Performing these 8 daily routines after age 50 could potentially extend your life by over a decade.
As we age, maintaining a healthy lifestyle becomes increasingly important for longevity. According to nutrition and health experts, adults over 50 should focus on a balanced approach that combines nutrition, physical activity, fasting, and manageable lifestyle adjustments.
Prioritizing Quality Protein Intake
Adults over 50 should aim for 25–30 grams of high-quality animal protein per meal. This can include grass-fed beef, responsibly caught seafood, organic free-range chicken, humanely raised turkey, and crate-free pork. Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN recommends this protein intake to support muscle protein synthesis, metabolism, and preserve strength and mobility, countering natural age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia).
Staying Physically Active
Regular physical activity is crucial for maintaining a healthy heart and brain. Experts suggest engaging in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity like walking or cycling, and including about 50 minutes of higher intensity or strength-challenging exercise. This helps reduce risks of cardiovascular disease and early death, while supporting muscle strength and function.
Practicing Daily Fasting or Time-Restricted Eating
Incorporating daily fasting windows of about 12 hours, such as eating only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., or periodically trying fasting-mimicking diets can promote cellular renewal (autophagy) and reduce biological age and disease risks.
Healthy Diet
Focusing on reducing ultra-processed foods and excessive refined sugar or animal protein, while increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains is key to a nutrient-rich, minimally processed diet. These dietary patterns provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy fats that protect against chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Minimizing Stress and Establishing Routine
Consistent, sustainable small daily habits and routines help build resilience, reduce stress, and support long-term health. Cooking meals at home gives you control over ingredients, nutrient quality, and portion sizes, and can even support social connection and routine.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for protecting brain health and reducing inflammation in the body. Most people should consume at least 1000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids daily. Fatty fish provide protein as well as essential omega-3s, supporting heart and brain health. Alternative sources of omega-3s include chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, or hemp hearts.
Sleep
Getting enough sleep and keeping a regular sleep routine helps reinforce the body's natural circadian rhythm, which becomes weaker with age. Aim for eight hours of solid sleep each night, as sleep quality affects everything from memory and mood to immune function.
Moving Each Day
Moving each day, even at a gentle pace and/or in short bouts throughout the day, is vital for keeping the heart strong and the brain functioning at its best.
In summary, experts emphasize a balanced approach combining nutrition, movement, fasting, and manageable lifestyle adjustments to enhance longevity after 50. By minimizing the intake of ultra-processed foods, including a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, and prioritizing quality protein, adults over 50 can support their health and wellbeing.
- Amy Shapiro recommends a protein intake of 25–30 grams per meal from sources like grass-fed beef, seafood, organic chicken, turkey, and pork to maintain muscle protein synthesis.
- Engaging in at least 150 minutes per week of moderate activities like walking or cycling, along with about 50 minutes of higher intensity exercise, can reduce risks of cardiovascular disease and early death.
- Incorporating daily fasting windows or periodically trying fasting-mimicking diets can promote cellular renewal and reduce biological age.
- Focusing on fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains while reducing ultra-processed foods and sugar is key to a nutrient-rich, minimally processed diet.
- Establishing consistent, sustainable small daily habits like cooking meals at home can reduce stress and support long-term health.
- Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, or hemp hearts are essential for protecting brain health and reducing inflammation.
- Getting eight hours of quality sleep each night reinforces the body's natural circadian rhythm and affects various aspects of health, including memory, mood, and immune function.
- Moving each day, even at a gentle pace, is vital for maintaining a strong heart and optimal brain function.
- Science-backed lifestyle adjustments like these contribute to enhancing longevity after reaching the age of 50.
- A balanced approach to nutrition, movement, fasting, and lifestyle changes can help support adults over 50 in achieving their health and wellness goals.
- In addition to a balanced diet, workplace-wellness programs that focus on fitness-and-exercise, mindfulness, and other self-care practices can greatly improve the overall health and wellbeing of employees.
- Improving health-and-wellness through increasing plant-based foods, paying attention to skin-care, and exploring various therapies-and-treatments like CBD can contribute to slowing down the aging process and promoting overall wellbeing in both men's-health and womens-health.
