Nutrition in adults should focus on maintaining health and preventing disease development, by following a varied, healthy and balanced according to age, sex and physical activity of the person. Healthy eating habits have to be combined with a favorable lifestyle practices that include regular exercise, and reduction of toxins such as alcohol and snuff. And is that nutrition has become a tool used not only to prevent deficiency diseases, but as a defense against chronic disorders.
PHYSIOLOGICAL FEATURES
There are significant physiological changes that occur in middle age, between 40 and 60 years and are common in men and women.
Weight gain. The most prominent physiological change in many people during this period is the weight gain that leads to obesity in many cases. Obesity is defined as the increase in body weight over 15% of the value considered normal due to increased body fat. The objective parameter that defines the existence of obesity is Body Mass Index (BMI), see Table A-obtained by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. Applying this formula is considered obese with a BMI equal to or greater than 30 kilograms per square meter. In Spain the prevalence of obesity, according to a study led by Dr. Javier Aranceta and colleagues in 1995 was 13.4% in men and women aged 25-60 years. The most worrying is that is growing. In addition, people with a BMI over 30 are at increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, hyperuricemia and gout, gallstones, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and triglycerides), cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, digestive ailments, arthritis in hips and knees and psychological and social problems. Therefore, the physiological changes that result from increased weight have significant health consequences.
Two factors that have a significant impact on weight gain is excessive consumption of calories, which leads to greater fat reserves, and little physical activity, which results in a decline in lean body mass.
Marked changes in body composition
Traditionally it was considered that the human body is comprised of several compartments: fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass and water. Throughout the life of the individual are causing changes in body composition as in the functioning of all organs.
Changes in fat distribution. Between 40 and 50 years, tends to increase fat mass in both men and women and continues to increase up to 70 -75 years. Distribution is also changed as it accumulates more in the trunk than on the extremities, and so in the internal organs. This change in the distribution of body fat is more noticeable in women.
It is shown that the accumulation of abdominal fat is a cardiovascular risk marker more sensitive than BMI itself. A ratio or waist / hip ratio (obtained by dividing the waist circumference measured at the cord between the hip circumference) greater than 0.95 in men and 0.80 in women is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and diabetes mellitus. Women in the reproductive years has the capacity enjoys less likely than men to have cardiovascular problems. After menopause lose this protection provided by estrogen (female sex hormones) and gradually reaches the same level as men in terms of cardiovascular risk.
Decreased lean body mass (water and muscle) and bone (bone). Throughout the years, lean mass progresses to a peak that occurs around age 30 in boys. The women kept until about 50 years is when it begins to decline, albeit more slowly than in men. The loss of muscle mass leads to a reduction in physical strength. The water content in body composition comes to represent 60% in young adult and maturity to lower the water reaches up to 50%.
With respect to bone mass, is between 30 and 35 when you hit the highest point of bone mass, and from this moment begins a gradual loss, small but steady it. Estrogens play an important role in preserving bone strength throughout the life of the woman. After menopause, decreasing the production of these hormones, the bones are exposed and tend to become weaker. This is why women have an increased risk of fragility fractures and with minimum possibility of injury and the emergence and development of osteoporosis. It is known that there is a “genetic shield” that protects the people of this ailment. However, men with a family history of this disease have an increased risk of diabetes in adulthood.
To avoid this condition are advised not to neglect the contribution of calcium-rich foods, regular physical exercise and limit the consumption of snuff and alcohol.
Decreased basal metabolism
The contribution of energy through food must be tailored to individual needs based on age, complexion and physical activity level. According to estimates committee of the WHO (World Health Organization), from the age of 40 energy requirements decrease by 5% per decade, since it reduces the individual’s basal metabolism (energy consumed by the organism in situations of rest to maintain vital functions: pumping blood, maintaining body temperature, etc.). This translates into the need for a lower calorie intake, a fact not usually be seen by many people, leading to weight gain that can lead to obesity if not resolved in time.
