Almost seventeen million people in Italy are over 60 years old and, of these, four million have exceeded 80: a vast group of citizens who have ever longer life prospects, but also less and less healthy, according to Eurostat data. Yet the "recipe" for staying healthy even in old age is there, and how! The World Health Organization has given clear indications on its latest and most recent report World report on aging and healt.
Starting early to have good habits and to follow healthy lifestyles helps to approach the third age with a solid health patrimony, which must then be maintained by planning constant physical activity, cultivating social relationships and adopting a healthy diet, with very reduced intake of animal protein , refined foods and sugars.
Some foods are enemies of a peaceful aging, so it is good to know them and avoid them as much as possible.
Cooking salt. The excess sodium retains the liquids, promoting hypertension; it also increases the elimination of calcium through the urine. Better to opt for whole sea salt, which contains less sodium and many trace elements; get used to using a little, replacing in part with gomasio (which among other things abounds in calcium) and with aromatic herbs, also generally rich in this mineral and endowed with digestive properties. In addition to salt, it is good to reduce (or eliminate) nuts, sausages, packaged products in general, cheeses and some drugs and supplements.
They have a high glycemic index and carry a greater influx of glucose into the blood and therefore of insulin. Not only do you risk overweight, obesity and diabetes: insulin increases the acidity in the bone tissue which, consequently, releases and loses calcium. Insulin levels also rise when we consume animal proteins, especially those contained in milk and dairy products.
For strong bones: here are the main foods friendly to healthy and strong bones, useful in the prevention of osteoporosis.
Whole grains: corn, wheat, buckwheat, millet etc., for the content of calcium, silicon and other minerals; natural leavened bread (contains assimilable calcium).
Sesame: the richest in calcium among the oil seeds.
Plums: highly studied, 8 a day strengthen the bones of menopausal women.
Legumes: chickpeas, beans, lentils, grass peas, dried peas, lupins, soy in the form of milk, tofu, tempeh and miso are excellent sources of minerals and vitamins of group B. Like whole grains they contain phytoestrogens, which undermine the trophic action against the bone carried out by estrogens during the fertile age and are therefore very useful in the period of menopause.
Flax and chia seeds, walnuts, algae and purslane: rich in Omega 3, they are very effective in strengthening bones. For non vegetarians, there is also fish: eating anchovies with fishbone or shrimp with shell you will have an excellent supply of organic calcium.
Physical exercise has a significant positive influence on well-being, from different points of view: physical fitness, strength, endurance, balance, flexibility, metabolism, energy, but also mood, concentration, memory, mental health and even sociability. It is therefore essential not to stop and continue to carry out some type of activity to exploit these benefits. It's not necessarily about playing a sport, you can also dance, do gardening or housework. Above all, it is necessary to take advantage of small movements to leave the car in the garage and walk or ride a bike. With the movement, cardiovascular prevention (heart attack, stroke, etc.) is made, it is possible to reduce or eliminate drugs for hypertension and diabetes, regulate the levels of good and bad cholesterol.
Compared to sedentary people of the same age, active seniors are less likely to experience coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer. They also run less risk of falls or fractures and have better cognitive functions.
This type of practice does not only have positive effects on mental well-being, it is also useful for maintaining physical health and for combating the ailments typical of advancing age. Indeed, various studies have shown that relaxation and meditation exercises positively affect blood pressure, as well as quality of life. Mindfulness, for example, is a technique that is very useful for the elderly who suffer from depression, anxiety, loneliness, even chronic pain. Positive results are also obtained on insomnia.
A balanced diet and an active lifestyle represent a guarantee of health for everyone, even in old age. Aging well is possible, you just need to know how.
In the pages of this book you will find practical tips to prevent and better deal with the ailments related to the passage of time, to find the right energy and mood to fully live this phase of life, up to now underestimated.
Thanks to foods rich in nutrients and flavor it is possible to improve mental clarity and memory, overcome problems related to menopause, promote night rest, preserve sight, keep under control the weight and pitfalls of hypertension, safeguard the well-being of skin and bones.
