Our dietary needs vary as we age since our metabolism slows down and our immune system’s typically aren’t as effective. Moreover, several of our preferred meals might raise the risk of diseases including cancer, stroke, and dementia. You should not raise your risk level of acquiring these diseases by eating too many of these foods as you age.
We’ve picked together our top 10 red flag foods for the over 50’s – and while some of the culprits on our list are clear, others may likely surprise you! Wait until you discover number 10 on our list!
1 – Swerve salt to delay ageing
Most of us prefer to add taste with a touch of salt and sodium is actually a necessary part of our diet, playing a critical role in the body’s fluid equilibrium. But though you need some salt to keep your heart, liver and kidneys in excellent health for as long as possible, too much is definitely a bad thing.
Studies have shown that consuming too much salt might actually harm these very organs by causing the opposite effect. If you eat too much sodium, it can elevate your blood pressure, putting you at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases.
This can happen to anyone but for the over 50’s, the danger is increased. Blood pressure rises with age – as does your likelihood of suffering a stroke or heart failure. There’s another important reason to limit your sodium intake — as having too much can cause you to age considerably faster.
This is due to salt’s telomere shortening effect, according to a study undertaken by the American Heart Association. Telomeres protect the end of your chromosomes from cell harm – and when they wear down, problems like diabetes, cancer and dementia are more prone to emerge.
Young obese adults taking part in the study experienced advanced cellular ageing from consuming too much salt. So just think the impact all that excess sodium consumption could have if you’re over 50! The study concluded that lowering sodium consumption slows down the cellular aging process, particularly in obese persons. Sodium and fat are in reality two of the main risk factors when it comes to accelerated ageing.