Aging of various organs
Between 50 and 70, neurons begin to atrophy of the brain area of ??learning, memory and planning. From the 50, corneas undergo a degenerative thickening night vision and ability to focus objects. The thickening of the eardrum and ear canal atrophy are harder to hear clear sound and high frequency. Also, renal blood flow is reduced at least 10% per decade.
GUIDELINES FOR EATING WELL
There are different states or social models for Spanish adults: single, with another adult without children, single parent family, in which both parents work and family in one of the spouses stays in the home and other works. These social patterns influence the purchase of food, its preparation and the frequency of meals eaten in a family atmosphere.
Spend very little time to schedule food leads to food consumption patterns based on the abundance of processed foods, prepared meals for takeout or a restaurant and only sporadically and consumed meals prepared at home.
Feed and nourish properly is essential in all ages of the life cycle, although each has specific stage. At maturity, the dietary recommendations focus on increasing the food more ability to delay aging and prevent disease. Nothing can be done to control the “biological clock” of our cells. However, there are at least three ways to fight free radicals, another major cause of premature aging and disease.
Encourage purifying processes. Thus, eliminating the free radicals formed as a result of activity of the organism itself or from external contamination. The answer lies in helping the body to carry out their own cleaning processes:To produce more urine by drinking plenty of fluids (water, juices, broths, teas, etc.), And fruits and vegetables, most of which are diuretics.To promote liver detoxification processes by choleretic fruits and vegetables (increasing bile production): slightly bitter taste vegetables (artichoke, chicory, endive, escarole, radishes, eggplant, chard), apple, grape, medlar, strawberry and banana.Breathe correctly.Avoid constipation by including its rich plant foods in fiber and good hydration.Practice regular physical exercise and personal, to sweat and eliminate toxins.Avoid as much as possible contamination by toxic substances such as snuff, alcohol or other drugs.Eating foods rich in antioxidants. Plant foods, especially fruits, vegetables and vegetables provide certain substances that neutralize the oxidizing action of free radicals.Dietary recommendations.
The diet from this age, when no associated diseases, is limited to a balanced diet according to personal requirements, taking into account certain differences:
At lunch time, distinguish between hunger and appetite.Eat slowly, in a relaxed and spend at least 30 minutes for this important part of the day. In case you are worried, anxious or angry, it is better to lie down in a quiet place, close your eyes, breathe deeply and relax, and then when one is already spare, engaging in eating.Fractions food in divided doses, at least three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and respect the timing of meals, not skipping meals.Eat at the table, in a calm and orderly manner, without mixing dishes.Plan menus in advance to prepare properly.Chew food well, since the digestion of many (cereals, potatoes and vegetables) starts in the mouth. This will leverage its nutritional value and predisposes the body to better digestion.Foods rich in complex carbohydrates (cereals, pulses and potatoes) should form the basis of the diet as long as they meet the amounts to personal energy needs.Minimize excessive consumption of sweets for its wealth of simple sugars and calories, especially in cases of obesity, diabetes, blood lipid abnormalities.Take care of the source of dietary fat. Should reduce animal (saturated fat) because of its ability to increase cholesterol levels in blood and accumulate in the walls of the arteries hindering the passage of blood through them and increasing the risk of developing arteriosclerosis. In return, increase the consumption of fish and eat olive oil preferably both foods are rich in unsaturated fatty acids with undisputed qualities of reducing dietary triglyceride levels and blood cholesterol.Do not overuse of table salt or sodium-rich foods (meats, preserves, etc.)Drink plenty of water (1, 5 liters a day) to keep the body hydrated and promote kidney function.NUTRITIONAL DEFICITS
All organs and cells of our bodies need nutrients that food provides daily in order to carry out their duties properly.
