Gillian McKeith
Age is just a number and just because the number is getting higher it doesn't mean you have to give into the signs of old age. Top nutritionist Gillian McKeith tells Female First how we can all help ourselves to beat old age......
"The problem is I think we are fixated with age in this country." says Gillian, "I think we need to get away from age and deciding we should be a certain way by a certain age. So what I've done in my new book is I've written a whole section on age and I've made the point that you need to do about your health when you get to a certain age rather than do less."
Stay Active
"It's so important to be vibrant and physical no matter what your age." says Gillian, "Forget the chronological side of age- you can be 25 and be old.
"I've met people in their 80s who are more physically fit than people in their 40s.These people have a purpose and a reason to get up in the morning whether that be work or something else they want to achieve and that's so so important no matter what your age is."
"A lot of the problems with older people is in the mind. You're never too old for anything, you can do whatever you want to do once you've decided you want to do it.All this about can't, won't, shouldn't is what spoils everything for older people."
Anti-aging Antioxidants
"You need have lots of foods which are high in antioxidants,"advises Gillian, "That is what is going to help slow down the progression of free-radicals, which is what ages people quickly."
"So you want a varied diet which is filled with lots of fresh fruit and vegetable and food that is natural and not been chemically processed. Added sugars in food is what is the most aging."
"The best way to make sure you get enough antioxidants is to try and eat all the colours of the rainbow. Eat red fruits, yellow fruits, green fruits, every colour. Fruits in rainbow colours have the highest levels of antioxidants so if you do that you know you're getting enough."
Vitamins for Vitality
"You want to eat foods what are high in Vitamin C and Vitamin E,2 says Gillian, "These will help to nourish your body as apposed to depleting it.So things like berries and other fresh food are great for older people."
Keep Fit with Fatty Acids
"Also older people need lots of fatty acids. Avocados and lots of oily fish are really good sources of these but older people tend to avoid these sorts of things which really isn't good."
"Old people tend to eat a really limited diet but they really need to eat a wide variety of different foods. The best way to monitor what you eat, no matter what your age, is to keep a food diary. This means you can see that you are getting enough of every food group."
Digestion Dilemma
"One thing you can do is make digestion easier for yourself," says Gillian, "Veggy juices are a great way of getting goodness into the body and that's great if you have problem with your teeth."
"If you don't like the hardness of nuts you can soak them in water overnight and they will become soft and kind of like sweets. You can do the same with chickpeas and they become nice a gooey and sweet."
Caz Moss- Female First