If your age was determined by how old you felt, how old would you be? Would you be younger or older than you really are? Although we have no control over the steady passage of time that reveals natural signs of aging, we do have the ability to be proactive with our health in ways that increase our quality of life and lower our risk for developing chronic diseases. It doesn’t matter how old you are; we all have an opportunity to not only lengthen our lifespan but, more importantly, enhance the quality of our years. At Odom Health and Wellness, we describe this lifelong pursuit as what is known as our “healthspan.”
Although data is constantly changing and updating, we know that nutrition plays an important role in improving our health span (in addition to exercise, sleep etc…) In this blog post, we are going to take our sample patient, Stacy, through 3 pillars of nutrition to work on her longevity. She is an active 45-year-old female, has three kids, works part-time, and has goals to improve her health and wellness using nutrition for longevity. She enjoys running, family bike rides, and occasionally strength training when she has time.
Pillar 1: Maintain an appropriate and individualized calorie balance
This is a Goldilocks situation where too little or too much can both be detrimental to your health. For example, daily carbohydrate servings will differ greatly between an individual prioritizing weight loss and an endurance athlete fueling for their performance. Therefore it is important to find the right macronutrient balance between carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids that support your body and maintain a healthy body composition. For Stacy, this means having a hearty protein-filled breakfast instead of just coffee because when she skips breakfast she gets very hungry in the evenings during the kids’ activities and makes poor snack choices as the fatigue of the day weighs on her.
Pillar 2: Optimizing food first: vitamin and mineral intake for longevity
Vitamins, minerals and special compounds called phytochemicals are important for ideal cellular functioning and the proper working of our body’s systems. Optimal levels are required to keep things running smoothly and regulate other micronutrient levels throughout the body. Because she lives in Minnesota, Stacy may need a routine blood test to check her vitamin D levels, especially in the wintertime. Vitamin D helps improve intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which are required for healthy bone formation. Each of these micronutrients is very important for women as they age and enter menopause. Although it is best to absorb Vitamin D from the sun, Stacy can also get some from fish, dairy, and fortified orange juice. She can get adequate calcium from dairy sources and phosphorus from meat, seafood, and nuts. Results from blood tests can inform a food-first approach or nutrition supplementation as needed to target any deficiencies so Stacy can stay active and boost longevity.
Pillar 3: Maintain a healthy gut by eating a variety of foods
The gut microbiome is extremely complex and difficult to study. However, we know that supporting healthy microbiota within the gut can improve health outcomes and influence the prevalence of disease and GI issues. But before Stacy buys that expensive probiotic supplement, she should try increasing the variety of food at her meals. Varying color and macronutrient choices have been shown to positively impact the diversity of gut microbiota which in turn is critical for maintaining health and preventing disease.
If Stacy starts taking some of these simple steps, she will be well on her way to improving her health outcomes for the long run! And you can improve your nutrition for longevity, too!