Nutritional choices and overall health…

Denis July 12, 2019

I recently thought about my own personal health and the choices we make on a daily basis. This lead me to do some research and here’s what I discovered:

Our nutritional choices have a huge impact on our overall health and well-being. Regular exercise, a healthy, balanced diet, moderate exposure to sunlight and healthy lifestyle choices will all contribute towards a healthier you.

Even when you have a small degree of self awareness you will have realized that certain foods can make you feel good. You will be aware that some foods and drink can provide short-term pleasure, and there is a price to pay tomorrow and beyond.

From recognizing that some foods you consume are not in the best interest of your health, it shouldn’t be a big surprise that whatever you put on your plate, every meal, can greatly influence how you look as you age.

Regular exercise is important, and it is increasingly recognized that diet is the single most crucial thing to be considered should you want to look and feel healthy, and live genuinely healthy as years go by. Below are some of the most important things to keep in mind when making your anti aging diet plan. This will help ensure that you remain in your best health and as much as possible, slow down the aging process.

Vitamin D

Research shows that adults who have the lowest levels of vitamin D are two times more at risk of dying from any disease compared to people who have adequate levels of vitamin D in their body. Data from scientific research also shows that getting enough vitamin D affords a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, brain disorders and cancer.

Vitamin D is essential for improving the immune system, muscle functioning and for preventing bone health problems. Getting sufficient sunlight exposure is the best way to trigger the production of vitamin D in your body. Where possible, get your solar exposure early in the day, before the hours that burn.

Recent studies have suggested that a substantial percentage of the global population is vitamin D deficient.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:

Getting sick or infected more often.
Fatigue.
Painful bones and back.
Depressed mood.
Impaired wound healing.
Hair loss.
Muscle pain.

Although vitamin D supplements can be taken, it is best to obtain any vitamin or mineral through natural sources wherever possible.

Vitamin D food sources

Sunlight is the most common and efficient source of vitamin D. The richest food sources of vitamin D are fish oil and fatty fish. Here is a list of foods with good levels of vitamin D:

cod liver oil
herring
swordfish
Portobello mushrooms
salmon
sardines
fortified skim milk
tuna
egg
chicken

Calcium

An individual’s bone density reduces at a rapid rate once they reach the age of 50. Women who reach this age are more likely to experience a bone fracture, especially after menopause when their bone mass reduces from 3 to 5 per cent every year.

Everybody knows we need calcium to build better bones. It is also necessary for muscle contractions and nerve functions. Calcium is also needed by your body to be able to maintain its level of acidity.

Unfortunately, simply increasing the intake of calcium will not be sufficient to offset loss of bone mass as we age, experts say. Calcium is of little benefit if other critical bone-forming elements are not present, particularly magnesium and vitamin D.

Keeping your vitamin and mineral levels balanced is far more beneficial than swamping your system with mega-loads of calcium, as this will suppress the actions of other critical elements.

Also, unless some weight-bearing exercise, such as standing or walking is undertaken, the body will put little effort into bone growth, regardless of supplementation levels.

Lifestyle can affect bone strength

Some of the factors that can reduce calcium in your bones and lower bone density (weaken bones) include:

high-salt diet
more than six drinks per day of caffeine-containing drinks – for example, coffee, cola and tea (although tea has less caffeine)
excessive alcohol intake
very low body weight
very high intakes of fiber (more than 50 g per day, from wheat bran)
low levels of physical activity
low levels of vitamin D – people who are housebound or cover their bodies completely when they are outside are at increased risk
smoking.

Be cautious of taking excessive calcium supplements, because too much calcium in the body can increase your risk of suffering from heart disease and kidney stones. The safest and healthiest way to obtain calcium is through dietary sources.

For those that are lactose intolerant, there are other alternatives to milk, such as the nut-, soy- and rice milks.

Almond milk is rich in good fats, which promote a healthy heart and keep you feeling full. One serving of almond milk provides 50 percent of your daily vitamin E needs, making it great for your skin. A cup of almond milk contains about 40 calories, compared to about 120 in 2% cow’s milk or nearly 150 in full cream milk.

