Introduction
As we age, our bodies become more susceptible to health issues and our dietary needs change. Eating the wrong foods can have a negative impact on our health, leading to weight gain, increased risk of chronic diseases, and other health problems. That’s why it’s important to make smart food choices and avoid certain health mistakes. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most common health mistakes no one over 40 should make, and provide tips on how to make healthier food choices with the help of the popular “Eat This Not That” guide.
Health Mistakes No One Over 40 Should Make — Eat This Not That
As we age, our bodies change and our health needs change with them. It’s important to be aware of the health mistakes that can be made as we get older, and to make sure we’re eating the right foods to keep our bodies healthy and strong. Here are some of the health mistakes no one over 40 should make — eat this, not that.
Eat This: Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help keep your body healthy and strong. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can help reduce your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Not That: Processed Foods
Processed foods are often high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and can contribute to weight gain and other health problems. Avoid processed foods like chips, cookies, and frozen meals, and opt for fresh, whole foods instead.
Eat This: Whole Grains
Whole grains are a great source of fiber, which can help keep your digestive system healthy and regular. Whole grains can also help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Choose whole grain breads, cereals, and pastas over refined grains.
Not That: Refined Grains
Refined grains are stripped of their fiber and other nutrients, and can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Avoid white bread, white rice, and other refined grains, and opt for whole grains instead.
Eat This: Healthy Fats
Healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and avocados are a great source of essential fatty acids and can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Aim to get at least 20-30% of your daily calories from healthy fats.
Not That: Unhealthy Fats
Unhealthy fats like trans fats and saturated fats can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Avoid fried foods, processed meats, and other foods high in unhealthy fats.
Eat This: Lean Proteins
Lean proteins like fish, chicken, and beans are a great source of essential amino acids and can help keep your muscles strong and healthy. Aim to get at least 10-15% of your daily calories from lean proteins.
Not That: Red Meat
Red meat is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Limit your intake of red meat, and opt for lean proteins instead.
By making the right food choices, you can help keep your body healthy and strong as you age. Avoid the health mistakes no one over 40 should make — eat this, not that.
No matter how clean of a lifestyle we try to live, we all have a bad habit or two, but for men over 40, there’s certain health mistakes that should be avoided at all costs. “Men die sooner than women and have lower life expectancy than women. On an average, in many parts of the world, males may live 3-10 years less than women and also, lower than men who abuse drugs, live in neighborhoods with profound material and social deprivation,” Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani, MBBS, Ph.D., a professor of public health at New Mexico State University tells us. He adds, “Men also tend to have a greater number of health risk behaviors and lifestyles that are riskier than women. A major problem among many men is the lack of taking health and preventive healthcare seriously, more responsibly, or in a timely manner.” Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with health experts who share what habits men over 40 need to stop now and why. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Dr. Khubchandani says, “Men over 40 must understand that the body goes through a lot of changes with increasing age. So, to know about and get any serious or chronic disease condition diagnosed as early as possible, men over 40 should start planning and undertaking regular physician visits for general check-ups. This will not only ensure prompt diagnosis of a disease, but also inform a person about their overall health status, areas for improvement, and future disease risks.”
Dr. Khubchandani emphasizes, “people need to avoid or reduce all sources of intoxication such as alcohol, tobacco and other drugs/substances. More than half of the people in the United States have had experiences with alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs before the age of 21 years. However, for some, experimenting, casual use, and social trials may end up becoming a lifelong addiction. That’s why, currently, more than 10% of adult Americans continue to remain regular smokers and more than a fourth are regular or heavy alcohol drinkers. By the time a person reaches 40 years of age, they should try to seriously cut down or totally quit using tobacco and other drugs and moderate alcohol consumption because after this age you are already prone to chronic diseases and alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can further worsen your chronic disease conditions or increase your risk for being diagnosed early with all these chronic disease conditions like heart disease cancer and stroke (that are the leading causes of death in the United states).”
According to Dr. Khubchandani, “More than a third of adult Americans are now obese and more than a third are overweight which makes us a country of overweight people where the majority are overweight. As a person grows older the metabolism becomes slower and our body has a tendency to accumulate a lot of fat in the belly (e.g. visceral abdominal fat). Therefore if you have maintained an inactive lifestyle it’s time to make sure that you’re highly active now and you participate in enough physical activity and exercise once you reach the age of 40. This would help you reduce the risk of the leading causes of death like heart disease and cancer and stroke. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines each week adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and 2 days of muscle strengthening activity.”
Dr. Khubchandani says, “Young people have a tendency to consume a lot of junk food or unhealthy diets because of their lifestyle, but once a person enters the adulthood life of post 30 years of age, they should carefully watch their diet and consume more fruits and vegetables and unsaturated fats to ensure that they’re not putting on too much weight or increasing their risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This is part of aging and unhealthy diets increase the risk of cardio and cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. heart attacks and stroke) or increase the probability of having these diseases earlier in life.”
“As people get older, especially men, they should try their best to avoid loneliness, isolation, boredom, and manage stress properly,” Dr. Khubchandani states. “It is after 40 years of age when your brain and heart become more vulnerable for a variety of diseases (e.g. heart attacks). Being lonely, isolated, bored, or maintaining a highly stressful lifestyle can increase the risk of many diseases by accelerating the aging process and chronic disease onset. Even for later life diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, staying active and communicating with other people, keeping mentally engaged, and managing stress can help ensure that your risk of Alzheimer’s disease drops down in later ages. All these activities should start as early as possible in life but especially for those who are approaching the 40th year of life, it should be a critical goal to maintain physical and mental activity.”
Kent Probst, personal trainer, kinesiotherapist and bodybuilder with Long Healthy Life shares, “The core is responsible for many different functions during activities of daily living that many people don’t think about. As people age, their posture, balance and stability tend to decline. With that comes increased fall risk. The good news is that you can minimize or avoid these problems with core strengthening.”
Probst says, “Staying strong and maintaining muscle mass is a biomarker for longevity. Increased muscle mass is associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality in people over age 55. In addition to increased muscle mass, other benefits of strength training include:
–Increased walking speed
–Better balance
–Improved stair climbing ability
–Improved mood
–Increased bone density
–Improved weight management
–Increased grip strength”
Heather Newgen