Good nutrition is a way of life. Food strengthens our system with nutrients and energy and helps us to stay healthy. Nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. As we grow older, the risk of disease increases along with us. Although we may need less energy, still we need the same amount of nutrients in our food.

Clinical studies show that nearly 40 percent of deaths in the U.S. are the result of physical inactivity, unhealthy eating, alcohol drinking and tobacco use. This proves that many chronic diseases and disabilities can be prevented. Our body is capable of healing itself provided it receives the correct nutritional support.

We need to cultivate healthy eating habits along with regular exercising and positive attitude. To keep calorie consumption and saturated fat intake within limits, nutrition experts recommend high nutritional, low-calorie diets that include lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and oily fish; and drinking eight to twelve cups of water daily.

A good way to prevent aging is to choose many different healthy foods. For instance, foods that are low in saturated fats and calories and high in vitamins and fiber should be prefered. Instead, foods such as chips, cookies and sodas should be avoided because they have no nutritional value and they are high in calories.

- Fruits and vegetables that are high in Vitamin C are the best anti-aging fighters. Vitamin C is a natural healer that boosts the immune system, while reducing the risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Because Vitamin C is not stored in our body, we should eat foods that contain high amounts of it every day. In particular, foods that are richest in Vitamin C are oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, limes, pineapple, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, kiwi, watermelon, papaya, broccoli, mustard greens, cauliflower, cantaloupe, cabbage, spinach, sweet red bell peppers, tomatoes, parsley, and celery.

- Fruits and vegetables that are high in Vitamin D are excellent anti-aging fighters that contribute to healthy bones structure and teeth formation. Vitamin D is produced naturally by exposure to sunlight, but as we grow older, only 40 percent of the total amount required is naturally produced. Around our 70s, the rest has to be contributed by good nutrition.

Vitamin D is contained in high amounts in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines, but also in cod liver oil, liver, milk, margarine, Swiss cheese and eggs.

- Antioxidants are widely recognized as health-promoting agents that can slow down aging. By neutralizing free radicals that attack our cells causing damage, antioxidants contribute to anit-aging prevention. The most well known antioxidants are Vitamins A, C and E, Omega-3 fatty acids, folic acid, beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zink.

Foods that are richest in antioxidants are beets, broccoli, carrots, spinach, red peppers, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, oranges, peaches, apricots, grapefruits, red grapes, berries, plums, and papaya.

- Fiber is largely acknowledged for specific health-promoting benefits such as reducing constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis symptoms. A high-fiber diet cleans up the digestive tract and contributes to cancer prevention. Moreoover, it lowers the cholesterol levels in the blood and minimizes the risk of heart disease. It also reduces the blood sugar and helps in diabetes prevention.

Fiber is naturally contained in a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole-grain, beans and legumes.

- Carbohydrates provide the body with the energy it needs for physical activity and proper organ function. Carbs are a vital part of a healthy diet and are classified into simple sugars such as fructose (naturally contained in fruits), sucrose (refined white sugar added to sweets) and lactose (milk sugar); and complex carbs that are naturally contained in vegetables and grains. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, white bread, white rice, pastries and sugared sodas are high in carbs and promote health benefits by contributing to weight gain, interfering with weight loss, and preventing diabetes and heart disease.

- Many people think that including fat in our diet is not good for the body. However, there are healthy fats that lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and the total cholesterol levels in the blood. These are the monosaturated fats (MUFAs) and the polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs). MUFAs are naturally contained in nuts, peanut butter, avocados, sesame seeds, sesame oil, peanut oil, olive oil, canola and olives. PUFAs are naturally contained in mayonnaise, whip salad dressing, walnuts, fish oil, corn oil, sunflower, pumpkin seeds and soybean. Omega 3 fatty acids belong to polyunsaturated fats and can be found in salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, nuts and flaxseed.

Making nutrition a priority in our daily routine is vital for good health and prevention of chronic illness. Research has shown that healthy nutritional habits contribute to the prevention of conditions that are typically associated to aging such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Aging cannot be avoided, but we can enjoy every moment of it. Starting our day with fruits and vegetables full of vitamins and antioxidants is a good start. Supplementing the colorful collection of fruits and vegetables with whole grains and lean protein makes up a nutritious, healthy meal. Aging is a fact of life. We cannot stop it. We can, however, expedite it, or delay it. This is our daily decision reflected in our lifestyle.

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