can help to build a colony of friendly flora within the intestines, supporting our immunity, elimination, brain health and more.

yogurt
kefire
kombucha
sauerkraut
pickles
miso
tempeh
kimchi
sourdough bread
some cheeses

Foods that support our immunity

Good immunity begins with good digestion, so focus on eating clean whole foods, exercise regularly, take time for self care (sleep, stress) and include these foods...