Health is Wealth
You may not realize it, but we all start losing 1 percent of muscle mass each year after age 30. That’s why your diet in later years should not look the same as it did when you were younger, says endocrinologist Susan Williams, MD.
Skipping breakfast, eating fast food and being inactive in your 20s and early 30s might not hurt your health in the short term. However, poor nutrition and lifestyle habits take their toll over time.
People who embrace good habits early on really get ahead of the game, Dr. Williams says. But it’s never too late to start eating better and taking better care of your body.
Whether you’re 30 or 50, Dr. Williams offers three important tips to get started in eating right when you are thinking about your long-term health.
RELATED: Do You Know How Much Exercise You Really Need?
A roller coaster of weight gain and loss can change your body composition and leave you with more fat mass and less lean muscle mass.
You also want to limit your snacks in between. The word “balanced” is especially important because eating a wide variety of foods will help you prevent nutritional deficiencies.
Dr. Williams suggests this simple shopping list:
Steer clear of cookies, cakes, pies, ice creams, juices and rich desserts. If that sounds like no fun, Dr. Williams advises treating these foods as treats. Save them for dining out or special occasions, but don’t make them part of your daily diet.
RELATED: Which Bread Is Best For You — Whole-Grain, Multigrain or Whole Wheat?
Eating protein and being physically active are equal partners in the quest for maximum health, Dr. Williams says. Muscles are made of protein, but simply eating protein is not enough to save them.
“Muscles in your body are a use-or-lose proposition,” she says. “You need to use them to keep them strong.”
Can’t carve out time for the gym? Try this daily routine:
Even a half hour of physical activity can make a world of difference, especially if you make it a habit in your 30s. “Don’t let your weight creep up while your muscle mass creeps down over your 30s and 40s,” Dr. Williams says. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get started — and the more muscle you will have already lost.
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Lean meats, fish, dairy and plant proteins can help you meet your protein needs without piling on saturated fat and sugar
You have options when it comes to putting protein on your plate. Lots and lots of options. But as you’re considering what proteins to include, remember this: Not all proteins are created equal.
For example, both hot dogs and cooked lentils offer protein — but one brings a little more to the table when it comes to nutrition and your health. (It’s lentils, just to be clear.)
“There’s more to it than just getting as many grams of protein as possible,” says registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. “Quality matters — and a lot of us don’t regularly consume good-quality protein that enhances our overall diet.”
Foods aren’t made of protein alone. That’s why simply comparing the number of protein grams on two nutrition labels doesn’t really tell you which might be the healthier choice.
Other factors matter, too, including the food’s overall nutrient profile. Consider how much added sugar, sodium or saturated fat it contains. Look at whether it provides beneficial nutrients, like fiber, vitamins and minerals.
“Over the long term, all of these affect your health,” says Zumpano.
Ideally, she recommends getting most of your protein from a variety of whole or minimally processed foods. That can include animal-based products, as well as plant-based protein sources.
What might that look like for meals? Start with these healthy protein sources.
If you’re fishing for a healthy protein, the seas are an excellent place to start. Like other animal proteins, fish naturally provide a concentrated source of protein. Fish generally contain about 7 grams of protein per ounce, although the exact amount varies by type.
Many fish are also lower in saturated fat and higher in omega-3 fatty acids, a one-two combination that makes them a standout for heart health. They’re also packed with key nutrients like vitamin D.
“Fish is a phenomenal protein source,” says Zumpano. “Regularly swapping it in for other meat sources can help you build a healthier and more varied eating pattern.”
Red meat has a place in a healthy diet. But the key is to choose lean cuts.
Picking a leaner cut gets you protein — about 7 grams per ounce — while minimizing saturated fat. Examples of lean cuts include tenderloin, sirloin, top round and flank steak. For ground beef, opt for 90% lean or higher.
Chicken, turkey and other poultry can give you protein without all the saturated fat found in some other meat choices — but how you prepare it makes a difference.
Zumpano recommends going with skinless white meat poultry. Like fish and red meat, it provides roughly 7 grams of protein per ounce. (There’s some variation depending on what you choose.)
Prefer dark poultry meat? That’s OK! It has a place on the table. Ideally, try to choose dark varieties (like legs, thighs and wings) a little less often because they’re higher in saturated fat.
Lean toward baking, grilling or roasting your poultry, too, and go easy on adding salt. Avoid deep-frying chicken or coating it in breading to stay on the healthier side.
Dairy-based foods can be an easy way to work more protein into your day, especially at breakfast. Zumpano says she often recommends eating Greek yogurt or cottage cheese in the morning.
Greek yogurt typically packs 11 to 12 grams of protein in a half-cup serving. Cottage cheese has 12 to 14 grams of protein in a half-cup serving.
