As we age we must take steps to reduce the amount of fried foods, soft drinks, orange juice, red meats, sausages, white bread, pastries and alcohol we consume.
It is important for men who are aged forty and over to modify their diet to favor the proper functioning of their heart and prostate. Eating healthily and avoiding the foods stated above is undoubtedly the best way to live longer healthier lives as lifestyle and diet have a significant impact on our health in the fight against disease.
Tania Mesa – Nutritionist and Nurse from Neolife
After 40 it is important that you realize the significance of maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding weight gain and the early onset of diseases.
Every person who turns forty knows that they can no longer eat or drink as they once did when they were younger. As time goes by our bodies age and it becomes increasingly difficult to absorb the necessary nutrients; it also becomes harder to lose weight and even maintenance of a healthy weight can become difficult over time.
Obesity significantly increases the risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases, different types of cancer (which includes prostate cancer), benign prostatic hyperplasia, type II diabetes, hormonal imbalances, etc.
On the other hand, the chances of cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, cancer, arthritis and prostate problems such as benign hyperplasia skyrocket as we age.
As we age we must remind ourselves of the importance of eating healthily, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly, not only to feel better, but also to prevent protect ourselves from age-related diseases.
Testosterone levels begin to decrease in our 30s and eating inappropriate foods can increase hormonal imbalances in our bodies. However, if we limit our consumption of some foods we can stay healthier, keep our blood sugar levels under control, reduce inflammation and prevent arterial occlusions.
Notwithstanding the above, if you already suffer from a disease or have other health problems, you should not throw in the towel! A good diet can help you control your illness or even reverse some of the effects you feel. Knowing what you should and should not eat will help you avoid foods that provide little benefit to your health and allow you to replace them with healthier alternatives.
Here are some foods that you probably consume but you should avoid once you reach the age of forty:
Croquettes and breaded fried foods
All these types of food saturate your arteries with oils that have boiled at high temperatures, which in turn makes them a less healthy option. The frying process converts healthy foods (such as vegetables, fish, chicken or potatoes) into genuine time bombs. Did you know that eating a portion of croquettes is worse for your health than a hamburger? The ‘fritters’ (fried foods) contain a chemical called acrylamide. Many studies have linked the consumption of acrylamide with cancer. Furthermore, the high caloric content of these foods often leads to weight gain, which increases the risk of further diseases and hormonal problems. It is infinitely healthier to boil and cook food on the grill than fry.
Carbonated Soft Drinks
Carbonated soft drinks are one of the worst options that you can opt for when choosing your drink as they are loaded with caffeine, fructose and refined sugars.
The artificial sweeteners (like fructose) used in diet drinks are even worse than the sugar used in the regular non-diet variety; caffeine can lead to gout; and the sugars, in addition to being harmful to your dental health can produce insulin levels so high that just by consuming one of these drinks a day you increase your chances of suffering a cardiovascular event by 20%. We advise that you seek healthier options such as water or tea, which do have benefits for your health.
Orange juice
Juice seems a healthier option than carbonated drinks, but it is not the best alternative either. Orange juice is known to produce a very elevated blood sugar level, which is particularly discouraged for people with diabetes or gout. Also, when drinking such juices you are ultimately discarding the fiber that the fruit contains and the many benefits the fruit contains. Before deciding you need a fruit juice it is worth remembering that the whole fruit is better for you, or alternatively, choose to drink a smoothie or a fruit smoothie.
Well done meat
Diets rich in red meat have been associated with elevated levels of cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. A study has also shown that red meat also increases the risk of an individual suffering with diabetes. The way you cook your meat is also crucial to your health. Cooking meat at high temperatures makes the meat carcinogenic. A relationship between well cooked meat and prostate cancer has also been discovered.
Black pudding, chorizo and sausage
These foods should be avoided especially if you suffer from joint inflammation. These foods are rich in saturated fats that increase inflammation and contribute to cardiovascular disease and hypertension. On the other hand, these foodstuffs also contain nitrates that are transformed into nitrosamines (chemicals shown to cause cancer).
Bread with meals
White bread and all the associated derivatives (including pasta, breakfast cereals and cookies) are known to cause an inflammatory state in the body that can cause peaks in blood sugar levels. Instead of white bread you should choose whole grain bread and products which are high in fiber.
Muffins, palmiers (puff pastry), sobaos…
You probably think that starting your day off with a muffin or a chocolate filled pastry can not be that harmful to your health but the reality is that the effect is very similar to that described above for white bread. In addition, if you add sugar to the chocolate or the cream filled pastries, the amount of insulin that is produced in your body increases dramatically. A healthier option for breakfast is to eat foods that are rich in fiber and include a source of protein.
Beer
Drinking large quantities of alcohol can accelerate the ageing process, damage your liver and trigger osteoporosis. Excessive consumption of alcohol or repeated consumption of alcohol on a regular basis has been known to have a degenerative effect on the skin, which results in an increase in wrinkles and facial lines.
Notwithstanding this, some benefits have been shown where an individual limits their consumption to one or two glasses of red wine per day.
Recommendation: age better by eating better
It is important for men who are aged forty and over to modify their diet to favor the proper functioning of their heart and prostate. Eating healthily and avoiding the foods stated above is undoubtedly the best way to live longer healthier lives as lifestyle and diet have a significant impact on our health in the fight against disease.
As a result, at Neolife, clinic of Antiaging Medicine we promote lifestyle changes, physical exercise and diet as a way to reduce the risk of a patient suffering a cardiac event in the future. We base our decisions and approach on the latest scientific research, which is becoming increasingly focused on these aspects as an effective means of preventing cardiovascular disease to the detriment of the conventional cholesterol based approach and the use of statins as a control measure.