Currently, nutritional imbalances are both excess (obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol ) as default (deficit of certain vitamins, anemia). Are often unaware that the body suffers with the changes that occur there in order to carry out an unbalanced diet. Some people do not give food the attention it deserves as the nutritional imbalances that affect your health, it is usual to express the short term. Sometimes it’s easier to blame the malaise, fatigue and stress, sleep deprivation, excessive work or exercise, without questioning the possibility of himself gets enough for the body to respond successfully every day.
An unbalanced diet (restricted diets, monotonous), can produce widely specific deficiencies of certain vitamins or minerals mainly manifested through a series of symptoms such as apathy or listlessness, irritability, fatigue or inattention, situations can be remedied in part, through proper nutrition.
Mineral deficiencies:
Calcium is the major constituent of bone mass. The availability of this mineral is different depending on the appropriate food to be the most appropriate food and milk products, as vitamin D, lactose and dairy proteins specific to facilitate their absorption and utilization by the body. Sources of calcium are also canned fish provided they are of those who eat the bone, nuts, fortified soy products and fermented sesame.Iron is a component of red blood cells and hemoglobin (oxygen transport and carbon dioxide in the blood) and is involved in energy production processes. The iron is best absorbed from foods of animal origin (meat, fish and eggs), while from legumes, vegetables and other plant foods is absorbed worse, unless you combine these foods with others are a good source of vitamin C or citric acid (vegetables seasoned with lemon juice ) or animal-based foods rich in complete protein (lentils with peppers and ham hocks).Iron deficiency is associated with alterations in brain function, decreased concentration, memory failure, anemia, fatigue, tiredness.Dietary sources: meat, particularly horse, liver, egg yolks, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fortified.Magnesium is part of the bone structure and is involved in transmitting nerve impulses in the muscles. The deficit of magnesium is associated with muscle weakness, tremors and become the person susceptible to stress.The chlorophyll (pigment that gives plants their green color) has a magnesium atom in the molecule, which is why this mineral is so abundant plants (vegetables, green vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, hazelnuts). Also contain chocolate and drink some water.Deficiency of certain B vitamins:
Folic acid. Deficiency of this vitamin can lead to megaloblastic anemia characterized by the development of large, immature red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to all body cells. Deficiency symptoms often coincide with those of other anemias: fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, nausea, painful tongue, mouth ulcers and hair loss.Dietary sources are legumes and green vegetables, fruits, fortified breakfast cereals, liver and brewer’s yeast.Vitamins involved in the functioning of the nervous system:B1 or thiamine. The lack of thiamine causes depression, irritability, poor concentration and poor memory. The most abundant food sources are whole grains, vegetables and meats, especially pork.Vitamin B3 or niacin. Niacin deficiency light has been linked to the development of depression. Abundant in organ meats, meat, fish, legumes and whole grains.Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine. Its deficiency can cause irritability and depression. It is found in greater amounts in whole grains, liver, nuts and yeast.FOOD DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE DAY
They maintain a schedule of meals a day to day and never skip.irregular meals and let them spend too much time between cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) may explain why hot flashes (in the case of women in menopause), irritability, fatigue, etc.. Therefore, total daily food distributed in 3 main meals and value making lighter lunch or snack is a good measure.Breakfast: Many adults still carry the incorrect habit of skipping breakfast or it takes is virtually nonexistent. Coffee is drunk in 2 minutes with an empty stomach. A leisurely breakfast is equivalent to a poor breakfast and has to make this meal one of the most important meal of the day. Keep in mind that the body takes many hours without any food. Should rise with time and engage in the activities of grooming and care before taking breakfast in order to generate feeling of hunger. You must include at least one dairy and grains (cookies, breakfast cereals, toast, bread, pastries simple ). If you also include a fruit or its juice, even better.
Nevertheless, there are many people unable to have breakfast for several reasons, and it is very important that at least eat lunch, and include basic food in this case to avoid the negative impact of fasting on physical performance and mental health.
