As people age, their nutritional needs change, and women over 50 are more prone to memory loss, hip fractures, breast cancer, and stomach cancer. This article will tell you how to use diet to help you say goodbye to these troubles.
Strawberries and Blueberries
A recent report in the Annals of Neurology stated that older women who consume more of these two berries can delay memory decline by up to two and a half years. Researchers suspect that the beneficial flavonoids in these berries play a positive role.
"In our long-term, large-scale studies on berry foods, we found that women who consumed two or more servings of strawberries and blueberries per week had a modest reduction in memory decline," said lead researcher Elizabeth Devore. And increasing berry intake is undoubtedly a very simple dietary adjustment, so why not do it?
Furthermore, a 2007 Harvard study found that older women who consumed two servings (1/2 cup) of strawberries per week had reduced inflammation in their blood vessels, as nutrients in strawberries, including fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin C, have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Dark Green Vegetables
It helps increase calcium in bones. As early as 1999, researchers clearly stated that another key for women to pay attention to for bone growth is to supplement with vitamin K, which helps prevent hip fractures in later life.
In a survey of the diets of 72,000 women aged 38 to 74 over the past 10 years, scientists found that women who consumed more vitamin K (over 110 micrograms) had a 30% lower chance of developing hip problems than those who consumed less. Dark green vegetables like kale, collard greens, and spinach are important sources of vitamin K.
At the same time, preliminary research results indicate that vitamin K can also help maintain skin elasticity and prevent wrinkles.
Green Tea
Researchers at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, after studying the eating habits of 75,000 middle-aged women, found that drinking green tea can help women resist digestive system cancers, including colorectal, stomach, and esophageal cancer. Women who drank green tea more than three times a week for six months had a 17% lower risk of developing these three digestive system cancers. The study was published in the *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*.
The components of green tea that help prevent cancer are polyphenols or compounds called catechins, which have disease-fighting chemicals. Research has confirmed that catechins may prevent cancer by inhibiting the growth of tumor cells and reducing DNA damage.
In fact, drinking tea is indeed a good anti-cancer strategy for women, and black tea also has a positive effect in reducing the risk of digestive tract cancers.
Walnuts
Heart disease is the number one killer of women's health, and walnuts are rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids called alpha-linolenic acid, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A new study in the *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition* found that eating walnuts is the best source of alpha-linolenic acid, with a handful of walnuts containing up to 2.5 grams, which can reduce the risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 10%.
But for women, more importantly, nuts can also prevent breast cancer. A 2011 report in the journal *Nutrition and Cancer* pointed out that eating a moderate amount of walnuts daily can help prevent breast cancer. Researchers speculate that this is due to the combined effect of various anti-cancer components in walnuts, such as vitamin E, alpha-linolenic acid, phytosterols, tea polyphenols, and carotenoids.
Red Wine
An occasional glass of wine or other alcoholic beverage can help middle-aged women stay healthy. Women who drink one to two alcoholic beverages a day have a 28% lower chance of developing chronic diseases, disability, and cognitive decline after age 50 compared to non-drinkers.
"There are different lifestyles between drinkers and non-drinkers," said lead researcher Qi Sun from Harvard. "It is not yet clear whether it is certain compounds in alcohol or the overall lifestyle of drinkers that allows middle-aged women to be healthier, but we believe that moderate drinking has beneficial effects."
However, experts also remind that this is not a call to drink. A very key word in the above theory is: moderation.