Nutrition of Healthy Aging

By Sue Mah, MHSc, RD, PHEc, FDC

Did you know that the World Health Organization has declared 2020-2030 as the Decade of Healthy Aging? About 1 in 5 Canadians are “seniors” over the age of 65 and this number is expected to grow by 68 percent over the next 20 years. Nutrition plays a key role in healthy aging. Here’s what you can do to age well and stay strong.

Heart Health

In Canada, 30% of seniors have high blood cholesterol and 44% have high blood pressure, both of which are risk factors for heart disease. The good news is that 80% of premature heart disease and stroke can be prevented through lifestyle habits such as eating a healthy diet and being physically active.

Here’s what you can do:

Eat at least 5 servings of fruits & vegetables every day. Choose a colourful variety!
Enjoy at least 2 servings of oily fish per week such as salmon, trout and sardines for their heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
Make meals with barley and oats. These foods naturally contain a high amount of a special type of soluble fibre called beta-glucan which has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol.
Look for breads and cereals with psyllium. Psyllium is another type of soluble fibre that has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol.
Try meals made with beans, peas, chickpeas, nuts and seeds. The soy protein found in tofu and tempeh have also been shown to lower blood cholesterol.
Limit fatty foods, especially saturated and trans fats, because they can raise blood cholesterol levels.
Read food labels to choose foods that are lower in sodium. Try to keep your sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg per day.

Muscle Health

Guess what? We start losing muscle mass in our 30s. As we grow older, we lose both muscle mass and muscle strength, which can lead to a condition called sarcopenia. This condition can put seniors at risk for falls and fractures. To maintain muscle mass, the amount and timing of protein you eat is important.

Here’s what you can do:

Aim to eat 25 to 30 grams of protein at every meal, especially breakfast. This amount of protein has been shown to stimulate muscle protein growth and function.
Try these breakfast ideas to get enough protein.
Participate in resistance training exercises 2-3 times per week to keep your muscles strong.

Eye Health

About 32 percent of Canadian seniors experience vision issues such as cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Age is the biggest risk factor for AMD. According to the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, age-related macular degeneration is one of the most common eye diseases to cause vision loss after age 60, affecting nearly 2 million Canadians.

The macula is a small area of the retina at the back of the eye and is responsible for sharp focus. In age-related macular degeneration, there may be dark, blurry areas in the centre of your vision. Some important nutrients for eye health include: lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin C, zinc and Vitamin A.

Here’s what you can do:

Look to leafy greens. Spinach, kale and Swiss chard are some of the best sources of lutein and zeaxanthin. Other sources are egg yolks, corn, peas and pistachio nuts.
Get vitamin C. This acts as an antioxidant that can slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration. Orange juice, kiwis, strawberries, broccoli and peppers are just some of the vitamin C superstars. 
Think about zinc. Zinc is an essential trace mineral that is highly concentrated in the retina. It plays a key role in bringing vitamin A from the liver to the retina in order to produce melanin, a protective pigment in the eyes. Some of the best food sources of zinc are oysters, meat, poultry, lentils and beans.
Say yay to vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to form a special photopigment in the retina called rhodopsin which helps our eyes to see better at night. Carrots, meat, milk, fish and eggs all contain vitamin A. And guess what – our body converts beta-carotene from food into vitamin A. So enjoy plenty of leafy greens, cantaloupes, peaches, papayas, mangos, bell peppers, sweet potatoes and apricots – they’re delicious and rich in beta-carotene!

Although aging can present challenges, the good news is that eating a healthy diet and staying physically active can help improve heart, muscle and eye health.