
How does diet hasten your aging?
Aging is the process of becoming older, which is genetically determined and can be regulated externally. It includes a complex interaction of biologic, psychological and social changes over time. As you get older, eating a healthy diet can help an individual to prevent several health issues such as obesity, muscle pain, heart disease, diabetes, and brain stroke. There may be fair chances of preventing these ailments from getting worse. Following a nutritious diet, coupled with regular intake of medications may help in healthy aging.
Effects of aging
As we age, both physiological and physical changes occur in our bodies. Some changes are evident while others are not. Aging affects different parts of the body differently and has an impact on our health as well as our way of life. Diminished ability to heal from wounds, injuries, or illness, decreased organ function, recovery time, memory, tactile sensations, changes in hearing and visual activity, instability in gait, stiffness of joints, inability to perform daily activities, increased socio-economic, and emotional losses are the effects of aging.
Role of diet in older adults
Aging is a biological process that causes organisms to change over time. Since the average human life expectancy has increased, aging, age-related diseases, and geriatric (old) care is becoming important now-a-days. It is essential to provide the elderly population with a healthy and balanced diet since older adults who are undernourished are more likely to experience lower health outcomes, prolonged hospital stays, and higher death rates.
As we age, desire for food and dietary choices also change. So, it is necessary to provide a proper diet plan for the elderly. As we grow older, our bodies become less efficient at assimilatin nutrients from food. So, having a nutritious, well-balanced diet, combined with regular exercise regime, would be beneficial to older adults.
Foods that hasten age
"You are what you eat”-The phrase refers to foods and drinks that play many roles in the human biological process. The Food we eat can have an impact on our moods, our ability to do mental or physical tasks, and even how we look. Not all dietary foods are the same, they can affect our body systems differently, including our organs, bones, connective tissues, fat reserves, and muscles. The following are the foods that fasten the aging process:
Fried food
Egg rolls, french fries, and doughnuts may sound wonderful, but they include unhealthy oils and fats. Fried food often contains high levels of trans fats, hydrogenated oils, and tropical oils, all of which elevate cholesterol and are associated with diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Fried food also contains a lot of calories, which might result in a rise in calories consumption, weight gain, and obesity. When consumed, fried food releases free-radicals in the body. Free radicals damage normal healthy cells, which accelerate aging.
Empty-calorie foods
Foods that don’t have nutritional benefits may only fill you up and are referred to as "junk" foods or “empty calories”. They frequently contain large amounts of calories, sodium, added sugar, processed carbohydrates, and saturated fats, all of which might cause weight gain, and in turn, cause diseases related to obesity. Food items like candies, pastries, cookies, sugary soft drinks, and sports drinks come under empty-calorie foods.
Foods that cause choking (difficulty in breathing)
Consuming food items like hot dogs, steak popcorn, white bread, hard candy, cakes and crackers, and chicken with bones, can cause difficulty in breathing even when you are young. So, it is advisable to avoid and be mindful while eating these food items.
Sodium-rich foods
Smoked, cured, salted, or canned meat, and fish contains a significant amount of sodium. Food items such as bacon, cold cuts, gammon, frankfurters, sausage, sardines, caviar, and anchovies are rich sources of sodium. Frozen food items such as pizza and burritos may also be a source of sodium. Certain meals from cans, including chilli, spam, and ravioli contains more sodium content. A diet heavy in sodium can make your body retain too much water, raising your blood pressure, and increasing your risk of kidney, heart, and other diseases.
Apart from the above food items and conditions, irregular eating habits like skipping meals, eating at unusual times, and consuming a diet low in micronutrients, consumption of alcohol, caffeine, can cause a decrease in energy levels, muscle mass, and ability to think.
Diet that slows down aging
There are some foods that help slow down aging and improve many aspects of health. Avoid unhealthy fats and increase the number of healthy fats in your diet. The following are some of the foods which slows down aging to some extent:
Blueberries: They contain bioflavonoids, an antioxidant that is thought to strengthen artery walls and preserve the texture of the skin. They can decrease cholesterol levels and have anti-aging and anti-cancer properties.
Broccoli: It is an abundant source of iron and antioxidants. It has anti-cancer properties. It can prevent both breast and prostate cancer.
Tomatoes: They are a source of lycopene, an antioxidant which destroys the free radicals that cause cancer and can help overcome prostate cancer.
Oily Fish: Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines are among the oily fish that are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. They can reduce the risk of blood clot formation and the accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries. Omega-3 fatty acids also boost brainpower. So, it is recommended to consume a diet that contains enough omega-3.
Garlic: It is also a potent antioxidant and one of the natural home remedies for flu and common cold. It helps in lowering high cholesterol levels.
Brazil nuts, avocado, olive oil, honey, bananas, turmeric, green tea, dark chocolate, watermelon, flax seeds, walnuts, pomegranate, lemon, grapes, kale, coconut, bell peppers, papaya, sweet potatoes, and probiotics also provide anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties, which minimizes the appearance of wrinkles, dark circles, and fine lines. Thus, it is recommended to consult your healthcare provider to get further information on how diet affects your aging and overall health.