Today, most women still don’t enjoy life after age 50. Go through Menopause, have an empty nest, and never really enjoy your golden years.
Thanks to modern medicine and better living conditions, the average life expectancy for an American woman is 80.5 years. 1 That means you have a few more decades of good life after 50.
How can you live a great life, feel great about yourself, and grow old gracefully? Make wise lifestyle choices. In addition to exercising regularly, quitting smoking (if you are a smoker), managing stress, and avoiding or drinking alcohol in moderation, you also need to eat right.
Changing what you eat after 50 can hugely impact how you feel, how you look, and how old you are.
What happens to a woman’s body over 50?
Your body consists of trillions of cells that work together to keep you alive. As we age, however, all of these cells will begin to change. They get bigger and lose part of their ability to divide, function and reproduce correctly. The ability to repair DNA is also reduced, increasing the disease risk.
Since tissues and organs are made of cells, your whole body changes. Everything changes, including skin, bones, muscles, joints, and organs. Your nervous, immune, reproductive, endocrine, digestive, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular systems are all affected by aging.
Your aging process is influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and environment. While aging is inevitable, a nutritious and healthy diet can delay or slow aging. In contrast, diets high in calories, saturated fats, and many processed foods speed up aging.
Want to know which part of your body ages fast? You might think it’s your skin, but your breasts age quickly. According to a study published in Genome Biology, breast tissue is the part of the body disproportionately affected by aging.
Decreased estrous hormones associated with Menopause cause glandular tissue to contract, shrinking the breasts. The connective tissue that supports the breast also relaxes, causing it to start sagging. The skin in your neck and chest area also ages when exposed to the sun, so it’s essential to protect your skin with a full-spectrum anti-sun cream.
Nutritional paradox
After 50, we face a nutritional paradox: We need more nutrients, including protein, calcium, specific B vitamins, and vitamin D, but not as many calories. This makes it more critical than ever to eat a nutrient-rich diet.
According to the American Academy of Medicine, a moderately active woman needs about 2,000 calories a day between the ages of 31 and 50 and only 1,800 calories a day after age 51. After age 50, we need to eat 200 fewer calories daily to maintain weight for several reasons.
First, unlike fat, muscle is metabolically active, burning 7 to 10 calories per pound. This means that the more power you have, the more calories you burn during rest, activity, and sleep.
However, starting in our 30s, we lose 3 to 8 percent of our muscle mass every decade. As we get older, our activities decrease. Nearly 30 percent of women over 50 do not engage in regular physical activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Why do we need more nutrition? As we age, our stomach produces less acid. This reduces the absorption of several vital micronutrients, including vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
In addition, as women approach Menopause, estrous levels drop when they haven’t had a period for 12 months. This can hurt bone density and total muscle mass, resulting in higher protein, calcium, and vitamin D intake requirements.
What is the best diet for women over 50?
The best diet is plant-based Whole Foods (WFPB), which fills your plate with nutrients and keeps you healthy, reducing inflammatory responses. Conversely, a poor diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, fast food, and fried foods can accelerate aging.
Numerous studies have shown that plant-based diets, such as the DASH and the Mediterranean diet, may reduce the risk of chronic disease. Eating rainbow foods also provides a range of phytochemicals that may have antiaging properties.
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are compounds rich in antioxidants, and foods containing polyphenols help prevent inflammatory reactions. Good sources of polyphenols include Onions, berries, green leafy vegetables, red grapes, and green tea.
Plant ingredients help prevent weight gain during Menopause.
A plant-based whole Foods diet (WFPB) approach can also help reduce cholesterol levels and prevent weight gain during Menopause. This is because such diets are rich in produce and contain fewer calories than the standard American diet (SAD). Plant-based foods are high in water and fiber, so they keep you full without putting on weight. You feel satisfied while consuming fewer calories, so you eat less.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are a big exception. While nuts and seeds are high in healthy fats that can support healthy aging, they are high in calories. Eat in moderation, keeping your servings to manageable portions of about an ounce and a half.
Soluble fiber
In plant-based foods, soluble fiber can also lower “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels to optimize nutrient absorption. Soluble fiber reduces the amount of cholesterol that enters the blood.
At the same time, it dissolves in your gut, slowing down digestion. This gives healthy bacteria living in the digestive tract a chance to absorb nutrients and be absorbed by the body.
Good sources of soluble fiber include beans, oats, apples, pears, and Brussels sprouts.
Soy foods may help reduce hot flashes.
In addition, eating a plant-based diet rich in soy can help reduce the hot flashes and night sweats you experience during Menopause.
A 12-week study published in the journal Menopause found that postmenopausal women who ate a low-fat vegetarian diet containing half a cup of cooked soy a day reduced the incidence of moderate to severe hot flashes from nearly five a day to less than one. 2 During the study period, almost 60 percent of participants no longer experienced moderate to severe hot flashes. Many subjects also reported improvements in sexual performance symptoms, general energy, and mood.
Moderate meat
A plant-based whole foods diet does not mean going vegan and rejecting meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy altogether. You can still eat animal-derived foods; reduce the amount.