Lunch and snacks: If more than four hours from one food to another, ie, from breakfast to lunch and from lunch to dinner, should include a snack. The amount and type of food depends on the person’s working life. However, limit the habitual consumption of industrial bakery products, snacks, soft drinks products that “fill” but do not feed (superfluous food with high calorie content) and opt for fruit, milk or snacks (preferably prepared at home), without abusing the sausages, pates and cheeses acids.
Food: In our society, food is the main food intake the day and it’s time to find that fosters social relationship (family or group) and teaching or learning eating habits. Why should foster a climate calm, peaceful, without interference (TV, radio, animals). Avoid if possible anarchy in the schedules, food preparation at the last minute, the long breaks between courses, eat very quickly.
First course: rice, beans, pasta, potato salad or vegetables, which can be added occasionally to complete, some meat or meat products, fish, eggs. The nutritional value of this first course is energy intake, mainly at the expense of complex carbohydrates. It is important to eat adequate amounts of these foods because energy needs are the first to be covered if they are to food proteins perform their function in the body.
Main course: Meat and meat products, fish or eggs. These foods should occur in moderate amounts (hunger should not be fed based on consumption of protein). May be accompanied by salad or vegetables or vegetables and potatoes (not always chips, also baked, mashed).
Desserts: Winter is a fruit and dairy products alternate with simple (yogurt, curd, etc.)
Dinner: We should aim to be, like the food, another moment of gathering around the table, calm and avoiding distractions. The type of food ingested at dinner influences digestion and ability to reconcile good sleep. A copious dinner, even including healthy foods, can disrupt sleep. The appropriate, both to facilitate digestion and sleeping, is not taking food or liquids two hours before bedtime, unless it is a glass of warm milk or tea. It is a good time to get the dietary balance of the day.
COOKING
Choose simple cooking techniques: water-cooked, steamed, poached, oven, foil, microwave, iron and sautéed with little oil.Mitigate fatty stews (better with a little oil and removing visible fat from food before cooking), fried, breaded and battered.To make food more appetizing it can use various seasonings:Acid: vinegar and lemon.Alliaceous: garlic, onion, scallions, chives, shallot, leekHerbs: basil, fennel, cumin, tarragon, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, parsley, marjoramSpices: pepper, paprika, saffron Occasional use as they are difficult to digest and habit forming.Vinegar and oil (olive and seeds) can be marinated with herbs.In the preparation of sauces, wines and other alcoholic beverages as an ingredient can flambé tastiest variety of recipes.IS A MISTAKE
THINK WATER TAKEN DURING FAT MEALS
There is popular belief that water is “fattening” if taken with meals. Drinking a liquid (water or other drinks) before, during or after meals has nothing to do with these foods have the capacity to gain more or less. What actually happens is that it dilutes the gastric juices, and result, digestion slows. This is why people who suffer from difficult digestion and heavy, they should omit any kind of drink during or immediately after meals. However, for those who do not suffer any digestive upset there is no dietary explanation to justify that you can not drink fluids in these situations.
EAT WITHOUT PAN
Considering all the nutrients provided by the bread, this should be a prominent part in the feeding of each day trying to be present in practically all meals from breakfast to dinner. For its contribution of carbohydrates (58%), protein (7%), vitamins, minerals and fiber, covers a remarkable part of the daily organizational needs of these nutrients. Failure to eat bread or other foods of comparable nutritional composition (starchy rice, pasta, potatoes, vegetables) on a regular basis contributes significantly to unbalance the diet. In these cases, the percentage of total calories from foods high in fat or protein, away considerably from the recommendations for a balanced diet, in which about 55% of total dietary calories should come from foods rich in carbohydrates (starchy), 15% of protein foods (meat, fish, eggs, dairy mainly) and the remaining 30% of fatty foods. To the extent that it reduces the consumption of bread in the daily diet, it is necessary to increase the intake of other foods rich in carbohydrates in order not to unbalance the power significantly.
