Add life to your years by modifying these lifestyle factors

Over the past decade, several studies have been conducted and books written about lifestyle factors that have been shown to improve both overall health and quality of life well into older age. This being Nutrition Month (#NutritionMonth), I’d like to talk about three of these lifestyle factors that are all nutrition-based. All three are identified in these studies and books as being critical to healthy aging, barring serious injury or disease. They are: eating regular healthy meals, maintaining a healthy weight and abstaining from or moderating alcohol consumption.

Unlike other determinants of health—genetics, socioeconomic and environmental variables, to name a few—these lifestyle or behaviour-based factors are all within our control.

Before I dive into the meaning of “healthy meals”, here’s a quick, not exhaustive … and somewhat depressing summary of what happens to us physiologically as we age. As many of my clients have told me, growing old is not for the faint of heart.

I remember learning about these changes at personal training school and thinking OMG, it’s all downhill from here. But stay with me: the more you know about what’s happening to your body, the better equipped you will be to take better care of yourself and slow down the aging process.

First, our body composition begins to change. Not only are we fighting gravity—as one hilarious comedienne I listened to recently noted, “my bicep has headed south for the winter and is now residing below my upper arm,” but we tend to lose weight, often in the form of lean (muscle) mass. This leads to a loss of strength, energy and appetite. Sadly, the less we eat and do, the less we are likely able to do.

Our bones get weaker with advancing age as our ability to absorb calcium declines. Being inactive exacerbates this loss of bone and strength. Brain function slows as our body becomes less efficient at absorbing B12; medication may also play a role here as can nutrient deficiencies. Our digestive system can become sluggish due to inflammation, loss of muscle strength, increased bacteria growth and decreased acid output—all of which can impair digestion and nutrient absorption.

We may feel less energetic than we used to due to changes in appetite and activity level. And, we can get dehydrated more easily as our sense of thirst diminishes. Changes in the levels of certain hormones (chemical messengers that help regulate a variety of bodily functions) can alter our sex drive, metabolism, mood, blood pressure and blood sugar levels as well our appetite and sleep.

We become more susceptible to illness and infection as our immune system begins to wane due to increases in inflammatory cytokines and decreases in infection and disease-fighting lymphocytes.

Our metabolism, the process of converting food into fuel, tends to slow down with age. The loss of muscle mass and strength often causes us to become less active and more sedentary, further reducing our mobility and flexibility, and our ability to perform activities of daily living independently. We may experience changes in oral health—more tooth decay or loss, and gum disease, as well as changes in sensory acuity, making it harder for us to see, hear, smell and stay upright on our own two feet.

Now for the good news … being physically active and well-nourished really can slow the aging process and add life to your years.

So now that I’ve totally depressed you, here’s the good news: being physically active and well-nourished can slow the aging process and extend our healthspan: the number of years of life spent in good health, free from the chronic diseases and disabilities often associated with aging.

What well-nourished really means and how to improve our nutrition as we age

Let’s start with protein, which is critical to the body’s recovery, repair and rebuilding mechanisms. Protein is typically found in animal products such as lean beef, poultry, pork and fish, eggs, Greek yogurt and other low-fat dairy products. It’s also available in beans, legumes, tofu, tempeh and, of course, protein powder. To help maintain muscle mass and facilitate other bodily recovery processes, have some protein at every meal. This will help you feel more satisfied and less hungry throughout the day while giving your body time to process it. It is recommended that you eat .8 – 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Too much protein can be hard on our kidneys so be sure to get what you need but not more.

Carbohydrates (and fibre) often get a bad rap but the truth is our body’s primary and preferred source of fuel, especially for the brain, is carbs. We tend to think of carbs as donuts, cookies, crackers and chips, and it’s true: you don’t want many—if any—of them. But fruit, vegetables, salad greens, whole grain bread and pasta, oatmeal, and brown rice, etc., are all carbs. The latter, for the most part, are low on the Glycemic Index (GI), meaning it takes longer for them to be absorbed into our bloodstream, which is a good thing. They also promote normal blood cholesterol, help us maintain healthy bowel function and a healthy weight. Men should aim to get 2 servings of 20-30 grams or ½ to 2/3 cup of low GI carbs per meal; women should aim for 1 serving of the same size per meal.

