Eating Up

My new health regimen involves taking a lot of vitamins. There’s the usual calcium supplement, plus Vitamin D because I live in the North Pole Chicago and don’t get much sunlight. I also take B-12 because I’m trying not to get gray hair when I’m 24 like my mother. I also use anti-aging lotion at night. Preventive measures people. So what else can I be doing now to prepare me for the years to come? This Fitness article by Karen Ansel, RD, explains what nutrients women should be getting at each stage of their life. Click on the link to read the whole article and see a sample meal plan for each age. Or read some of her advice I highlighted below:

Key Nutrients You Need In Your 20s

Protein: Chronic dieting, skipped meals and “girl foods” like fro-yo and low-fat everything make it easy for 20-somethings to be lacking the necessary amount of protein needed for making and keeping calorie-burning muscle. Eat up: white-meat poultry, lean steak, fish, eggs, beans, tofu, dairy

Potassium: The USDA says most women in their 20s get less than half the recommended amount. This is bad news for your muscles and heart. Eat up: 2.5 cups of fruit/day + 2.5 cups of veggies/day

Omega-3 fats: Sad news: women in their 20s are particularly vulnerable to depression. Luckily omega-3 fats boost serotonin levels, that “I feel good” chemical in the brain. Eat up: walnuts, ground flaxseed, canola oil

Key Nutrients You Need in Your 30s

Folate: The 400-microgram daily requirement may reduce the risk of heart disease. It definitely supports a healthy pregnancy, preventing neural-tube defects and assisting your body in making new cells. Eat up: chickpeas, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, avocados, orange juice, fortified whole grains

Phytonutrients: They are full of antioxidants, aka things that slow the aging process, ward off heart disease and thwart DNA changes, potentially preventing cancer from developing. Eat up: plants, dark chocolate, red wine, coffee

Iron: Feeling physically drained or mentally burnt out? You need more iron in your life. 18 milligrams in a day, to be exact. Eat up: clams, lean beef, fortified breakfast cereal, soybeans, pumpkin seeds and poultry

Key Nutrients You Need in Your 40s

Calcium: Bone-building estrogen starts to decrease as menopause gets near. Because your stomach doesn’t make as much acid for calcium absorption anymore, food won’t be your best bet in getting your fill. Eat up: combination of supplements and dairy

Vitamin D: It absorbs calcium, keeps your immune system strong, protects against breast and colon cancers and prevents hearing loss. And by the time you’re 40, levels of D drop quickly. Eat up: daily supplement of 600-1,000 international units (very few foods contain Vitamin D)

Fiber: It decreases cholesterol and your risk for colon cancer, all while reducing bloat. Eat up: soluble=fruits, vegetables, barley and oats; insoluble=whole wheat bread, bran

What are your favorite nutrient-rich foods?