By Donna Berry, Contributing Editor
In mid-April my husband’s grandmother celebrated her 100th birthday. When I asked this petite, alert mother of three and twice a widow what her secret was to vim, vigor and vitality, she responded, “I eat good food.”
This was a response reflective of a woman who her entire life ate minimally processed foods, as well as balanced and portioned meals that always ended with something sweet. Sometimes it was fruit, other times chocolate, both natural sources of antioxidants. When time permitted, it was homemade custard made from all-natural ingredients, including egg yolks—a source of lutein and zeaxanthin for eye health, and choline for brain function—and cream—a source of calcium for bone health, as well as conjugated linoleic acid for lean muscle.
But times have changed. Today, most women rely on prepared and packaged foods. As 40 seems to be the age when the first signs of aging appear, what’s a lady in her 40s suppose to look for in the Nutrition Facts to kick off her journey into her golden years?
Masterpiece in the making
“Women have special dietary needs as they move through life, with each of life’s stages carrying with it certain health concerns,” says Aparna Parikh, marketing manager, DSM Nutritional Products Inc., Parsippany, NJ. “If you think about a woman in her 40s, the reproductive system is beginning to prepare for retirement and less estrogen is produced. Estrogen has many roles in a woman’s body, such as helping to protect the heart, to preserve bone strength and to lift and stabilize a woman’s moods. Decreasing estrogen also brings with it a host of gradual, yet visible, symptoms, including dry skin, wrinkles and weight gain, as well as very personal inconveniences such as fatigue, sleep disturbances and hot flashes.”
Studies have examined the influence of soy supplementation on a variety of women’s health concerns. “Soy isoflavones are classified as phytoestrogens, meaning that they are estrogen-like substances,” says Hartley Pond, vice president, technical sales, VDF/FutureCeuticals, Momence, IL. “Studies have linked soy isoflavones to a decrease in the occurrence of hot flashes and assisting with other menopausal symptoms.”
Angela Dorsey-Kockler, product manager, BI Nutraceuticals, Long Beach, CA, adds: “As women age, they may also absorb or process nutrients less efficiently. For example, B vitamins may be less well absorbed, and the skin may generate less vitamin D from sunlight. Women in their 40s and 50s also must begin to protect their mental acuity and physical strength so as to avoid later progression toward Alzheimer’s or injuries such as hip fractures in their senior years.”
It is human nature to believe one will never get old. Unfortunately, by the time one accepts the inevitable, some of the damage has been done.
