You might not be able to turn back the hands of time for every wrinkle and body ache, but you can certainly reduce your risks—and delay the onset—of the chronic diseases of aging, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. These are the conditions that can cut your lifespan, and lead to debilitation and a poor quality of life in the golden years. So no wonder more and more people are turning to diet to help boost the quality of life as they age. Your daily food and activity choices can significantly lower your risk of developing such diseases, according to scientific evidence. Preventing these conditions can make the difference between living a long, vibrant life or a short life riddled with disease and disability.
That’s why I’m excited to sit down with dietitian and healthy aging expert, Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RD to talk about the best ways you can stack your diet with plants to boost health to age gracefully. We are providing you with some of her best advice on how diet affects chronic diseases, as well as strategies for eating a plant-based diet, and tips for maintaining a healthy weight.
How to Eat for Healthy Aging on a Plant-Based Diet
Sharon: Is there a new appreciation for how diet can help people stay fit and fabulous after 50?
Chris: Yes! When people reach the age of 65 their life expectancy is another 20 years! People are realizing that what they eat and how they move can improve the quality of those remaining years. We all want to be independent and functionally fit for as long as possible. Much of that is under our control. “Functionally fit” means being able to do the things in life that improve the quality of your life and it is different for everyone. For me, it means lifting my own suitcase in the overhead bin when traveling and lifting a 50-pound bag of dog food into my shopping cart, into the trunk of my car, and transferring to the house to feed my two big dogs! And, I was 68 in April and I can do both of those things and plan to be able to do that for quite some time!
Sharon: What are the connections between a plant-based diet and aging?
Chris: What we choose to eat has an influence on so many aspects of our health; from the fibers, prebiotics, and probiotics to support a healthy gut microbiome to foods that fight inflammation. And, eating grains, both whole grains and enriched staple grains (pasta, rice, bread, cereal), fruits, veggies, beans, lentils, and peas are part of most healthful eating plans.
Sharon: Which chronic diseases should people be aware of that can cut years and quality of life?
Chris: Eighty percent of people over 65 have one or more chronic diseases and 68% have two or more. Managing blood pressure is so important at every age, but as we age, high blood pressure is a leading contributor to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and even cognitive decline. Hypertension is a “silent” disease so many people don’t know they even have it. Diet plans like DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) can lower blood pressure as much as some first-generation anti-hypertensive drugs. I wish physicians would prescribe a visit with a registered dietitian before they prescribe a pill. Medication is often needed, but it can work in concert with diet so that a lower dose can be used, and side effects reduced.
Type 2 diabetes is also more common with aging; probably related to lack of physical activity and carrying excess weight. Undetected, diabetes can be a precursor to heart disease, kidney disease, nerve problems, and eye issues. Having blood sugar levels checked and monitored is key.
Another chronic disease that can be debilitating is osteoporosis. Loss of bone mass is especially problematic for women around menopause. The first five years post-menopause, women lose a lot of bone. After that time, it slows, but never recovers. But osteoporosis is a disease and not a normal part of aging. We need to encourage women to get adequate calcium and vitamin D throughout life…. not just wait until they are 65!
Sharon: How do diet choices affect these conditions?
Chris: For blood pressure, most people would think of reducing sodium, but just as important is increasing the minerals potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Only 1% of adults over the age of 51 get enough potassium! The DASH plan is rich in minerals and lower in sodium.
For diabetes, managing weight is key, along with regular physical activity. Even losing a few pounds can help reduce blood sugar and insulin levels. And, exercise helps pull carbohydrate into muscles for fuel instead of storing it as fat.
For bone health, we need adequate protein and vitamin D and calcium. If vitamin D blood levels are deficient, only 10-15% of calcium is absorbed. I like to encourage older adults to talk to their health care provider about getting vitamin D levels measured to know if they should take a vitamin D supplement.
Sharon: How can a plant-based diet provide benefits for people over 50?
Chris: There are so many benefits! Chronic disease risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers can be reduced with a plant-based diet. But I would caution people about some of the newer plant-based convenience foods showing up in the market. Some are ultra-processed and are high in sodium, so make most of your plate fruits, veggies, grains, and beans instead of digging into a frozen plant-based pizza!
Sharon: What are some plant-based eating strategies that can help people fight chronic diseases?
Chris: For older adults who may have grown up with meat at the center of the plate, I encourage small steps to move toward a plant-based diet. And, to me, a plant-based diet isn’t vegan, but more plant-forward than giving up all animal foods.
First, embrace Meatless Monday or at least one day each week without eating meat.
