Yes, a youth-boosting diet is the way to go, say nutritionist Anita Bean and Sir Muir Gray, whose new book Sod It! Eat Well (Bloomsbury Sport) shows how tweaking your diet to suit your changing needs can help keep you youthful. Eat this to drop a decade (well, almost!):
FITTER 50s
‘This is when blood pressure starts to rise,’ says Bean, and this increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. High-potassium fruit and veg such as bananas, broccoli and tomatoes, plus 250ml of beetroot juice a day, can help keep it under control. Then cut down on salt.
STRONGER 60s
Eat more protein to prevent muscle wasting. ‘A 60-something woman weighing 60kg needs 60 to 72g a day – more than a young adult,’ says Bean. And a diet rich in veg, whole grains, fish and olive oil can significantly reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes.
SUPPLER 70s
Up your intake of omega-3s, the healthy fats found in oily fish, green veg and pumpkin seeds. They help control inflammation, a factor in many chronic conditions that strike at this age, from arthritis to Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
PHOTO: iStock/kupicoo