When it comes to fruit and vegetables, 4-6 servings (each the size of your fist) a day will go a long way to providing your body with the nutrients it needs. Try to eat a wide variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables to maximize the benefits.

Healthy fats provide essential fatty acids, a concentrated energy source that we need. They are also required to transport fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) into our cells and contribute to us feeling satisfied after a meal. Healthy fats such as Omega 3s (found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines and herring, tofu, nuts and seeds) and Omega 6s (found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and peanut butter) help moderate inflammation, lower cholesterol and oxidative stress which all take a toll on aging bodies. What you want to stay away from are saturated fats (found in red and processed or deli meats and full fat dairy) and trans fats which are often found in fast and processed foods. Limit healthy fats to 1-2 tbsp. per meal.

Hydration

Severe dehydration can be life-threatening so make sure you drink enough water even if you don’t feel thirsty. Drink 8-12 cups of water a day, more if you are physically active and/or outside in the heat, to keep your body humming along.

Vitamins and Minerals

While it’s best to get the vitamins and minerals we need through our food, sometimes it’s difficult to get the right amounts to optimize our health. If this is something you’re concerned about, consult your health care provider. A simple blood test can determine whether you have any deficiencies and your health care provider can make the appropriate supplement recommendations, taking any medications you may be on into account. This is important to ensure you get what you need while avoiding any adverse interactions and reactions.

And one more thing about food before moving on to alcohol. Try to eat your last meal of the day before 6 p.m. Building on a decade of work, results of a recent study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School indicate that eating late increases both hunger and the amount of fat stored v.s. burned during a 24-hour period. It also appears to decrease the amount of leptin (an appetite-reducing hormone) in our system. Eating a little earlier enables your body to do its job and digest your meal properly. This may explain why some people who eat late in the day sometimes struggle to lose weight. You just might sleep better too!

Alcohol 

Let me start by saying that no amount of alcohol consumption is safe. Full stop. Alcohol of all kinds is classified as a Level 1 carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), right up there with arsenic, plutonium and formaldehyde. Yikes!

An estimated 2-10% of adults 65 years+ drink more than is recommended. That seems low to me given how normalized drinking has become in our society. But, here’s the thing, that estimate was based on old guidelines that defined drinking in moderation as up to 14 standard drinks (see definitions below**) a week for men and up to 7 drinks a week for women.

New guidelines released by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction in January 2023 are much more conservative. The newly defined “little or no risk” category is limited to 1-2 standard drinks** per week while the “moderate risk” category amounts to 3-6 standard drinks** per week. Yes, these new guidelines have generated some controversy, but the bottom line is clear: less or no alcohol is better for our health.

** One drink is defined as:

• 12 oz. of beer, cider or a cooler containing 5% alcohol

• 5 oz. of wine containing 12% alcohol

• 1.5 oz. of spirits (or hard liquor such as whiskey, vodka, gin, etc.) containing 40% alcohol

When practiced consistently, eating well, drinking less, maintaining a healthy weight, getting a good night’s sleep and regular exercise can, together, go a long way to slowing the aging process and making our retirement years and later life both healthier and more enjoyable. In the absence of a life-threatening diagnosis or injury, these lifestyle factors can add life to your years. The choice is yours. If you need help getting started, contact me at info.spryfandn@gmail.com. It’s never too late to invest in a healthier you.

If you’d like a summary of the physiological changes our bodies go through as we age and how to combat them by improving your nutrition, email me at the address above and I’d be happy to send it to you.

Eat well. Move more. Feel SPRY.