Fit Fare

I was browsing an article about exercise at different ages the other day, and realized I was focused on the section covering people in their thirties.

Oops – that’s not me. I refocused on the section for people in their forties, and then realized that in a few years I’m going to need to be reading the next section up … that was a bit of a shock.

Every year over the age of 40 our basal metabolic rate slows down just that bit more. That means that if you keep eating what you eat now, you’ll gain weight because you won’t be burning it off so fast. Plus, your dietary needs change as you get older.

So, the first thing to do will be to make sure that you’re eating a healthy diet – and not too much of it. The next will be to increase your level of exercise. (You knew I was going to say that, didn’t you?).

Healthy diet for the over-forties

The good news is that the over-forties tend to be more conscious of what they eat, and more inclined to eat a healthy diet.

A healthy diet consists of a varied, balanced diet, including grains, vegetables and fruit, protein and a small amount of fat. You knew that already. But did you know that you should also do all of the following:

• eat more calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones healthy and do some weight-bearing exercise to try and avoid osteoporosis
• eat fibre and do some exercise to avoid constipation (another thing that is more likely as you get older – isn’t aging fun?)
• reduce the amount of salt to help keep your blood pressure down to reduce the risk of organ damage
• make sure you get the right amount of vitamins and minerals for overall health
• keep your fluid levels up for the good of your kidneys - yes, your granny was right
• and eat a small amount of chocolate and a glass of red wine every day to reduce cholesterol and lower the risk of heart problems?

If you visit MyPyramid, you can get a personally tailored recommendation for the amount of each element in the food pyramid you should consume each day. This is interesting, but doesn’t really take into account people with special dietary needs, such as those who are lactose-intolerant, or vegetarian. A fascinating attempt to rebuild the food pyramid with healing foods only is at the University of Michigan’s Integrative Medicine site - this concentrates on the importance of a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and water, while still allowing for dark chocolate, alcohol and personal choice. I love it!

Health tests for the over-forties

There are a number of tests that everyone should be aware of - and certainly once they get to be over forty:

• Check your body mass index to find out whether you are overweight. If you are super-fit, perhaps a rugby player, it will probably tell you you are overweight – even obese – but don’t fret about this as the BMI does overestimate body fat in athletes. If you can’t really claim to be super-fit, and your BMI is higher than 25, then just perhaps you should think about losing a pound or so.
• if female, accept that invitation for a mammogram – and do go to have a smear test every 3 years. Neither is a lovely experience, but these tests help identify breast or cervical cancer.
• if male, have your PSA level tested regularly (certainly once you’re over 50) to assess your risk of prostate cancer and check yourself for testicular cancer too - ask a doctor if you’re concerned
• have your cholesterol level checked regularly once you’re over about 45
• have your blood pressure checked every couple of years, too.
• remember to go to the dentist. You know when she asks you to move your tongue around? She’s checking for mouth cancers. And gum disease is strongly linked to heart problems.

And that article about keeping fit at 30, 40 and 50? It’s here: Decade by decade guide to exercise.