Nutrition After 40: What You're Eating Could Change Your Life

The goal for most people is to live a long and healthy life. The choices we make in our youth can contribute to longevity. Eating healthy, exercising, and staying away from drugs and alcohol will benefit us tremendously. When it comes to food specifically, recent research shows that what we eat in our 40s has a direct correlation with how we’ll feel in our 70s.

According to NBC News, Harvard researchers analyzed data from a 30-year study from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study dating back to 1986. At the time, all 106,000 were at least 39 years old and had no chronic disease. The study followed 70,467 women and 36,464 men. Every four years from 1986 to 2010, participants filled out a comprehensive food questionnaire.

By Wix

Eating Fruits and Vegetables in Your 40s Is More Important Than You Know

Registered dietician Anne-Julie Tessier, lead author and research associate at Harvard School of Public Health, told NBC News that researchers took that data and compared it against the DASH diet, the alternative healthy eating index (AHEI), and the planetary health diet. They made fascinating findings.

People with a diet rich in healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, legumes, and low-fat dairy showed greater odds of aging well. Those who ate more trans fats, sodium, red and processed meats had lower odds of healthy aging.

Researchers consider healthy aging as surviving to age 70 with good mental health, cognitive function, and physical function. That almost meant remaining free of most cancers and chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

Thomas Le

“We were surprised by the strength of the association between healthy eating patterns in midlife and a healthy later life, even after considering several other factors, like physical activity, that are also known to impact health,” Tessier shared

If you want to live a healthier lifestyle, it’s never too late to start. Moderate exercise, a balanced diet, and staying hydrated can help get your body's processes moving.