Are you over 50 and already thinking that changing what and how you eat at this point in your life would just be too hard and/or not worth it?
Think again! The opposite is likely true.
In this second half of our life, yes, I said half, we finally can make time for our priorities and true lifestyle changes, starting with becoming more self-aware, building a practice of self-care and celebrating new self-confidence, all part of my Eat to Heal Over 50 coaching program.
So even and especially for those of us over 50, it’s never too late to change how and what we eat to take back control of our health for good.
This is one of my longer posts, so settle in. If you want to get to the ‘meat of the issue’ (sorry – we really need better analogies!), here is a quick summary.
- Where to start? Whole plant-based foods as grown
- Why Plants? They are a great way to not only put more life into your years but add years to your life!
- When to start? How about today?!!
Still want to know more? Glad you asked.
Why eat plant-based over 50?
So many reasons. Here are a few of my favorites.
- We’re not getting any younger. Now is the time to pay attention to our health before any of our chronic health conditions pass their respective tipping points.
- Medications treat symptoms, not the underlying disease which is still there and may be getting worse.
- If we take the time to read our medication inserts, we realize long term use is often not recommended and we may be treating their side-effects with other medications.
- After giving up on dieting due to years of disappointment, this is a way to make lifestyle changes that last for many more healthy years ahead.
- A plant-based lifestyle has been shown to slow, stop and even reverse heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers, joint pain, digestive distress, and so much more.
- Eating healthy whole plant foods, high in fiber and low in added salts, fats, and sugars, is a great way to help the body to heal itself without trips to the pharmacy or hospital.
As we age, life has a way of catching up with us. When we consider life over 50, we have a choice. We can accept aging as it comes, or make small changes and hope for the best, or, better still, decide on a healthy living plan for aging well.
How can we more fully lean into healthy aging? By shifting to a low-fat plant-based diet, healthy living over 50 could look more like this…
Sustainable weight loss
By the time we’re 50, the average adult is overweight or obese, often by 30 pounds or more. Poor eating habits, processed food, stress, a less active lifestyle, and pandemic pounds – there are so many reasons. And it is not for lack of trying. By the time we reach 50 or older, we have likely been on several diets, mostly gaining back all or even more weight than we lost.
A plant-based diet is naturally lower in calories, thanks to all the fiber, and lower in unhealthy fats as we eat less processed foods and added oils. It’s also higher in nutrients that keep our body strong so we have better health and more energy. We need fewer calories as we age and it helps to be more selective to find that balance while enjoying flavorful and satisfying foods.
Though many diets promote quick weight loss, a plant-based diet has been shown to be one of the most effective ways for long-term weight loss and maintenance while ensuring many long-term health benefits. By focusing on eating mostly plants, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, we can lose weight gradually, keep it off and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Less pain and inflammation
Just at the point in our lives where we have more free time and savings to spend time doing what we love and with those we care most about, our bodies may be preventing us from enjoying the life we deserve. A plant-based diet can help to restore movement and energy often with less pain and medication.
A plant-based diet is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber and antioxidants which all help to reduce inflammation. Chronic pain may be caused by poor blood flow (e.g., lower back pain), autoimmune reactions (e.g., Rheumatoid Arthritis), and poor digestive health (e.g., leaky gut). All are known to occur in people who eat a diet containing high levels of animal protein and low levels of whole plant-based foods.
Improved blood work
The most common medications taken by adults in the US are as remedies for the symptoms of hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. All have unpleasant side effects and none tackle the root cause, the Standard American Diet, or what Dr. John McDougall calls ‘Food Poisoning’.
Eating plants instead of animals and/or highly processed and high-fat foods can help to improve blood flow by reducing the viscosity reducing inflammation. Working together with your doctor to monitor your progress, your improved blood work will reduce the need for medications and, with that, lessen the side effects getting in your way of living vibrantly over 50.
Increased nutrients and antioxidants
It’s no secret that eating a plant-based diet is good for you, but a recent study shows that it may be especially beneficial for those over 50. A recent study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that those who followed a plant-based diet were 20% less likely to develop cancer than those who didn’t. Others studies, put that number at 30% or more. Research has shown that plant foods, which contain phytochemicals like flavonoids, carotenoids, and other nutrients, help to protect against cancer, especially hormonal and digestive cancers.
A plant-based diet, high in antioxidants and minerals, also helps to prevent damage to the bone marrow and can reduce the risk of osteoporosis which causes bones to become brittle, weak, and prone to breaking. Good sources of calcium on a plant-based diet include beans and greens, which have more absorbable calcium than most dairy products and other animal foods.
In addition to what we consume to age well, we may need fewer calories and should pay attention to the quality of food we eat to make it count. Eating a rainbow is a great insurance policy to increase the variety and quantity of nutritious foods.
Food for thought
As we age, we are more likely to experience cognitive decline due to oxidative stress, inflammation, and decreased blood flow to the brain. A plant-based diet has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function in those over 50 by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
In addition, our food choices help to bolster our mood, making life over 50 truly more of the golden years after all. The husband of one of my coaching clients asked her to tell me that he was much nicer and happier since their family shifted to a plant-based lifestyle (and the family lost 50 pounds).
It’s never too late
As we turn the page on more birthdays, our bodies change and we have to adapt our diets to meet our new needs. A plant-based diet has many benefits for those over 50. It can help with weight loss, reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, lessen pain, restore our energy and support our brain and gut health. There is no better time to start than today.
ps. If you’re not quite ready to make a lifestyle change but want to know more, I invite you to stay in touch, sign up for my emails, read my blogs, take one of my classes, and see if just maybe you are more ready than you think. What have you got to lose? Broccoli has not side effects, unlike that medication you may be taking.
pps. And if today is your day to regain your health, or you know someone who is ready to make a change for good, and with support from others just like you, we’re here for you. Want to talk to someone who can help you to decide what’s next, let’s talk soon.