COFFEE ABUSE
Coffee is the beverage rich in caffeine, especially the so-called espresso. In coffee, Arabica, characteristic of the finest coffees, has about 1% caffeine, half of which is in the robusta variety. Caffeine is a substance that easily penetrates all body cells, especially in neurons (nerve cells). It is excreted in the urine 3 to 6 hours after being ingested, and does not accumulate in the body. His most important action is to encourage the transmission of nerve impulses between neurons. Therefore, it is recognized that daily amounts of less than 200 mg caffeine (equivalent to three cups of coffee a day), tones the body, relieves fatigue, promotes intellectual functions and can even be useful in case of fainting (passing out) and that caffeine provides emergency stimulus, but does not solve the cause of the disorder. However, when taken in excess can cause trembling, nervousness, insomnia, palpitations, decreased performance, particularly in people who are not accustomed to take it.
Frequent consumption of coffee brings an adaptation to caffeine and this explains why people used to drink coffee suffer various symptoms when ingested their usual dose of caffeine and as far as withdrawal symptoms (fatigue, nervous irritability, inability to concentrate, anxiety , headache, and even if taken more than 400 mg of caffeine daily for over a week or two may get to suffer tremors). It also explains that those who are accustomed to drinking coffee every night do not feel insomnia. Nevertheless, for those who are healthy and have no medical contraindication to consumption of coffee, can support two or three cups of coffee a day, a tolerable amount by the body.
SUBSTITUTE FOR MARGARINE BUTTER
Butter is a milk product obtained by various methods and provides a 80-85% fat, of which 60% are saturated, polyunsaturated a small proportion (3%) and other monounsaturated fats. The margarine is produced by complex technological processes, as it is made from vegetable oils that are liquid at room temperature and thus to acquire the strong and creamy consistency similar to butter, they undergo major changes . Hydrogen is injected, causing some of the fat oil to become “trans fat”, which have a similar effect on blood cholesterol than saturated, so the ability to raise cholesterol margarine is similar to butter. There are different types of margarines with greater or lesser proportion of hydrogenated fats and unsaturated fats, so when the purchase has to read the label and choose those with the highest percentage of unsaturated fat and consequently a lower percentage of trans fats .
DO NOT DRINK ENOUGH CALCIUM RICH FOODS
It seems fundamental role of calcium in the prevention of the osteoporosis. For this reason, we recommend taking dairy source of calcium for excellence in order to preserve bone mass. Vitamin D promotes intestinal calcium absorption and fixation into the bone so that the body must maintain adequate levels of the vitamin. Foods rich in vitamin D include liver, fatty fish (sardine, mackerel and salmon), whole milk, skim all or part of the vitamin-enriched, egg yolk. This vitamin can be obtained from the person’s exposure to the sun as a biochemical process that can produce vitamin D from solar radiation. In colder climates, where people cover the body most of the year, there is little vitamin D can be formed in the skin and must be supplied through food.
It should be remembered that:
The availability of calcium is different depending on the appropriate food to be the most appropriate food and milk products, as vitamin D, lactose and dairy proteins specific to facilitate their absorption and utilization by the body.There is no quantitative difference between milk and yogurt in terms of availability of calcium, however, the lactose in milk, increases calcium absorption.Certain nutrients impede the absorption of calcium. This is the case of fats. Also frequent and disproportionate contributions of protein foods increase calcium excretion in the urine and as a result there is a greater loss. Too much phosphorus, present in meat, fish, eggs and cola decreases intestinal absorption of calcium. A diet containing too much sodium causes increased calcium excretion in the urine.The calcium comes from the plant is used worse by the presence of substances in those foods that inhibit absorption such as phytates and oxalates. For example, wheat bran in large amounts significantly decreases calcium absorption. Caffeine increases urinary calcium excretion. Although this association was only seen in people with low habitual intake of dairy products.
0 comments:
Post a Comment