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Ways to prepare for long, healthy and happy life in your 20s and 30s
Paving the way for a long and happy life in retirement can start early. Here's how.
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In order to be able to live a long, happy life, one should be sensible in eating habits and nutrition intake, as well as maintain good habits, stay active, have a good social life and avoid stress. (Shutterstock/Ajgul)
W
hen living a life surrounded by friends and loved ones, and with many items to check off of a long bucket list, we would expect to become super agers so that we have time to enjoy togetherness and all the adventures.
Preparation to become super agers (older adults aged 80 and above with cognitive abilities on par with much younger ones) can start from your 20s, but starting from your 30s is not too late either.
According to The Guardian, studies show that super agers are generally more resilient to the slings and arrows of life, more extroverted and less neurotic.
Being sensible with eating habits and nutrition intake is also very important, as well as maintaining good habits, staying active, having a good social life and avoiding stress.
Speaking of nutrition and other important things to stay healthy and age gracefully, below is a list.
In your 20s
This period is still crucial for growth, therefore focus is needed on the intake of calcium, folate and iron. According to The Globe and Mail, men and women need 1,000 mg of calcium each day to help bones reach their peak strength. One milk serving, for instance one cup of milk, ¾ cup of plain yogurt or 1½ ounces of hard cheese is equivalent to 300 milligrams of calcium. Possible substitutes are almond milk, fortified juice, salmon and cooked green vegetables.
Folate, vital for making and repairing the genetic material of cells (DNA), can be obtained from green vegetables, black beans and avocado. Women who are ready to become pregnant are recommended to take a multivitamin that contains 0.4 to 1 mg of folic acid.
In order to support metabolism, aid concentration and build hormones, it is wise to consume oysters, red meat, enriched breakfast cereals, cooked spinach and raisins that are high in iron. Women need 18 mg of iron to compensate loss from menstruation, while men need only 8 mg.
Read also: Ketogenic diet: More benefit or harm?
In your 30s
This is the age when people start to lose 3 to 8 percent of their muscle each decade. According to healthline.com, eating more protein could help the body maintain muscle. Furthermore, combining a protein-rich diet with strength training is very effective in fighting muscle loss.
Muscle loss, also known as sarcopenia, slows down the body’s metabolism too. Stay in shape by trimming calories from refined (white) starchy foods, sweets and sugars. While making sure to get enough calcium, folate and iron, men as well as women should take magnesium to energize the body, regulate blood pressure and maintain strong bones.
To meet the daily requirements of 420 mg (for men) and 320 mg (for women) magnesium, among the recommended foods are halibut, cooked Swiss chard, cooked spinach, almonds, plain yogurt and uncooked wheat bran. (mut)