Second, try meatless breakfast or lunch for a week and try new grain-based dishes and bean-based dishes. I always recommend your books and recipes as a way to try new plant-based meals.
Third, simply remove the meat from your favorite dish. Spaghetti with protein-enriched pasta is a great example…no meatballs or meat sauce needed. Or, try a spinach lasagna instead of a meat-based dish. Embrace beans…black beans, kidney beans, etc. to boost protein without meat. A black bean burrito or kidney bean chili tastes great without adding meat.
Sharon: What are some diet pitfalls that you see among people over 50? How can these be optimized?
Chris: I see many older women counting calories to lose weight but focusing on calories alone can lead to nutrient shortfalls. I encourage older adults to choose nutrient-rich foods, for example fresh or frozen fruit is a nutrient-rich food but many people fear the sugar in fruit. Sugar need not be feared but especially when it naturally occurring in fruit.
I also see people fearing their food, usually based on scary, clickbait headlines. Whether the headline is scaring us about pesticide residues in breakfast cereals or dangers lurking in nightshade vegetables or lectins in beans, people are quick to cut about healthy foods without knowing the full nutrition story. I encourage people to read beyond the headlines or check in with some great consumer websites that bust myths, like The Office for Science and Society.
Sharon: How can people address a decline in energy needs as they age in order to maintain a healthy weight?
Chris: I think the best way to maintain a healthy weight as we age is vigilance! Daily weighing (or every other day) or trying on a favorite pant or skirt that fits you well as a monitoring tool can help you know if the weight creep is taking over. We don’t gain 20 pounds overnight, but it is easy to gain a pound or two each year, adding up to a 20-pound weight gain in a decade or two.
I don’t think people should be too restrictive in their eating, but they should be aware of portion sizes, empty calorie foods (like chips or pretzels or soft drinks), and alcohol. As people retire and have more leisure time the cocktail hour isn’t limited to the weekend or to an hour! So, watching the liquid calories is important, too.
Sharon: Are there any supplements that should be part of people’s regimen in this age group?
Chris: It’s very individual and hard to give a recommendation as a one-size-fits all approach. But here are some pointers:
- If you choose to take a multi-vitamin mineral supplement, choose one formulated for 50+ population. These supplements will contain more of the nutrients needed as we age and less of those we don’t need as much of, like iron.
- If you are a vegan, be aware of your need for vitamin B12 as it is found mostly in animal foods. A multi-vitamin mineral for those over 50 will contain enough B12 and in form that is well absorbed.
- Vitamin D and calcium are needed to protect bone, so ask your doctor to measure your blood level of vitamin D and get a bone density measurement to see if you are at risk for osteoporosis.
- If you don’t eat fatty fish (like salmon or tuna), you might need supplemental EPA and DHA. Plant sources of omega-3s are great but have very low conversion rates to EPA and DHA so you can’t depend of flax, chia, or walnuts to get all of the omega-3s needed for good health.
- In Food & Fitness After 50, we run down some of the most common supplements and what you need to know about supplements like glucosamine, turmeric, and Co-Q-10.
About Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RDN, FAND
Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RDN, FAND is owner of Chris Rosenbloom Food & Nutrition Services, LLC, providing nutrition consulting, writing, and media work to a variety of clients. Her book (with co-author, Dr. Bob Murray) Food & Fitness After 50 was published in October of 2017 and is available on Amazon.com.
Chris is a professor emerita of nutrition at Georgia State University. For 30 years she held various teaching and administrative positions at Georgia State, including department chair and associate dean for academics. She has over 20 years of experience as a sports dietitian, at the Georgia Tech Athletic Association and at Georgia State Athletic Association. Currently, she volunteers as a sports dietitian for the Hart County High School sports teams. She is on the advisory board for the International Olympic Committee Sports Nutrition Diploma program and is listed in the USOC Sports Dietitian Registry. She is a member of the Clif Nutrition Advisory Council for Clif Bar and Company. From 2000-2008 she served on the Gatorade Sports Science Institute’s Education Advisory Board and chaired the board from 2006-2008.
She splits her time between Atlanta and Lake Hartwell, Georgia where she lives with her husband, Rob and lots of dogs and one cat. She enjoys hiking, cycling, golfing, kayaking, swimming, sailing, yoga, and lots of walks with her dogs. Follow Chris on twitter for more information on healthy aging!
Check out some of my favorite resources on plant-based diets and aging:
Eating for Healthy Aging
Vegetarian Diets for Older Women
Why Is It Hard to Lose Weight As I Age?
Image: Sesame Tempeh Buddha Bowl, Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN