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, especially after the age of 60. Physicians have identified the top mistakes people make when it comes to their diet after 60, and it’s important to be aware of them. Eating the wrong foods can lead to weight gain, increased risk of chronic diseases, and other health issues. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to ensure you’re eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones. This article will discuss the #1 mistakes you can make after 60, according to physicians, and provide tips on how to eat the right foods.
The #1 Mistake You Can Make After 60, Say Physicians — Eat This Not That
As you age, your body changes and so do your dietary needs. After the age of 60, it is important to pay attention to what you eat and make sure you are getting the right nutrients. According to physicians, the number one mistake people make after 60 is not eating the right foods.
The key to eating right after 60 is to focus on nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats are all important components of a healthy diet. Eating a variety of these foods will help ensure that you are getting the nutrients you need.
It is also important to limit your intake of processed and sugary foods. These foods are often high in calories and low in nutrients, which can lead to weight gain and other health problems. Instead, focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Finally, it is important to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help keep your body functioning properly and can help prevent dehydration. Additionally, it is important to limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine, as these can have a negative impact on your health.
Eating right after 60 is essential for maintaining good health. By focusing on nutrient-dense foods, limiting processed and sugary foods, and staying hydrated, you can ensure that you are getting the nutrients you need to stay healthy and active.
In order to thrive over 60, it’s important to be proactive about health. “As a society, we need to learn to do what the 60+ generation is doing much earlier in life,” says psychiatrist Dr. Paul McLaren. “Work-life balance—and gratitude—have never been more important for our physical and mental health.” Here are five mistakes people make after 60 that are undermining their health and happiness. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Keeping your brain young and healthy over 60 is crucial in helping fight diseases such as Alzheimer’s. “Challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them,” advises Harvard Health. “Many people have jobs that keep them mentally active. Pursuing a hobby, learning a new skill, volunteering or mentoring are additional ways to keep your mind sharp…The more senses you use in learning something, the more of your brain that will be involved in retaining the memory.”
People over 60 should ensure they are getting enough nutrients for age-related health issues such as dementia and vision deterioration. “When people think of the Mediterranean diet, they think of a heart-healthy diet,” says Dr. Timothy Harlan, editor-in-chief of Health meets Food: the Culinary Medicine Curriculum. “But really, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration and cancer as well.”
Maintaining social connections is incredibly important as you age. “Lacking social connection carries a risk that is comparable, and in many cases, exceeds that of other well-accepted risk factors, including smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day, obesity, physical inactivity, and air pollution,” says Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, professor of psychology at Brigham Young University. “As we encounter potentially stressful events in our lives, if we know that we’ve got people we can count on or that we can turn to, we may be less likely to even perceive it as stressful, because we know we can handle it. But also, let’s say we’re already in the throes of some kind of stressful event, our relationships can also help us cope with it and buffer that reaction to the stress.”
It’s crucial to keep an active lifestyle in your 60s (and on!) to stay mentally, physically, and emotionally sound. “If you had to pick one thing, one single thing that came closest to the fountain of youth, then it would have to be exercise,” says James Fries, M.D., a pioneer researcher on healthy aging at Stanford University.
Worried about COVID-19? People over 65 already have a higher risk of getting the virus, and outcomes are even worse for older people who smoke. “We are seeing worse cases of COVID-19 in smokers,” says Panagis Galiatsatos, M.D., M.H.S. “Your lungs, which are at the forefront of your immune system, are interacting with the environment with every breath. When you inhale cigarette smoke, germs or allergens, your lungs can get irritated, and that irritation unleashes the immune system to fight that irritation. A coronavirus infection on top of that means that your symptom response is going to be amplified.”
Follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated or boosted ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, don’t travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don’t go indoors with people you’re not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
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