MAGNESIUM—ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH? I’ve read that a majority of us seniors aren’t getting enough magnesium. That’s not only because we aren’t eating enough magnesium-containing foods but also because aging causes decreased adsorption of magnesium in the gut and increased excretion in urine. In addition, many of us are on medications that can lower this mineral’s stores. Why is magnesium important? The mineral plays a vital role in assisting hundreds of enzymes carry out chemical reactions in the body such as building proteins and strong bones and regulating blood sugar, blood pressure and muscle and nerve functions. It also acts...
SEAFOOD—ALL ITS BENEFITS We keep hearing that we should be eating more fish and other seafood—especially as we age. But why? Well, it’s loaded with good stuff important for healthy aging. The most important is it’s the best source of omega-3 fatty acids. But it also has loads of high-quality protein, minerals and vitamins B-12 and D for our brain, bone & muscle health. The American Heart Association tells us that eating seafood can not only help prevent heart disease, but also stroke, heart failure, sudden cardiac death and congestive heart failure. To get the health benefits of omega-3s, the...
FOOD LABELS —TELLING THE TRUTHFUL FROM THE TRICKY Reading the front of food packages, you’d believe that nearly all their contents are healthy. Labels with claims such as “low-fat,” “no-additives,” “fresh,” and “natural” are more often than not misleading. That’s because these trick terms are unregulated and are used by many food manufacturers to convince people to purchase highly processed and unhealthy products. The more reliable information can be found on the back of the package in the nutrition facts box and the ingredients listing. Ingredients are listed by quantity, from highest to lowest. Healthier products will have whole foods...
TIME FOR A CUP OF TEA? I have a somewhat difficult time getting in enough hydration each day. Sure, during a bike ride or after a run or a swim I drink maybe a quart of water. And I get a couple of cups of liquid daily in coffee. But this still isn’t enough and plain water just isn’t that sexy to me. So now, I’ve added tea as a flavorful way of adding fluid into my body each day. (Bonus: a cup of tea contains only 2 calories.) I’ve heard that tea is healthy but didn’t really know why....
FUELING AFTER YOUR WORKOUT I’ve heard for years that we should “refuel” after a major workout. During my bike rides and longer jogs I drink plenty of water and regularly consume engineered food like Clif Bars or gel packs. And even after an hour-long swim I’ll immediately rehydrate. However—at my age at least—after these workouts I’m usually exhausted or pretty darn tired and not at all hungry so have avoided the fueling. Yet, in writing these blogs, I’ve been doing more research into proper nutrition balance. And I’m reading that if I don’t get in the habit of eating a...
THE MANY BENEFITS OF FIBER You and I have heard for most of our lives that we should include plenty of fiber in our diet. We know that it can promote regularity and help prevent constipation but it also does plenty more. Especially important for us seniors is that it can reduce cholesterol, protect against diabetes and heart disease and help control weight. However, most of us don’t consume enough fiber. For people age 51 and older, government guidelines recommend at least 28 grams per day for men and 22 grams for women. But the Department of Agriculture says adults...
DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS—DO THEY WORK? I take a variety of bottled vitamin and mineral supplements every day. And you probably do too. We take supplements to make up for what we think might be missing in our diets and we hope they’ll also help prevent disease. But do they actually aid us or are we just wasting our money? Over time, I’ve added on or dropped this or that supplement depending on what I read in magazine or online articles. For instance, I’ve dropped glucosamine because I read it might adversely affect eyesight in seniors and fish oil because it probably...
SALT—IS IT ALL THAT BAD? Table salt or common salt is a mineral composed of sodium chloride (NaCl). Salt is present in huge quantities in seawater. The ocean has about 35 grams (1.2 oz) of the mineral per liter, a salinity of 3.5%. Salt is by far the biggest dietary source of sodium. The words salt and sodium are used interchangeably. We’ve all—and especially us seniors—been told that a high-salt diet is a leading cause of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and heart failure. Here is information and advice from a recent Harvard Medical School article, How to avoid...
GLUTEN-FREE: IT’S HARD TO SEPARATE FACT FROM FAD Earlier this year I attended the Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly (yes, that’s what it’s called) Expo at the Del Mar Fairgrounds near San Diego. The hall it was held in was packed with eager attendees who had come for all the free samples plus the lectures. Exhibitors were promoting gluten-free granola, chips, pizza, bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, soups and even gluten-free beer (no samples). The folks attending the expo were just a small fraction of the millions and millions of people who are part of an anti-gluten explosion that’s grown over...
PROTEIN—HOW MUCH DOES A BODY NEED? With all the protein-heavy diets plus protein bars, shakes and powders we’ve been offered lately, you’d think we didn’t get enough protein. However, recent studies show just the opposite. For example in the article Are you getting too much protein, Kristi Wempen, a Mayo Clinic registered dietitian nutritionist says, “Contrary to all the hype that everyone needs more protein, most Americans get twice as much as they need. Even athletes are often getting more protein than they need, without supplements, because their calorie requirements are higher. And with more food comes more protein.” Along...