The authors offer 100 beautifully illustrated recipes for simple, healthy and tasty dishes based on whole grains, fresh and seasonal vegetables, legumes, oil seeds, sprouts, juices and natural syrups: real elixirs of long life.
Starting early to have good habits and to follow healthy lifestyles helps to approach the third age with a solid health patrimony, which must then be maintained by planning constant physical activity, cultivating social relationships and adopting a healthy diet, with very reduced intake of animal protein , refined foods and sugars.
Watch out for those three!
Some foods are enemies of a peaceful aging, so it is good to know them and avoid them as much as possible.
Cooking salt. The excess sodium retains the liquids, promoting hypertension; it also increases the elimination of calcium through the urine. Better to opt for whole sea salt, which contains less sodium and many trace elements; get used to using a little, replacing in part with gomasio (which among other things abounds in calcium) and with aromatic herbs, also generally rich in this mineral and endowed with digestive properties. In addition to salt, it is good to reduce (or eliminate) nuts, sausages, packaged products in general, cheeses and some drugs and supplements.
Sugar and refined foods
They have a high glycemic index and carry a greater influx of glucose into the blood and therefore of insulin. Not only do you risk overweight, obesity and diabetes: insulin increases the acidity in the bone tissue which, consequently, releases and loses calcium. Insulin levels also rise when we consume animal proteins, especially those contained in milk and dairy products.
For strong bones: here are the main foods friendly to healthy and strong bones, useful in the prevention of osteoporosis.
Whole grains: corn, wheat, buckwheat, millet etc., for the content of calcium, silicon and other minerals; natural leavened bread (contains assimilable calcium).
Sesame: the richest in calcium among the oil seeds.
Plums: highly studied, 8 a day strengthen the bones of menopausal women.
Legumes: chickpeas, beans, lentils, grass peas, dried peas, lupins, soy in the form of milk, tofu, tempeh and miso are excellent sources of minerals and vitamins of group B. Like whole grains they contain phytoestrogens, which undermine the trophic action against the bone carried out by estrogens during the fertile age and are therefore very useful in the period of menopause.
Flax and chia seeds, walnuts, algae and purslane: rich in Omega 3, they are very effective in strengthening bones. For non vegetarians, there is also fish: eating anchovies with fishbone or shrimp with shell you will have an excellent supply of organic calcium.
Stay active
Physical exercise has a significant positive influence on well-being, from different points of view: physical fitness, strength, endurance, balance, flexibility, metabolism, energy, but also mood, concentration, memory, mental health and even sociability. It is therefore essential not to stop and continue to carry out some type of activity to exploit these benefits. It's not necessarily about playing a sport, you can also dance, do gardening or housework. Above all, it is necessary to take advantage of small movements to leave the car in the garage and walk or ride a bike. With the movement, cardiovascular prevention (heart attack, stroke, etc.) is made, it is possible to reduce or eliminate drugs for hypertension and diabetes, regulate the levels of good and bad cholesterol.
Compared to sedentary people of the same age, active seniors are less likely to experience coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer. They also run less risk of falls or fractures and have better cognitive functions.
Meditation
This type of practice does not only have positive effects on mental well-being, it is also useful for maintaining physical health and for combating the ailments typical of advancing age. Indeed, various studies have shown that relaxation and meditation exercises positively affect blood pressure, as well as quality of life. Mindfulness, for example, is a technique that is very useful for the elderly who suffer from depression, anxiety, loneliness, even chronic pain. Positive results are also obtained on insomnia.
A balanced diet and an active lifestyle represent a guarantee of health for everyone, even in old age. Aging well is possible, you just need to know how.
In the pages of this book you will find practical tips to prevent and better deal with the ailments related to the passage of time, to find the right energy and mood to fully live this phase of life, up to now underestimated.
Thanks to foods rich in nutrients and flavor it is possible to improve mental clarity and memory, overcome problems related to menopause, promote night rest, preserve sight, keep under control the weight and pitfalls of hypertension, safeguard the well-being of skin and bones.
The authors offer 100 beautifully illustrated recipes for simple, healthy and tasty dishes based on whole grains, fresh and seasonal vegetables, legumes, oil seeds, sprouts, juices and natural syrups: real elixirs of long life.
