Foods to eat when you’re over 50.

As we get older, it’s not just our taste in music that seems to all of a sudden be

“old school” or Oldies, or Soft Rock. Nope… after the age of 30, our metabolism

begins to gradually decline. This means a little more padding around the waist, a bit more blubber around the thighs, and a tougher time burning the calories we take in.

Give into it? Or fight it?

Take control of your Metabolism, by shocking it with varied exercise (walking the

dog doesn’t count) and once and for all, stop eating like a kid.

Give up those non nutritious junk uh… foods and drinks.

Say sayonara to sugary drinks. Not only are they empty calories, they can lead to or

contribute to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2-diabetes.

Beans

Beans beans beautiful beans! Beans are high in protein and help your body stay

metabolically fit, which is why they are especially beneficial for the 50+ crowd.

And no, not everyone needs beeno. Try a variety and see what feels good in your tummy. There are after all, according to the World Genebanks, about 40,000different types of bean. Beans are also high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, folate, and iron.

Studies have found that in people with type 2 diabetes, eating about a cup of beans or lentils a day lowers hemoglobin A1c (a marker of blood sugar control) by 0.5%, which is a substantial improvement.

Apples (not pie, not tart, not Paltrow) RAW!

Good old fashioned apples are making a comeback, kicking aside the trendy

acaiberries and mangosteen. A large apple has about 5 grams of heart-healthy fiber which can lower both total and LDL cholesterol. A 2013 study found

that frequent apple eaters are at lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

Oh Nuts!

Those times where you typically pull open a bag of chips, quietly unseal a box of

cookies, or cut yet another “sliver” of cake, grab a handful of raw NUTS instead.

A 2013 randomized controlled trial conducted in Spain has found that an ounce of

mixed nuts daily reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death from heart

disease by 28-percent.

Eats so easy, being Green!

Spinach, kale, mustard greens and romaine… pile, it, on! Leafy greens may help to

keep your mind sharp as you age. Research presented this year at the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting, people who ate two servings of leafy greens a day

had the same cognitive ability as people 11 years younger who rarely ate greens.

Berries

Berries are good sugar. Good natural gifts from earth! They are another potential

brain booster. Strawberries, blueberries, and their sister fruits are rich in

phytochemicals that may help slow age-related memory decline by increasing blood flow to the brain and reducing harmful

inflammation.