You probably think I’m going to make you eat kale or arrest you if you eat a piece of bread. Nope. I’ve created a Baby Boomer food pyramid for vibrant health and longevity for people who LOVE food but still want to rock like Betty White in their 90’s.
I have nothing against kale. It’s a super nutritious vegetable and I enjoy eating it. But, in my opinion, it doesn’t taste nearly as good as spinach or Swiss Chard. Popeye had it right.
I believe you can still eat healthy without having to give up basic food groups without having to subject yourself to glugging down green slime.
People who are so picky about what they eat are not very fun to eat with. I went out to dinner with one friend who sat there with only one pea on her plate because her diet was so restricted. Another never hesitates to break into a lecture about Mad Cow disease if you mention the word “hamburger.”
As a die-hard foodie, who has had a passionate love affair with food for as long as I can remember, it’s no fun to be deprived. I want to eat what I love and not feel guilty. Eating should be exciting, sensual, and utterly delicious.
The Eat Smart, Feel Good, Live Longer Food Pyramid for Vibrant Health [Infographic]
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With that said, there are a few food items, I strongly encourage you to avoid.
- Stay away from processed and packaged junk because it’s not “real food.” If the item has an “ingredient list” be suspicious. Practice clean eating. That doesn’t mean you can never eat a French fry again. If a bag of those suckers is sitting in front of me, you can bet I’ll dive in and enjoy every bite. We all love fries. But, I make sure not to order them because I know I can’t resist.
- Go easy on dessert. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to a “decadent” sweet treat once in a while as long as it isn’t your main source of nutrition. I don’t keep sweets at home because I know it would be too much of a temptation. On the other hand, I wouldn’t turn down a decadent plate of Tiramisu at a fine Italian restaurant. (Especially in Italy) Enjoy pleasuring yourself on occasion. (Oh, that sounds sexy!) Indulge in a cup of gelato, sip a Cadillac Margarita or savor an onion ring. But only do it occasionally.
The Eat Smart, Feel Good, Live Longer Food Pyramid for Food Lovers explained. (starting from the bottom)
The Mediterranean Diet is the SMARTEST Diet according to USA Today
Food pyramid level #1 – Physical Activity
Okay, I know exercise isn’t a food, but it’s critically important if you want to live a long and vibrant life. When you regularly move your body, it revs up your metabolism and increases your stamina. You have to get up off your butt throughout the day to work off what you eat and to keep your body flexible. It’s especially important as you get older. I get up early every morning, put on a fitness tracker, and walk. My goal is 10,000 steps per day.
Caution: If you haven’t been physically active, start slow. Don’t jump into exercise without working up to it or you might have a heart attack. Always get checked out by a doctor before starting ANY form of exercise. It’s best to focus on safe exercises like walking or swimming after the age of 50. You don’t want a knee or hip replacement because you attempted a marathon or fell down a mountain.
Read: The 7 Best Online Exercise Programs for Women Over 50
Food pyramid level #2 – Vegetables
Your mom told you to “eat your vegetables” and she was right. Make vegetables the most important food group in your diet.
Eating plenty of vegetables every day will not only optimize your health but will also make it easier for you to lose or maintain weight. Eat a “big bunch” of vegetables at every meal, even breakfast. They will fill you up. Vegetables provide the antioxidants, phytonutrients, and FIBER you need for optimal health. They naturally cleanse toxins out of your body making it unnecessary for you to spend your hard-earned bucks detoxing.
Enjoy a colorful salad or homemade vegetable soup daily. To reduce your calorie intake, serve your meals on a small salad plate rather than a regular-sized plate. Make your portions 80 percent vegetables, 10% protein, and 10% whole grains. Stop eating just before you feel full.
A good rule of thumb is to eat like an Italian.
If possible, grow your own fresh, organic vegetables in your garden. If not, haunt your local farmer’s market or have a farm box delivered regularly to your door.
Flash frozen vegetables are fine if fresh isn’t available. They’re convenient because you can dole out as much as you need and then put the rest back in the freezer.
Picking vegetables and fruit from your garden is a sure way to know it’s organic. Farmer’s markets and health food stores sell organic produce but not always.
Look for these certification labels below to be sure.
Don’t muck up your healthy salad
Salads are nutritious until you screw them up with store-bought dressing.
Bottled dressing is notoriously high in calories, contains sugar, artificial ingredients, and too much salt. All you need to do is sprinkle a few drops of a quality extra virgin olive oil on top of your greens with either a squeeze of fresh lemon or a sprinkle of vinegar. You can add mustard, herbs, sea salt or pepper for flavor. If you like a creamy dressing, mix in a small dollop of plain Greek Yogurt.