You need to be careful as these milks have the chocolate, vanilla and other options among the unsweetened cartons, and these will definitely contain more calories and sugar.

Almond milk is low in fat (no cholesterol or saturated fat to speak of), however, its low protein content means it won’t keep you as sated as other milk options.

Rice milk is the least likely to trigger allergies, unfortunately, contains almost no protein. Rice milk is great for lactose intolerance, regrettably it has twice as many carbohydrates and is not a nutritious alternative for cow’s milk.

Oat milk can have as much as 20 grams of sugar per serving.

Soy is a good source of low-fat and plant-based protein. It is cholesterol-free, has less saturated fat than cow’s milk and lowers the LDL in the body.

Because it comes from plants, soy milk is naturally free of cholesterol and low in saturated fat. It also contains no lactose. Soybeans and soy milk are a good source of protein, calcium (when fortified), and potassium. However, too much soy may be a problem for people with thyroid disease or other conditions.

Contrary to popular belief, dairy is not the only, or even best way, to get the calcium your body needs. Foods that are excellent sources of calcium include dark leafy greens, oysters, sesame seeds and almonds.

Good dietary sources of calcium include:

Milk and milk products – milk, yogurt, cheese and buttermilk. One cup of milk, a 200 g tub of yogurt or 200 ml of calcium-fortified soy milk provides around 300 mg calcium. Calcium-fortified milks can provide larger amounts of calcium in a smaller volume of milk – ranging from 280 mg to 400 mg per 200 ml milk.
Leafy green vegetables – broccoli, collards (cabbage family), bok choy, Chinese cabbage and spinach. One cup of cooked spinach contains 100 mg, although only five per cent of this may be absorbed. This is due to the high concentration of oxalate, a compound in spinach that reduces calcium absorption. By contrast, one cup of cooked broccoli contains about 45 mg of calcium, but the absorption from broccoli is much higher at around 50–60 per cent.
Soy and tofu – tofu (depending on type) or tempeh and calcium fortified soy drinks
Fish – sardines and salmon (with bones). Half a cup of canned salmon contains 402 mg of calcium
Nuts and seeds – brazil nuts, almonds and sesame seed paste (tahini). Fifteen almonds contain about 40 mg of calcium.
Calcium-fortified foods – including breakfast cereals, fruit juices and bread. One cup of calcium-fortified breakfast cereal (40 g) contains up to 200 mg of calcium. ½ cup of calcium-fortified orange juice (100 ml) contains up to 80 mg of calcium, and two slices of bread (30 g) provides 200 mg of calcium.

Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that may be able to help prevent and treat some illnesses. Promoting a healthy digestive tract and a healthy immune system are their most widely studied benefits at this time. Probiotics are also commonly known as friendly, good, or healthy bacteria.

Many people have overlooked the importance of probiotics in their quest for optimal health. Probiotics play a crucial role in gut health and having enough of them inside our body will help boost our immunity, skin health, lower the levels of bad cholesterol and improve digestive health. They are also beneficial for fighting against gum disease and for better weight control.

Here is a list of some of the benefits:

Probiotic supplements may help improve some mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress and memory.
Certain probiotic strains can help keep your heart healthy by reducing “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and modestly lowering blood pressure.
Probiotics may reduce the severity of certain allergies and eczema.
Probiotics can help prevent and treat diarrhea.
Probiotics can help reduce symptoms of certain digestive disorders like ulcerative colitis, IBS and necrotizing enterocolitis.
Probiotics may help boost your immune system and protect against infections.
Probiotics may help you loose weight and belly fat. However, be aware that there are some strains of probiotics that have been linked to weight gain!

Luckily, yogurt is not the only source of these probiotics. You can also get it from drinking kombucha tea or any other fermented tea, miso soup and kefir. You may also obtain some probiotics from sauerkraut and dark chocolate.