A lot of attention is given to health issues that women deal with after the age of 50. But that doesn’t mean that men do not face equally serious health problems around that age; they, too, need to take care.
However, the physical changes in men might not be as pronounced as those in
women. In any case, these changes call for immediate corrections in eating patterns and lifestyle. Some symptoms of a looming disease include a drop in metabolic rate, digestive capacity and testosterone levels, which could lead to heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, etc.
Take up good habits
Eating late: Avoid eating late at night and going off to sleep soon after. Eating before 7 pm gives food enough time to digest and reduces the chances of carbohydrates being converted to fat.
Avoid snacking: As you age, your body produces more free radicals that hasten the ageing process. Fried foods speed up the ageing.
Alcohol and smoking: Cut down now to reduce risk of cancer, diabetes and clogged arteries.
Sugar intake: Sugar hastens the ageing process and causes more disease than any other food.
Refined flour products: Avoid cakes, bread and pasta.
High-salt foods: Reduce intake of chips, papad, pickle, and processed and canned foods.
Eat healthy
Cooked tomatoes as puree or sauce protect against cancer.
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, amla, etc are rich in phytonutrients and cleanse clogged arteries of blockages.
Green leafy vegetables prevent cancer and heart diseases.
Holistic grains have fibre, carbohydrates, zinc, B-complex vitamins, iron and calcium.
Fish such as salmon, herring, tuna and mackerel are high in Omega 3 fatty acids. They are anti-inflammatory agents that reduce the arterial damage done by plaque accumulation.
Almonds, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower and sesame seeds keep cells healthy.
Oranges, carrots, tomatoes, capsicum, mangoes and limes are high in Vitamin C, beta-carotene and phytonutrients.
Exercise regularly
Stick to some form of exercise as you age. Contrary to what a lot of men believe, exercise doesn’t only mean concentrating on weights. Walking, swimming and cycling stimulate the respiratory system and burn calories.