Let’s face it – we’re all living longer.? And as we age, we tend to lose the vitality that we experienced in younger days.? Or do we?? I’m convinced that we can retain and often regain the energy that we’ve lived with most of our lives.? There are a few things we can do.? And it involves one of my favorite things – eating!? If you’re on the downside of 40, take a look at some of these suggestions and if they speak to you, ?start your own anti-aging campaign!

1. Avoid overeating.? If you eat until you feel full, you’ve over eaten.? Simple as that.? If you have a hard time knowing when to stop, add less to your plate than you normally would.? When the plate is clean, take a moment and decide how you feel.? Fifty years of research has shown that when a nourishing diet is eaten sparingly, aging is retarded.? Another benefit to eating less?? You save money on food.? And since that tends to be a big budget buster for most people, it’s a great way to start saving some money.? So #1 is don’t overeat.? It’s #1 for a reason – it’s the most important on our list.
2. Don’t eat late at night.? I know this can be tough for people who work late, have long commutes, activities after work, etc.? Make lunch your biggest meal of the day and eat lighter for dinner.? Try a salad with some protein (black beans, small piece of salmon) or a sandwich.? You’ll thank yourself later – YEARS later : )
3. Avoid sudden, extreme dietary changes like South Beach or other extreme diets, extended fasting or detoxing.? Our bodies tolerate gradual change much better and adapt more easily.
4. Avoid foods that weaken your immune system.? Foods like refined sugar, coffee, alcohol, too much salt and highly processed foods.? As we age, we tend to want salty or sugary foods because our taste buds diminish.? Adding in salt and sugar reminds us of how food used to taste.? Try a little honey, stevia or brown rice syrup if you need a little sweetener or eat foods that are naturally sweet like carrots, sweet potatoes, bananas and cantaloupe.? For salty cravings, try celery.
5. A high protein diet taxes the digestive, respiration and circulation?organs.? It also weakens the bones.? Be mindful of protein portion size.? It’s better for your bones and your wallet!

Exercise and getting enough sleep also have restorative powers.? But the long and the short of it is, we are what we eat.? It’s a saying older than dirt, but it still applies today.? Eat well my friends!