Learning From Horses – Prioritising Nutrition
If you ever dawdle around horses, you’ll notice that these majestic creatures are meticulous about their diet. They need their hay to be analyzed to ensure that it meets their nutritional needs. Doesn’t that make you wonder, shouldn’t we, as humans, also adopt the same attitude towards our food? You’d be surprised to see what we can learn about healthy eating from horses, especially for men crossing the age of 40.
You must be wondering, why am I comparing humans to horses, and why is it so relevant for men over 40? Well, it all comes down to the understanding of what goes inside our bodies and how it affects our health.
Changing Nutritional Requirements with Age
Isn’t it strange how the food that once delighted us in our 20s and early 30s, slowly turns into our health’s enemy as we grow older? As we age, our nutritional requirements change, and our diet needs to adapt accordingly. The consumption patterns that once brought us joy might now pose risks of heart disease, obesity and other health concerns.
Understanding Our Dietary Needs
And here’s the rub – many of us live on either end of extremes. We’re either facing deficiencies or surpluses in our diet, both of which can have detrimental effects on our health. But are you familiar with your dietary needs? Do you know if you’re overconsuming harmful nutrients or lacking the necessary ones for your body?
Let’s take a moment here to reflect on what horses can teach us about food. They don’t consume unless they know what’s in their hay. So, why aren’t we setting the same standards for ourselves?
The Power of Personalised Nutrition
In my profession as a nutrition coach, I’ve understood that nutrition is a highly personalized matter. Our nutritional needs are as unique as our fingerprints. Each one of us has a unique biological makeup, which makes our dietary requirements individual to us, especially men over 40 whose nutritional needs change dramatically.
Eating Right For Your Age
So, now the question is — Are you eating right for your age? Are you adjusting your diet to cater to your body’s changing needs? Or are you still stuck with your 20s’ eating habits?
Food As Your Health Ally
What’s critical to understand here is that food is not our enemy; it’s our ally. After crossing over to the age of 40, we need to view food through a different lens — one where it contributes positively to our health. Take, for example, the right type and amount of high-quality good fats you consume can protect your heart health, whilst incorporating fibre-rich foods in your diet can weigh down the accelerating weight gain. It makes sense now, doesn’t it?
Discovering the Power of Eating Right
That brings us to the crux of this discussion – we need to reconnect with our food. We need to think about where it comes from, what goes into it, and what it does for our body. More than just counting calories, we need to focus on the nutritional quality of the food we eat.
I’d love to guide you on this journey of discovery, help you understand your nutritional needs better, and change your perspective of food as you age. Remember lads, it’s never too late to adopt a healthy diet that matches your age and lifestyle requirements.
So here’s to unfurling the power of eating right after 40, just as horses do! Let’s not make food our foe but rather an ally for our health.
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