Diet tips for women who are entering their 40’s.
Age has a big impact on human life. Whether it is male or female, age affects people of all genders. As age proceeds, the prime signs of aging reflect over the face of a person as the skin starts losing more and more with age. This results in the formation of wrinkles and the absence of glow. Besides this, many changes in the body also take place.
If we consider females, they notice lots of bodily changes as their age move towards 40 and above. Menopause is a primary cause of these changes as it leads to hormonal fluctuations. The major outcome of aging in females is the formation of wrinkles, absence of skin glow, changes in the reproductive system, thinning of hairs, increase in hair fall, joint pain, etc. All these bodily changes may take a female towards depression or stress or decrease in quality of life.
These changes due to aging start affecting other parts of the body too. During this state, if the lifestyle habits remain as they were in young age, then, the aging process starts affecting the cells of the body with more speed than normal.
Thus, diet plays a major role in keeping the body healthy at any given age. For women at the age of 40 or more, it is good to make a few dietary changes. Some of those dietary changes, which can be incorporated are given below:
1 Add fish to your diet plan
Fish is a healthy food item to be consumed once a week. At the age of 40 years and above, it is recommended to eat fish, like trout, which is low in fat but high in nutrients. It also helps to prevent breast cancer.
Omega-3 fatty acids present in fish help to support the body of women after 40 years of age. These fatty acids manage heart and blood pressure, thus, preventing the risk of a heart attack.
2 Consume whole grains
Whole grains, such as oats, are very healthy and should be consumed by persons of any age group. They provide energy and inhibit the fat build-up inside the body.
These similarly benefit women after 40 years of age. Whole grains are also rich in healthy carbohydrates, which do not raise blood sugar levels. As diabetes can be a major concern after middle-age, whole grains can also be beneficial to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
3 Regular exercise
Exercise is the key to a healthy lifestyle. It is recommended for every person; in young age till old age. People face most of the problems due to the absence of any physical activity. At the age of 40 years and above, physical activity becomes even more essential to keep the body active and free from diseases. Your body also needs to weigh less after the age of 40. Exercise is an easy way to lose weight.
Be careful about the exercises that you indulge in. If you are unaware of the type of exercises, perform it in the presence of an experienced person who can guide you well according to your age. You can start with walking, running, jogging, light cardio, etc.
4 Consume calcium-rich food
As a woman hits menopause, the joint problem becomes very common for women. Most of the joint problems are due to lack of physical activity and remaining are due to the decrease in calcium levels inside bones.
Thus, daily intake of calcium should be increased from 1000mg to 1200mg, at least. Consume food rich in calcium such as milk, yogurt, broccoli, kale, etc. These food items can make your bones and joints stronger.
- Inhibit intake of food causing bloating
Bloated stomach is unhealthy for the body. It invites many other diseases and prevents you to eat food properly. A bloated stomach is caused due to eating unhealthy food such as soft drinks, hard drinks, drinking tea in excess, etc. These food items give you the feeling of full stomach, which becomes worse if gas is produced in high amount inside the stomach.
So, the only remedy for this is to control dietary habits. At the age of 40 years, consumption of hard drinks or soft drinks should be avoided as they become difficult to be digested by the body. Also, avoid junk food, which can give a bloated feeling.
- Add soy to your diet
Proteins are really healthy for the human body and soy is a good source of proteins. Soy or soy-based products are easily available in the market, which can be consumed to complete the need of proteins in the body.
Soy-rich foods include tofu, soymilk, yoghurt, etc.
- Cut down sugar
When you move towards old age, it is better to cut down sugar intake. The chances of diabetes are high in old age and after menopause. So, try to consume as less sugar as possible.
When you crave for sugar, you can consume sugar replacements such as honey, jaggery, etc, which will not raise the blood sugar levels if consumed in a nominal amount.
- Start consuming green coffee
Green coffee is an excellent source of antioxidants. It helps in removing oxidants from the body and also helps to lose body weight. Start drinking green coffee at least once in a day, preferably in the morning.
Green coffee preparation is also very simple. It does not involve any hard work. It can be prepared just by boiling water and adding green coffee powder to it. Grecobe is an excellent green coffee bean extract.
- Consume fiber-rich food
Fiber-rich food consumption is really necessary while moving towards old age. It helps to stimulate intestinal motility to prevent constipation, which is commonly caused at old age.
Fiber-rich foods are cereals, oat bran, beans, peas, multi-grain bread, dry fruits, apricot, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, etc.
An amazing benefit of fiber-rich foods is that they contain cancer-inhibiting compounds such as vitamin A, C, E, selenium, etc.
- Cut fats
Limit down the consumption of fatty food items such as ghee, cheese, fried food items, etc. Fats require strong digestive system but as you age, your digestive system starts to weaken. So, consume as less fat as possible for keeping the digestive system working effectively.
So, if you want to remain healthy even after 40 years of age with the menopause, try to incorporate above given dietary changes into your regular diet. They will either keep you away from diseases or reduce the risk of the development of any disease.