Lifestyle greatly affect the appearance to be ageless, or conversely, parents face. Adjusting the diet after the age of 40 years and over, it becomes very important. Balanced nutrition our bodies need if you want to stay young and elderly in the state stay healthy.
Nutritional status is a state body which is a reflection of what we eat everyday. Nutritional status is good when our diet is balanced. This means that much and what kind of food we should be in accordance with the requirements asup body.
If you eat more than needed, the body will be overweight. Conversely, if you eat less than required, the body will be thin and sickly. Obesity does not mean unhealthy because it can spur the onset of various diseases.
Nutritional status is less or more nutritional status will affect less well on the health of the body. The second extreme situation is called false nutritional status. A person's nutritional status is influenced by many factors, such as the level of income, nutrition knowledge possessed, as well as the local culture. The high income that is not accompanied by adequate nutrition knowledge, consumptive nature would encourage someone who blindly.
The choice of food is often just based on taste considerations and not longer on the basis of nutritional considerations. Rising living standards often encourage someone to change his diet, from the correct pattern to be the wrong pattern, from the simple selection of food become a luxury food selection is actually less beneficial to the body.
Indeed, luxury food menu is not always good for health, can even threaten the safety and speed up the process of death. Menus are typically characterized by lavish use of meat, eggs, milk, animal fats, sugar, salt, and flour are high. Deluxe menu also often contain food additives (food additives) is excessive.
Foods and Longevity
Good food containing all the nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water) in the number of balanced and in accordance with the needs of the body. Good food will make up the body to be healthy. Health will cause the organs to function properly and as long as possible, so that life expectancy will be higher.
According to some experts, the anatomy of the human body is closer to groups of herbivores (plant-eating) than in carnivores (meat eaters). Perhaps that is why the group of vegetarians who eat only whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts, many of its members who achieve longevity.
Given the meat easier to digest than plant, a carnivorous animal gut length is always shorter than the herbivores. In fact, humans have a very long digestive tract, which is about 9 feet from the mouth to the anus. Thus, people are more inclined to plant-based diet.
Eskimo people (living in the Arctic), 90 percent eat meat, it can only live healthy until age 25. Above that age many of them suffer from various degenerative diseases, ie diseases caused by reduced functions of organs.
Meanwhile, many tribes, like the Hunza tribe in Pakistan, the Caucasus in Russia, and communities around the Andes Mountains, its age can reach more than 100 years, with normal blood pressure and cholesterol good condition. They generally are eating whole grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and less meat.
It can be observed in the group of people able to live a healthy life of 100 years are: (1) Enter the calories they are generally classified as not a lot, but only ranged from a low to moderate, (2) A lot of eating a variety of complex carbohydrates and fiber (such as rice , corn, potatoes, etc.), (3) Put the protein is low, but not less, (4) Put in saturated fat (animal fat) relatively small or less.
Inhibitory Biological Age
The process of aging is a natural process for all living beings and no one can stop it any force. What can we do as creatures of God are attempts to impede passage of the aging process.
The process of growing old is a continuation of the growth and development of one's body. From infants to teens has been a process of growth that is accompanied by the increasing size and efficiency of the body. After age 40, begin the process of rapid aging, which is characterized by decreasing the working efficiency of the body.
What are the signs of aging? The most common are: hair graying, his eyes began to myopic, less ear tangkapnya power, the power of smell and taste begin to dull, and the immunity against various infections began to decline. The muscles begin to slack, because some have been dead and replaced with a tissue fastener that is not elastic. In women, symptoms of aging are also marked by the arrival of menopause.
One thing to keep in mind that not everyone over the age of 40 years is already getting old. In everyday practice, age is not a measure of a person's age. Age it has two senses, namely chronological age (calendar age) and biological age. Chronological age is the age that is being added every year. Commemorating the anniversary commemorating the mean chronological age.
Unlike the case with chronological age, biological age is closely related to the condition of cells and tissues. The condition is exactly what parents actually determine whether or not a person. That is why people who are aged 50 years may seem like just turned 40 rahun, otherwise the age of 40 years can seem like 50 years already. Biological age is that we can inhibit the process.
Biological age is closely related to nutrition and health. Therefore, setting proper nutrition coupled with regular exercise and programmed is the first step to slow the aging process and how best to live healthy.
Reduce Energy Needs
Growing older, diminishing physiological activity, which also means diminishing the amount of energy required. Thus, it is proper to limit the amount of food diasup, so that the body is not overweight. In fact, some suggest that weight gain was slightly below the standard.
Japanese sumo wrestlers, sumo wrestlers in a weight excess, can seldom survive to live healthy until age 50. Experiments with mice strengthen the opinion, namely restrictions on the amount of energy will extend the life of mice. Residents in the Caucasus many have managed to achieve longevity with only diet is not excessive.
People who overeat tend to experience early death. Excess food will give the value of the excess energy as well. Excess energy will be stored the body in the form of fat deposits.
Excess of 3500 kilocalories of energy to produce 0.45 kg of fat. Excess of 1000 kilocalories per day will add 1 kg of fat per week. Thus, people who overeat constantly be prone to obesity (overweight).
Short lifespan for people with obesity have long been known, has even stated by Hippocrates (460-364 BC). Fat people have a chance five times more susceptible to cancer than the skinny, five times more likely to get diabetes mellitus (diabetes), and eight times more susceptible to heart disease.
According to WHO, a person who has aged 40 years should reduce energy consumption as much as 5 percent from the previous requirement, then at the age of 50 years reduced again as much as 5 percent. Furthermore, at the age of 60-70 years, reduced by another 10 percent, after over 70 years of age once again reduced by 10 percent. Energy needs of Indonesian men and women aged 40 years and above can be seen in the table.
