{"id":9750,"date":"2019-06-11T19:15:48","date_gmt":"2019-06-11T19:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/?p=9750"},"modified":"2022-12-05T07:59:52","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T07:59:52","slug":"diet-through-the-decades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/diet-through-the-decades\/","title":{"rendered":"Diet Through The Decades"},"content":{"rendered":"A woman\u2019s nutritional needs are as unique as her smile, the color of her eyes, or her sense of humor. Those needs change as she ventures through life, navigating her childbearing years and approaching menopause. Luckily, most of the 40+ nutrients and almost 1 million phytonutrients a woman\u2019s body needs throughout life are met by simply eating lots of wholesome food. But we need to tailor these basic good-eating habits to meet the specific nutritional needs of each stage in life.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The 20s: Birthing babies and fatigue: Folic Acid, Breakfast, IronNo matter what your age, all women need to eat diets based on authentic foods, that is colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and legumes. That said, some foods and nutrients are of particular concern depending on your age and young woman must be on nutritional high-alert. Three nutrition issues are of particular concern:\u00a01)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Folic Acid: Folic acid-rich foods, especially dark greens such a spinach, kale, and chard, are especially important. Folic acid is most effective for preventing birth defects if taken at the time of conception and during the first few weeks of pregnancy. \u00a0What to do: Make sure you get enough of this key vitamin by including at least 2 servings of dark green leafy vegetables in your daily diet or take a supplement that contains at least 400mcg of folic acid.\u00a02)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Breakfast: Tired? Can\u2019t think straight? Rather than grab a cup of coffee, you are better off eating the 1,2,3 breakfast: (1. Whole grain, 2. Protein, 3. Colorful fruit or veggie). And, drink water &#8211; first symptom of dehydration is fatigue and if you are thirsty, you already are dehydrated!\u00a0What to do:\u00a0 Eat breakfast every day. It takes no more than 5 minutes to prepare breakfast, so no excuses!\u00a03)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Iron:\u00a0 While only 8% of women are iron deficient, up to 80% (studies range from 20% to 80%) of women during early years are iron deficient, especially if they menstruate heavily or exercise vigorously. A woman can be iron deficient for years without knowing, yet the symptoms are the same &#8211; you\u2019re tired, sleep poorly, and you catch every cold that comes around.\u00a0 Also, beware: Drinking tea or coffee with your meals means you won\u2019t absorb the iron you\u2019re eating.\u00a0What to do: Include several servings daily of iron-rich foods, get tested for serum ferritin, and if you are low, take a supplement.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The 30s: Stress\/Convenience Foods, Nutrients for Skin, CalciumWomen in their 30s, whether they are working, mothering, or both, are living on the brink of chaos. Their nutritional needs are high during times of stress, but they don\u2019t believe they have the time to eat well. The nutrition issues here are:\u00a01)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stress\/Convenience Foods: For lack of time, women grab quick-fix foods that typically are high in fat, sugar, and\/or calories. Women today average up to 40 teaspoons of refined sugar daily, while fat intake is on the rise. It\u2019s a myth that eating well must take more time. If you have time to order Take Out, you have time to eat well.\u00a0What to do: Grab quick-fix healthy foods, eat the 1,2,3 breakfast, and bring healthy snacks with you. Prepare nutritious, quick-fix dinners by keeping your kitchen stocked with on-the-go, good-for-you foods. Finally, make sure to take a well-balanced multi vitamin and mineral.\u00a0\u00a02) Skin Essentials: Food is loaded with skin-essential nutrients. Most important to prevent premature aging, wrinkling, and even skin cancer are the antioxidants. For example, vitamin E blocks an enzyme, collagenase, that otherwise promotes wrinkling. Lycopene, beta carotene, and\u00a0vitamin C also have been found to protect skin from aging (along with a big floppy hat and sunscreen, of course!) Nourish your skin from within and rub a 10% or higher serum of vitamin C on the outside, too!\u00a0What to do: While following the basic rule of 75% authentic foods, also focus on antioxidant-rich colorful fruits\/vegetables every day: citrus for vitamin C, carrots and sweet potatoes for beta carotene, and watermelon and tomatoes for lycopene. Aim for eight or more servings.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Calcium: A woman builds bone tissue until her mid-30s. After that, she gradually begins to lose bone. The more bone density she builds now, the greater her calcium bank account and the less likely she is to develop osteoporosis later in life. This is her last chance to put calcium into that bank account with calcium-rich yogurt or calcium-fortified products.\u00a0What to do: Three servings a day, girls! If you can\u2019t drink that much milk, then take a supplement. You need no less than 1,000mg\/day. Also, make sure your multi contains vitamin D and K, which the body needs to absorb calcium and direct it into bone tissue.\u00a0\u00a0The 40s: Middle-Aged Spread, Mood Boosters, Mind EnhancersWomen in their 40s are headed toward menopause. You may notice your waistline is thickening, your mood is a bit touchy, and you may be forgetting why you even walked into a room. Up to 85% of aging is within your control, if you take care of yourself now!