Essential nutrients to age-proof your body

As the years pass, your tastes and requirements change, and so do your nutritional needs. When the time comes that you can no longer see your birthday cake for all the candles, these are the essential vitamins and minerals that you should be increasing in your daily diet.

Vitamin B

Alzheimer’s disease can lay waste to even the most vibrant mind, and researchers have recently discovered that a shrinking brain is a key indicator of increased risk. 

However, vitamin B has been shown to counteract a reduction in brain size. Research published last year in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that people who took vitamin B supplements had 90 per cent less brain shrinkage than those on a placebo. 

Vitamin B can be found in eggs, fortified cereals, dairy, fish and meat. Taken in combination with folate, it diminishes the body’s levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that Alzheimer’s Australia says is “associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias”.

Magnesium

US celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz describes magnesium as “the most overlooked mineral”, thanks to its role in about 300 bodily functions. Not only does it support our heart, immune and bone health, it also plays a vital role in maintaining muscle and nerve function. However, like calcium, our bodies absorb less of it as we age. On top of that, some medications that are required as we get older – such as diuretics – can also reduce magnesium absorption.

Women should try to have 320mg of magnesium a day and men should aim for 400mg. You can get this by having about five serves a day of any of the following: half a cup of quinoa; half a cup of boiled spinach; a cup of brown rice; a cup of kidney beans; a cup of lentils; two bananas.

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Omega-3

Scientists seem to discover another benefit of this essential fatty acid every week, and it’s known for assisting in cardiovascular support, diabetes management and the lessening of depressive symptoms. Omega-3 can also help you make the most of your retirement years, with studies suggesting it can boost your calcium levels and ease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. 

A lesser known benefit of omega-3 is that it protects against macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in Australia and a condition that one in seven of us will experience. According to a US study of more than 3000 people over the age of 49, those who ate more fish were less likely to suffer macular degeneration. Fish is one of the best sources of omega-3, particularly oily varieties such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, tuna and herring.

Isothiocyanates

These naturally occurring cancer-fighting compounds are released during the digestion of cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, rocket, brussels sprouts, cabbage and watercress. They’re said to prevent the activation of carcinogens, protect cells from DNA damage and are anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory; they’ve been shown to protect against breast, bladder, prostate and lung cancers. 

You don’t have to radically alter your diet to get these protective benefits – just one extra portion (such as two heads of broccoli) a week has been shown to diminish the risk of prostate cancer.

Calcium

As bones become brittle with age, it becomes increasingly important to have an adequate intake of calcium. However, the body works against you by becoming less efficient at processing this bone-strengthening nutrient. 

As you age, calcium is absorbed less effectively from the intestine and more is lost through the kidneys, so you need to up your intake in order to get enough. Women over the age of 50 need 1300mg a day; the same amount is required for men over the age of 70. Osteoporosis Australia recommends having three to five serves of calcium-rich foods a day; the best sources include milk, cheese, sardines, salmon and leafy greens. 

Yoghurt is another good source of calcium and it has the added benefit of helping you keep your teeth for longer. A Japanese study published in 2009 in the Journal of Periodontology found that people who consumed at least a quarter of a cup of yoghurt a day were 60 per cent less likely to suffer from gum disease and 50 per cent less likely to experience tooth loss.

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