Nutrition & Aging
Your nutrition and exercise habits haven’t changed, so why does your body feel different?
If you’re in midlife or beyond, you’ve probably noticed your body changing. Perhaps…
You've gained weight, or your midsection has grown
You’re bloated, constipated, gassy, or have heartburn
Your blood sugar, blood pressure, or lipids have risen
Your energy levels have dropped
Your joints are achy or inflamed
Sleep is a persistent struggle
Changes like these are especially frustrating when you’re eating the same foods and exercising in the same ways that you have for years.
We tend to blame aging. And we may assume there’s nothing we can do about it.
Not true!
Of course, aging affects how we feel, but by no means is it the whole story. We have control over many factors involved with how are bodies evolve over time — from the foods we eat to the lifestyle choices we make. More on that below. But first …
What’s happening when we age?
Aging is a complex process, which brings about a gradual decline in certain regenerative and protective mechanisms. Inflammation and pain sensitivity often increase. The immune system can become more vulnerable to infections. Oxidative stress is harder to quell. Our cells don’t make energy as well.
A few examples of how this plays out…
Our cells more readily become insulin resistant, so blood sugar is more likely to spike when we eat sugars and starches.
Chronic stress, which impacts health at any age, takes a greater toll. It can lead to inflammation, midsection weight gain, and it can reduce stomach acid, which impacts our microbiome and how well we absorb certain nutrients.
The digestive system becomes less efficient. Along with stress, aging can be a reason we make less stomach acid. That acid helps digestive enzymes break down the foods we eat. There are also changes to the microbiome, and digestion may slow down. All of this can lead to heartburn, bloating, constipation, and other digestive symptoms.
Bones and joints become more susceptible to injury and can take longer to heal.
Our brains may have a harder time with focus, mood, memory, and problem-solving.
Our heart tissue can thicken and our arteries can stiffen, restricting blood flow and limiting how much oxygen reaches our tissues.
Due to these changes, we become less resilient to our chosen fun – whether that’s drinking a beer, skiing bumps, staying out late, or eating a slice of cake. Our bodies don’t bounce back as quickly.
But here’s where things get interesting.
You can feel better than you might think
Feeling worse year after year isn’t an inevitable fact of life.
Aging unfolds differently for everyone. A combination of our genetics, nutrition, lifestyle, environment, and luck all play a part in how we age. When we are intentional with our choices — whether that’s eating certain foods, going to bed earlier, or taking work breaks outside — we can nourish the protective processes in our bodies and ultimately feel better.
There are some upsides to having a lower tolerance for what life throws at us. I often notice how great I feel when I make the healthy choice. When I ski, I know my joints appreciate the strength training I regularly do.
The upshot: yes aging is happening and we won’t stop it, but we can age better by giving our bodies what they need—the food, movement, sleep, rest, and joy that help us counter things like inflammation, insulin resistance, and declining cellular health.
I help many people in their 40s, 50s, and well beyond, to gain more energy, sleep better, smooth out their digestion, reduce joint pain and feel more alert and focused.
The secret sauce
There is no quick hack, or one secret sauce to healthy aging, but rather a unique recipe for each of us. This is based on our health status and goals, activities we enjoy, and current routines.
When I help clients, it’s not about rapid change, doing everything all at once. I suggest you layer in small, doable changes that snowball into significant shifts in how you feel in both your body and your mind. I often suggest that my clients:
Eat more of the nutrient-dense foods that support bone, brain, cardiovascular, metabolic, gut, and hormonal health and which counter inflammation. Think high-quality proteins, colorful veggies, fiber from a range of plant foods, and healthy fats from foods like avocado, wild salmon, olive oil, and nuts and seeds.
Adjust meals toward protein, because aging bodies become less efficient at turning dietary protein into muscle, bone and other vital tissues.
Eat less processed stuff, especially high-carbohydrate and sugary foods. We want to improve insulin sensitivity to keep our cells healthy and to feel energized.
Adjust exercise to include plenty of mobility work, rolling, and stretching to keep joints healthy; and weight training to support muscle and bone strength, and metabolic health.
Work on a healthy relationship with food—learn how to nourish how you feel on the inside, and perhaps worry less about how you look on the outside.
“Getting healthy seems too hard”
So much about lasting, healthy change comes down to the how. — how you overcome logistical hurdles and build strong habits around nutrition, sleep, stress management, exercise, spending time outside and with loved ones. And creating joy!
One of my favorite parts of the work I do in my 1-to-1 nutrition & lifestyle program, is guiding you toward the changes you want to make, that help you to live a fuller, richer life in the ways you want. Together, we find that how.
And guess what? When you’re doing the healthy things most of the time, you just may bounce back a little easier after a ski day or late night out.
Want to learn more about how I can help you? Book a free call or shoot me a message.