Think of meat as a dietary supplement, not a meal priority. Consider ethnic dishes that use small amounts of meat to flavor soups, stews, casseroles, and stir-fries. Maybe try giving up the heart for a day or a week. Or replace animal products with a vegan source. For example, soy milk instead of milk, veggie burgers, or plant-based “vegetarian mince” instead of beef.
Cutting back on animal products high in saturated fat, such as red meat and cheese, can also help reduce calories and the risk of heart disease.
Get plenty of protein.
To maintain total muscle mass and muscle strength, it is essential to consume enough protein.
After age 50, the recommended daily amount of protein increases from 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight to 1 to 1.2 grams. That means you need 0.45 to 0.55 grams of protein per pound of body weight after age 50, or 67 to 83 grams per day for a 150-pound woman.
High-protein foods include legumes, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. A great way to ensure you’re getting enough protein is to add a serving of protein to every meal and snack.
For example, eat an egg, drink a glass of milk for breakfast, or add a spoonful of pea or soy protein powder to your morning smoothie. Eat a Turkey sandwich for lunch, or add tofu or canned salmon to your salad. Eat 3 to 4 ounces of chicken breast, veggie burgers, or bean burritos for dinner. High-protein snacks include edamame, fruit mixed with nut butter, and low-fat yogurt.
Also, to help maintain total muscle mass and muscle strength and increase metabolism, make sure to strength train several times a week. You can use dumbbells or resistance bands or incorporate bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and lunges into your exercise routine. Practicing yoga regularly can also help you gain muscle and improve strength.
A diet for strong bones
You can do several things after age 50 to prevent osteoporosis and keep your bones strong.
calcium
First, make sure you’re getting enough calcium. After age 50, calcium requirement increases from 1000 mg to 1200 mg daily. Good sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products, calcium-fortified drinks, edamame, tofu, canned bone-in sardines, or salmon.
magnesium
After Menopause, you may also need more magnesium, which helps prevent bone loss. 3 The recommended daily intake (RDA) of magnesium for adult women is 310 to 320 mg/day. The mineral is found in many foods, including almonds, peanuts, cashews, legumes, soy, leafy green vegetables, fortified grains, dark chocolate, and whole grains.
Vitamin D
It’s also essential to get enough vitamin D to support calcium absorption. A growing body of research suggests that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.
Sunlight is a natural source of vitamin D, but many women don’t get enough of it, especially those living in the north. Studies have found that more than 40 percent of American adults are vitamin D deficient. 4
The U.S. Medical Institute recommends an average daily intake of 400 to 800 international units (I.U.) of vitamin D. Still; some studies suggest a higher level of 1,000 to 4,000 IU, known as the comfort limit. It’s a good idea to measure your vitamin D levels to determine the right amount you need.
Foods rich in vitamin D include tuna, sardines, salmon, and cod liver oil. Many foods are also rich in vitamin D, including cereals, milk, soy milk, and orange juice. You can also take vitamin D supplements to make sure you get enough.
collagen
Consider adding collagen to your diet. Not only can taking collagen help you meet your protein needs, but studies have shown that collagen can improve bone density in postmenopausal women. 5,6
melatonin
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the body to support sleep and may also prevent bone loss after Menopause. A comprehensive analysis of three randomized controlled trials concluded that melatonin could be a reassuring nutritional supplement to optimize bone density in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Still, more research is needed to confirm its efficacy.
Supplements cover your nutritional base in many ways and provide additional support.
While eating right is the first defense against reverse aging, smart supplement choices can ensure your nutritional base is covered in many ways to support healthy aging.
multivitamin
Start with a multivitamin-mineral designed for women over 50. If you no longer have periods and therefore are not losing iron through blood loss, choose products with low or no iron content.
Omega-3 fatty acids
U.S. Dietary guidelines recommend eating at least 8 ounces of fish per week. If you don’t eat fish or don’t eat enough to meet the guidelines, consider adding omega-3 fatty acid supplements to your nutrition plan, Or eat oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as flaxseed oil.
Studies have shown that healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, may reduce menopause symptoms. Omega-3 fatty acids support brain and heart health and have been shown to reduce inflammatory responses.
Supplements that reduce the inflammatory response
While inflammatory reactions are a normal process and essential for healing, chronic inflammatory reactions can also damage tissues, joints, and blood vessels. This damage can lead to joint problems, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. You can determine if you have a chronic inflammatory response with a blood test that measures a liver chemical called C-reactive protein.
In addition to fish oil, several other supplements may help reduce inflammatory responses:
Curcumin: Studies have shown that curcumin contained in turmeric may lower C-reactive protein.
Ginger: Studies have shown that ginger consumption may help lower C-reactive protein.
Resveratrol: An antioxidant found in purple fruits like grapes and blueberries. Resveratrol, taken as a supplement, has reduced inflammatory responses.
Spirulina: Spirulina is a blue-green alga that has also been shown to reduce inflammatory responses.
Vitamin C: As a powerful antioxidant, vitamin C can help reduce inflammatory responses.
Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before using supplements to reduce inflammatory responses and promote healthy aging, especially if you are taking medications or have specific medical problems.