Nutrition tidbits #3: habits I'm prioritizing in my 40s
Nutrient needs vary throughout the lifetime, especially for women, as our bodies go through a ton of changes along with general life “stuff.” Since I entered my 40s (I’m 42), I’ve made some subtle and gradual changes to my nutrition in order to align more with my current lifestyle, goals and what I think my body needs nutrition-wise. I tell this to my husband all the time, but what we do now when it comes to our diet greatly influences our health 10-20+ years down the road. In other words, it’s really important!
I’m prioritizing protein. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise, because I’ve talked about protein a lot lately. I’m not running as much (and sometimes, not at all), and am doing more strength and resistance training. That means my appetite is a little lower, my carbohydrate needs aren’t as high, but my protein needs are significant. We start to lose muscle mass more rapidly in our 40s and 50s, and over time, this can result in reduced ability to perform everyday activities like walking, cleaning, yard work and errands, as well as exercise. I see this ALL. THE. TIME. at work (a hospital specializing in orthopedic surgery), and it is very preventable with a combination of strength training and eating enough protein. I try to aim for about 0.8 grams of protein per POUND of body weight, but don’t calculate on a daily basis as my occupation has blessed me with an internal calculator until the end of time.
I’m taking a vitamin D supplement. Forget what I said about individualized nutrition for a second: if you are a woman in your 40s (and beyond), you should be taking a vitamin D supplement. It’s very hard to get enough D from foods, as well as the sun this time of year, and deficiency is extremely common. Bone mass starts to decline in our 40s, and getting enough D is essential to help prevent this loss. I take about 2,000 IU per day of D3, but this can vary depending on your vitamin D levels and the time of year.
I’m eating a variety of plants. Consuming a variety of plant foods, that is, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and whole grains, is the BEST way to support a healthy gut. The bigger variety of plants you eat on the regular, the more diverse your gut bacteria will be. Healthy, diverse gut bacteria support immunity, hormone production, digestion, skin health, and may even help reduce the risk of chronic disease. This is not to mention the diversity of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in these plant foods, which also have a myriad of health benefits.
I’m eating fish 2-3 times per week. This is usually wild salmon, with the occasional wild caught cod made at home, or something fun like branzino if I’m out to dinner. Eating fish regularly has been shown to help reduce risk of chronic disease, hyperlipidemia, and even some types of dementia. This could be because it’s consumed instead of things like red and processed meats, but the omega-3 fats found in fatty fish also have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
I’m not drinking alcohol. I stopped drinking alcohol a few years ago, mostly because my stomach is really sensitive and can’t handle it. But, it’s also something I’m happy to do in order to support my long-term health. I used to work in the breast cancer field and would always suggest a “less is more, none is best” approach to alcohol with my patients because the research is so clear on the elevated risk of breast cancer when it comes to alcohol consumption. Even now, there is a lot of evidence to support that no amount of alcohol consumption is considered “healthy,” and it is linked to more than a few cancers and other health issues.
I’m cooking a lot. To be fair, I’ve always cooked a lot. But I think it’s a very practical (and enjoyable) way to eat a variety of healthy, nourishing foods. I usually plan for the week ahead by identifying two recipes I can make that will have leftovers during the week, and having 1-2 additional “go to” recipes ready for the other week days. For example:
Monday: a hearty soup like chicken and rice or minestrone; Tuesday: soup leftovers; Wednesday: pasta dish with a protein and lots of veggies; Thursday: pasta leftovers; Friday: tofu bowl with broccoli and rice or a homemade pizza
This way, I’m only cooking three times per week but we’re eating homemade dinners every night. We do of course get takeout or go out, but usually more so on the weekends. I also typically batch cook my lunches on the weekend, like a big pot of soup or giant salad. I love a grocery store but now get weekly deliveries, which has made life a lot easier than walking to and from Whole Foods one million times per week.
These are my main areas of focus right now nutrition-wise. Of course, nutrition is only one piece to the puzzle when it comes to health, so I’ll be back with other lifestyle/wellness related priorities soon.
I should note here how individual nutrition is, and even if we’re around the same age your needs may be quite different from mine (in other words, this post is primarily for educational purposes!).
Take good care :)