Starting the day with either can pay off later. A protein-rich breakfast can help support steadier energy, blood sugar and appetite levels, which can keep you from crashing as the hours pass by.
Eggs are another simple, whole-food protein source that traditionally shines in the morning.
But eggs can also bring a protein boost to your lunch, Zumpano says. Hard-boiled eggs make a good snack, too!
That versatility with eggs makes it easier to spread protein intake throughout your day, which maximizes your body’s ability to get the most out of it. One large egg typically has 6 grams of protein.
Plant proteins deserve a regular place on your plate — and not just if you’re vegetarian or vegan. Cooked beans, lentils and other legumes provide about 15 grams of protein per cup, along with benefits you won’t get from meat alone.
“Plant proteins offer a whole slew of powerful vitamins, minerals and antioxidants — and the fiber that’s in it aids in creating a healthy gut microbiome, digestion and regularity,” Zumpano explains.
Nuts and seeds are another easy way to add plant-based protein to your diet when you get the munchies. They offer a healthy dose of protein — on average, 6 to 7 grams per ounce — along with fiber and other nutrients.
The healthy fats found in nuts and seeds can also help manage your blood sugar and appetite throughout the day.
“A handful of nuts or seeds can be a nutrient-dense snack choice that offers far more than chips or other carb-heavy options,” notes Zumpano.
If you want to make plants the star of the meal, tofu and tempeh are excellent choices. These soy-based foods are rich in protein and have enough texture and heft to serve as meat substitutes.
Tofu typically offers between 10 and 15 grams of protein per half cup. Tempeh is higher at 15 to 20 grams.
But don’t feel like you need to go “plant-only” to use tofu and tempeh. Add them into your meal rotation with red meat, chicken and fish. “Use them to build some variety into your diet,” suggests Zumpano.
A package that screams “20 grams of protein!” doesn’t automatically make a food healthy.
Some protein choices come with lots of saturated fat or heavy processing that may make them less than ideal.
Try to limit:
You don’t need to obsess over every gram of protein when putting together meals. Instead, focus on quality, variety and nutritional balance. Zumpano recommends:
“Protein doesn’t have to feel complicated,” reinforces Zumpano. “Find some protein-rich whole foods you enjoy and build meals from there. Do that consistently and your body will get the healthy protein it needs.”
Leading cause of death of those age 15-49
Stopping for happy hour with colleagues after work. Cracking open a cold beer (or two) while watching the game. Meeting up with girlfriends for a glass of pinot noir. Having an alcoholic beverage of choice is a common way to unwind. But according to a recent study, even casual drinking can put your long-term health at risk.
Liver specialist Jamile Wakim-Fleming, MD, did not take part in the study, but says the research found that alcohol was a leading risk factor for both disease and premature death.
“They found that alcohol was the seventh leading cause of death worldwide,” she says. “But even more alarming, is that it was the first leading cause of death of people between the ages of 15-49.”
The study looked at global data from hundreds of previous studies and found that for all ages, alcohol was associated with 2.8 million deaths each year.
Researchers found that alcohol-related cancer and heart disease, infectious diseases, intentional injury, traffic accidents and accidental injury were some of the leading causes of alcohol-related deaths.
Dr. Wakim-Fleming says people often believe that a little bit of alcohol, wine in particular, may be good for their heart. But the study results didn’t show any health benefit to drinking any amount of alcohol.
She says this information, along with previous research that has shown more young people are dying from alcohol-related liver disease, indicates that excessive drinking among young adults is a growing problem.
And like any substance-abuse problem, Dr. Wakim-Fleming says the damage to the body from alcohol increases over your lifespan.
“It’s a cumulative effect,” she explains. “If you do it all at once, then you’re going to have the effect now. If you drink on a regular basis, over years it’s going to be cumulative and you will end up with a problem later on.”
Dr. Wakim-Fleming notes that anything we do in life involves risk, but it’s important to know what the risks are so that we can make the best decisions for our health.
Complete results of the study can be found in The Lancet. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Pinterest alcoholalcohol and healthalcohol-related liver disease
Lean meats, fish, dairy and plant proteins can help you meet your protein needs without piling on saturated fat and sugar
You have options when it comes to putting protein on your plate. Lots and lots of options. But as you’re considering what proteins to include, remember this: Not all proteins are created equal.
For example, both hot dogs and cooked lentils offer protein — but one brings a little more to the table when it comes to nutrition and your health. (It’s lentils, just to be clear.)
“There’s more to it than just getting as many grams of protein as possible,” says registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. “Quality matters — and a lot of us don’t regularly consume good-quality protein that enhances our overall diet.”