Lower Fat Reduce Risk of Death
Fat is the largest contributor of energy per gram than other energy-producing, ie carbohydrates and proteins. One gram of fat produces 9 kilocalories, while one gram of protein and carbohydrates each produce 4 kilocalories. Another function of fat is as a solvent of vitamin A, D, E, and K for the body.
Since the total energy demand has been declining over the age of 40 years, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of fatty foods, especially animal fats rich in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. Vegetable fats are generally not dangerous because it contains unsaturated fatty acids and contain no cholesterol.
Contribution of energy from fat should not exceed 30 percent of the total energy needs per day. It would be better if the contribution of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, each of which can contribute 10 percent.
Normal levels for cholesterol is approximately 150-190 mg/100 ml of blood. However, there are also stating that the 220 mg/100 ml of blood was still includes normal. When cholesterol levels exceed 220 mg and reached 270 mg/100 ml of blood, the possibility of having a heart attack is doubled. When the levels reached 300 mg/100 ml of blood, the risk of heart attack to five-fold.
In the menu of North American communities, 45-50 percent of energy derived from fat. High saturated fat consumption causes various diseases, such as atherosclerosis (blockage of an artery wall), coronary heart disease, vascular disease, paralysis, and various cancers (uterine, prostate, breast, and colon).
High fat consumption is accompanied by a sedentary lifestyle, can lead to obesity. This in turn will trigger diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease.
Population of the United States are known to love fancy food, many are obese at a relatively young age. Approximately 10-20 percent of all children and 35-50 percent of the population has a middle-aged overweight.
Besides less unsightly, obesity is also accelerating the process of death. Men whose weight is 10 percent above the ideal would have a 30 percent chance of dying is higher than ideal, while having a weight above 20 percent of ideal weight had a mortality risk 50 percent higher.
High salt intake is also a hallmark of luxury menu. This high salt intake causes hypertension (high blood pressure). A U.S. man who was 35 years old with blood pressure 14 percent above normal will lose a life expectancy of 9 years. While the 45-year-old man with blood pressure 17 percent above normal, will face the risk of heart attack and paralysis doubled four times higher than a man his age with normal blood pressure.
Choose the Protein Quality and Easily digested
Protein needs for the age of 40 years, remains the same as in the previous age. However, because protein synthesis in the body is not as good as when I was young and a lot of damage to cells that need to be replaced, need to choose foods that contain high quality protein and easily digestible.
Some common sources of animal protein consumed is milk, eggs, meat, and fish. Vegetable protein, such as tofu, tempeh, nuts, etc., are also well taken, especially if you want to avoid the rising levels of cholesterol in the blood.
The amount of protein consumed should be able to provide 80-10 percent of the total energy required per day. Excessive protein consumption is also not good because it can aggravate the kidneys, which at the age of 40 years has decreased its ability.
Reduce Sugar, Increase Fiber Intake
Sugar is one of the highlights from the carbohydrate component in relation to age over 40 years. The decline in the power-tasting at an older age, causing sugar often used as power boosters taste and appetite.
Sugar consumption should be limited because the sugar is empty nutritional substances. It is said that because sugar contains only energy, did not contain other substances. Consumption of excess sugar will give you a sense of satiety, thus suppress appetite to eat other foods more nutritious, which is needed by the body for healthy living.
In the body, the sugar will be quickly absorbed by the intestines, causing rapid changes in blood sugar levels and allow the disease of obesity and diabetes. Thus, the desire to eat sweet things should be diverted to the fruits. There are several dual benefit to be gained from eating fruits, that is a source of minerals, vitamins, and fiber (dietary fiber).
Dietary fiber is a component of other carbohydrates that are needed by the body. Fiber found in many vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Although it does not contain nutrients essential for the body, fiber is needed for health.
Has been shown in fiber can reduce the occurrence of constipation (difficult bowel movements) and prevent various diseases, such as coronary heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, diverticulosis (protrusion outside the intestine such as ulcers), gallstones, dental pain, and obesity.
Reduce Free Radicals Attack
Many theories have been used to explain why the aging process occurs. One interesting theory is the theory of free radicals. This theory states that aging occurs as a result of reactions between free radicals in cells and tissues of the body, so destructive. Compounds which contain free radicals are always there around us, such as ozone, peroxides, aldehydes, and so on.
Naturally, all the cells of the network can withstand attacks free radicals in the cell because there are specific enzymes that can combat these substances, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxide and catalase. However, with increasing age, the enzyme's ability to withstand the attack of free radicals decreases. If this situation continues, will eventually cause damage and death of cells, so the skin easily becomes wrinkled and old.
Scientific evidence has shown that giving vitamin C and E (both antioxidants) in animal experiments may help the cells in reducing the free radical attack. Thus, fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin C to slow the aging process. Similarly, the germination of grains that contain lots of vitamin E.
Vitamin A has long been known role in eye health. In addition, vitamin A also plays a role in protecting the skin (epidermal cells to replace damaged) and protect the freckles on her face. Lately a lot of cosmetics that contain the active ingredient of vitamin A or beta-carotene (provitamin A).
Pure vegetarian groups need to consume lots of tempeh, which is rich in vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is commonly found in many animal products. Vitamin deficiency can cause anemia (anemia). The content of vitamin B12 in tempeh mikrogram/100 1.5 to 6.3 g tempeh, while needed per day to 3 micrograms of healthy living.
