Body undergoes tremendous changes once you hit forty. Metabolism slows down , hormone level decline , food craving increases , energy starts declining . Right nutrition helps you to stay in control of your body.

Here’s how you can help yourself :-

  • Water retention becomes more serious after the age of 40 . So drink more water . This will flush out extra water as well as toxins. Having oranges and other Vitamin C rich food would also helps i.e. strawberries , grapefruit , lemons , tomatoes , cabbage , parsley etc .
  • Women need more iron than man . Iron deficiency anemia can cause a lot of health problems , lack of energy or headache. So include rice flakes, dried dates, pumpkin seed, figs, munnaka , soybean ,egg yolk , banana and water melon in your diet.
  • Include dalia , brown rice , whole grain , jowar , barley , beans , fruits , vegetables, nuts and seeds as they are rich in vital nutrients to fight age related disorders.
  • Zinc is an important mineral after forty. It helps minimize sugar cravings and also improves immunity. Sources are mushroom , sesame seed , pumpkin seed , wheat germ , wheat bran.
  • Too much of caffine , soft drinks and alcohol deplete calcium from your body so switch to soup , veg juice , butter milk and coconut water.
  • As age increases muscle tissue decrease and fat tissue increases. Resting metabolic rate decreases due to changes in body composition and reduction in physical activity. Resort to strength training to build lean muscle.
  • Proteins are essential as they reduce hunger pangs and prevents sugar craving. So include sprouts, fish, eggs, chicken, curd , toned milk in your diet. Many women get older and do not get enough protein in diet which leads to muscle loss and slow metabolism.
  • Females can include soy product in their diet as they are high in phytoestrogen , plant based estrogen which helps manage menopausal symptom .
  • To keep the intestine working well , avoid foods that burden then . Maida sticks to the intestine and hinders its absorption. Over the years the lining of our gut gets covered with fermented waste , bacteria and dead tissue which leads to digestive upset and nutritional deficiency. Avoid too much of non veg food which makes the intestine acidic and places load on liver. Always have a bowl of salad along with nonveg food.
  • Keep calories in check. Resort to healthy cooking method as steaming , stir frying , roasting and grilling. Always melt the butter before using it .
  • To slow bone loss include calcium rich food in your diet. GLV’s dairy product, ragi , broccoli , til , almonds , salmons , rohu, prawn .
  • Avoid table sugar switch to dates, raisins, gur, figs and fruits.
  • Drinking lot of hot water along with food will dilute the enzymes. Drink only a cup of it. When you drink hot water before meal it helps control the appetite, while during meal it helps to digest.
  • Stress interferes with the functioning of andrenal gland so the exercise should include a focus on destressing which can be best done with pranayam and yoga .