Foods aren’t made of protein alone. That’s why simply comparing the number of protein grams on two nutrition labels doesn’t really tell you which might be the healthier choice.
Other factors matter, too, including the food’s overall nutrient profile. Consider how much added sugar, sodium or saturated fat it contains. Look at whether it provides beneficial nutrients, like fiber, vitamins and minerals.
“Over the long term, all of these affect your health,” says Zumpano.
Ideally, she recommends getting most of your protein from a variety of whole or minimally processed foods. That can include animal-based products, as well as plant-based protein sources.
What might that look like for meals? Start with these healthy protein sources.
If you’re fishing for a healthy protein, the seas are an excellent place to start. Like other animal proteins, fish naturally provide a concentrated source of protein. Fish generally contain about 7 grams of protein per ounce, although the exact amount varies by type.
Many fish are also lower in saturated fat and higher in omega-3 fatty acids, a one-two combination that makes them a standout for heart health. They’re also packed with key nutrients like vitamin D.
“Fish is a phenomenal protein source,” says Zumpano. “Regularly swapping it in for other meat sources can help you build a healthier and more varied eating pattern.”
Red meat has a place in a healthy diet. But the key is to choose lean cuts.
Picking a leaner cut gets you protein — about 7 grams per ounce — while minimizing saturated fat. Examples of lean cuts include tenderloin, sirloin, top round and flank steak. For ground beef, opt for 90% lean or higher.
Chicken, turkey and other poultry can give you protein without all the saturated fat found in some other meat choices — but how you prepare it makes a difference.
Zumpano recommends going with skinless white meat poultry. Like fish and red meat, it provides roughly 7 grams of protein per ounce. (There’s some variation depending on what you choose.)
Prefer dark poultry meat? That’s OK! It has a place on the table. Ideally, try to choose dark varieties (like legs, thighs and wings) a little less often because they’re higher in saturated fat.
Lean toward baking, grilling or roasting your poultry, too, and go easy on adding salt. Avoid deep-frying chicken or coating it in breading to stay on the healthier side.
Dairy-based foods can be an easy way to work more protein into your day, especially at breakfast. Zumpano says she often recommends eating Greek yogurt or cottage cheese in the morning.
Greek yogurt typically packs 11 to 12 grams of protein in a half-cup serving. Cottage cheese has 12 to 14 grams of protein in a half-cup serving.
Starting the day with either can pay off later. A protein-rich breakfast can help support steadier energy, blood sugar and appetite levels, which can keep you from crashing as the hours pass by.
Eggs are another simple, whole-food protein source that traditionally shines in the morning.
But eggs can also bring a protein boost to your lunch, Zumpano says. Hard-boiled eggs make a good snack, too!
That versatility with eggs makes it easier to spread protein intake throughout your day, which maximizes your body’s ability to get the most out of it. One large egg typically has 6 grams of protein.
Plant proteins deserve a regular place on your plate — and not just if you’re vegetarian or vegan. Cooked beans, lentils and other legumes provide about 15 grams of protein per cup, along with benefits you won’t get from meat alone.
“Plant proteins offer a whole slew of powerful vitamins, minerals and antioxidants — and the fiber that’s in it aids in creating a healthy gut microbiome, digestion and regularity,” Zumpano explains.
Nuts and seeds are another easy way to add plant-based protein to your diet when you get the munchies. They offer a healthy dose of protein — on average, 6 to 7 grams per ounce — along with fiber and other nutrients.
The healthy fats found in nuts and seeds can also help manage your blood sugar and appetite throughout the day.
“A handful of nuts or seeds can be a nutrient-dense snack choice that offers far more than chips or other carb-heavy options,” notes Zumpano.
If you want to make plants the star of the meal, tofu and tempeh are excellent choices. These soy-based foods are rich in protein and have enough texture and heft to serve as meat substitutes.
Tofu typically offers between 10 and 15 grams of protein per half cup. Tempeh is higher at 15 to 20 grams.
But don’t feel like you need to go “plant-only” to use tofu and tempeh. Add them into your meal rotation with red meat, chicken and fish. “Use them to build some variety into your diet,” suggests Zumpano.
A package that screams “20 grams of protein!” doesn’t automatically make a food healthy.
Some protein choices come with lots of saturated fat or heavy processing that may make them less than ideal.
Try to limit:
You don’t need to obsess over every gram of protein when putting together meals. Instead, focus on quality, variety and nutritional balance. Zumpano recommends:
“Protein doesn’t have to feel complicated,” reinforces Zumpano. “Find some protein-rich whole foods you enjoy and build meals from there. Do that consistently and your body will get the healthy protein it needs.”
Healthaware 