\u00a01)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Middle Age Spread: After 40, women start losing approximately 1% to 2% of muscle mass every year, which equates to a 5 to 10 pound loss of muscle every decade. The loss of muscle slows metabolism, so you\u2019re likely to notice excess weight. This is the time to start a muscle-building program, if you haven\u2019t already. \u00a0What to do: Spread your food intake out so you have the whole grain toast, peanut butter and juice for breakfast and save the yogurt and strawberries for a mid-morning snack. Or, you have the turkey sandwich and milk for lunch and save the apple and nuts for a mid-afternoon snack.\u00a0\u00a02)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Depression: Women in their 40s are at high risk for depression. Medications can be useful, but they always come with side effects and often don\u2019t do the job. Make sure you include lots of omega-3-rich foods in the daily and weekly diet. In even the toughest to treat people, there is a 50% reduction in depression just by adding omega-3s to the diet. Even one serving a week of salmon supplied enough of the omega-3 DHA to reduce depression rates by 42%.\u00a0\u00a0What to do: Aim for no less than 220 milligrams of DHA a day. To do this, have 2 servings weekly of fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, or sardines and include lots of DHA-fortified foods in the daily diet. Or, take a supplement that supplies this omega-3.\u00a03)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Your Memory: Everything you know about brain aging is probably wrong. For example, 66% of brain aging is within your control if you eat right, exercise daily, and stay mentally and socially active! When it comes to eating right, make sure to get those omega-3s, since they can lower risk for Alzheimer\u2019s by up to 70%. Also, focus on richly colored produce, such as blueberries, which numerous studies have found protect delicate brain tissue from damage.\u00a0\u00a0What to do: Include berries at least 3 times a week in the diet, keep saturated fatty foods at a minimum, focus more on the omega-3s in fatty fish, and keep your brain challenged with puzzles, learning a language, and other skills.\u00a0The 50s and Beyond: Vitamin B12, Antioxidants, and Anti-AgingThe sooner you start to prevent aging, the better. But it\u2019s never too late. Older women are less efficient at absorbing certain nutrients, yet have all the same requirements, if not more, of their younger years.\u00a01)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vitamin B12: This B vitamin is very important in protecting your memory and nervous system function, yet people are less efficient at absorbing vitamin B12 as they age. Several studies report memory loss and even a few cases of dementia that were reversed or improved when people increased their vitamin B12 status. B12 also helps cut\u00a0heart disease risk, since it lowers a compound in the blood, called homocysteine.\u00a0What to do: Boost intake of B12-rich foods, such as chicken breast, black beans, and bananas.Then, make sure your daily supplement contains ample amounts of this important B vitamin.\u00a02)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Antioxidants: Most of the age-related diseases (from heart disease and cancer to cataracts and memory loss) are a result of exposure to highly reactive oxygen fragments called free radicals. Luckily, our bodies have an anti-free radical system called antioxidants. Eating these foods is critical throughout life, but especially by your 60s. Antioxidant-rich foods are the most colorful fruits and vegetables, from mangos, blueberries, and papaya to spinach, sweet potatoes, and broccoli. \u00a0What to do: Eight to ten servings a day! That means two at every meal and at least one at every snack. Also, consider taking a supplement that contains at least 10 milligrams of lutein and 2 milligrams of zeaxanthin.\u00a0\u00a03)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Osteoporosis: Most people know that calcium is important for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, but many don\u2019t realize that if they don\u2019t get enough vitamin D, they won\u2019t absorb that calcium, so they\u2019ll remain at high risk for osteoporosis. Women manufacture less vitamin D as they age, so dietary sources are increasingly more important.\u00a0What to do: Include lots of calcium-rich foods in your diet. Calcium-rich foods include seeds, cheese, yogurt, beans, lentils, and leafy greens. These tips, along with a personalized vitamin regimen, could help as you move through each stage of life. You can take our free 3 to 5-minute assessment to get personalized vitamin recommendations based on your unique needs. If you already know what you need or would like to see popular options, try our convenient Essential pre-packs, such as Women\u2019s Essentials or Women\u2019s Essentials + Menopause Support. Ready to find high-quality vitamins that are right for you? Get Recommendations or See Essential Packs.\u00a0This information is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. Do not use the information from this article for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read in this article.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A woman\u2019s nutritional needs are as unique as her smile, the color of her eyes, or her sense of humor. Those needs change as she ventures through life, navigating her childbearing years and approaching menopause. Luckily, most","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":9751,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7,679,8,10,23,18,266,247,683],"tags":[119],"class_list":["post-9750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-and-nutrition","category-health-and-diet","category-mens-health","category-micro-nutrients","category-minerals-2","category-motivation","category-vitamins","category-vitamins-supplements","category-wellness-2","category-womens-health","tag-diet"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9750"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9750\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9935,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9750\/revisions\/9935"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}