Try one of these 4 homemade salad dressings.
Fermented food will keep your gut healthy
Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut, pickles, tempeh, miso, Kim Chi, Kombucha, and sourdough contain natural probiotics that will aid your digestion and add healthy immune-building bacteria for gut health.
Powerhouse vegetables
Super nutritious and immunity-boosting vegetables include asparagus, fennel, beet greens, green and red cabbage, Bok Choy, kale, broccoli, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, onions, chives, tomatoes, cucumbers, turnips, Zucchini, and mustard greens. Make your salad bowl look like a rainbow by mixing in as many colors as you can.
The type of lettuce you eat matters
Nix blah iceberg lettuce and toss your salad with romaine, red leaf, green leaf, mustard greens, kale, spinach, chicory, parsley, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, mesclun, dandelion greens, endive, arugula, or escarole.
Peppers are antioxidant-rich
Add varieties of peppers to your salads, stews, and other dishes. Cook or eat raw red, green, yellow, purple bell peppers as well as hot peppers. (if you can stand the heat)
Food pyramid level #3 – Fruits, Beans, and Legumes
Fruit – contains important antioxidants and nutrients but also natural sugar so go easy on them. Watermelon and tomatoes are rich in lycopene that helps prevent cancer and other degenerative diseases. Bananas contain magnesium that controls blood pressure. The antioxidants in fruit are anti-aging.
Instead of juicing, eat your fruit in its natural state
When you juice, the fiber is removed and what’s left is mostly sugar. Always eat your fruit whole. When you have plenty of fiber in your diet it will keep you regular, which is important as you age. Also, a dentist friend of mine told me it’s important to chew for better digestion.
Read about why you may want to rethink juicing here.
Beans and Legumes
Beans and legumes also provide FIBER as well as calcium and protein. Eat some every day. If you’re visualizing the fart scene in Blazing Saddles, don’t worry. Once your body gets used to eating beans and legumes, unexpected toots won’t be a problem.
If you cook legumes with a couple of bay leaves and a piece of kombu seaweed it will help you avoid getting gas. You can find kombu at some health food stores. Soak it for 10 minutes and then throw away the soaking water. Do not use it if you have issues with hyperthyroidism. Don’t mix legumes with whole grains in the same meal as that will also cause gas and bloating.
Try this easy to make and yummy garbanzo bean salad. It’s my go-to potluck dish.
Food pyramid level #4 – Seeds, nuts avocados, whole grains, and potatoes
Seeds, nuts, and avocados
I adore fresh avocado and eat it practically every day. I also love almonds and other nuts. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are also wonderful when you sprinkle them on your salads. Nuts and avocado contain healthy fat, omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, and will help prevent disease.
Almonds provide calcium that’s necessary for healthy bones. My problem is that I could eat an entire bag of almonds in one sitting. Kudos to Trader Joe’s for their “handfuls of almonds” in a bag. If you aren’t near a TJ’s, add a dozen or so nuts to a snack bag as your daily allotment. Caution: even though nuts and avocados are high in nutrition, they are also high in calories, so don’t overdo it.
Whole Grains
I bet you’ve been told by the food police that it’s bad to eat bread or other flour products that contain gluten.
The fact is; only 1% of the population has Celiac disease and needs to be on a gluten-free diet. However, some people have other stomach issues. If that’s YOU, it’s important to make an appointment with a Gastroenterologist first to find out if you need to be on a gluten-free diet. If you stop eating gluten BEFORE you see your doctor, it will be hard to get an accurate diagnosis.
Whole grains are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Freshly baked bread is a staple in most European countries like Italy, Spain, and France. It isn’t called “the staff of life” for nothing.
Indeed, wheat isn’t the same as it was a half-century ago. Food manufacturers have hybridized flour and processed yeast to make bread rise better. That’s what’s been causing the high rate of gluten intolerance in the world, especially in the U.S. If you make your bread, purchase high-quality flour. It’s also better to use a starter culture with wild yeast instead of instant or quick yeast.
Did you know that bread only molds when sugar is added?
Sugar is not a necessary ingredient when you make bread. If no sugar is added, you can leave a freshly baked loaf of bread wrapped up on the counter for at least two weeks and never see any mold.
Other healthy grains include brown rice, buckwheat, barley, bulgur, (cracked wheat) millet, oatmeal, quinoa, farro, and spelt, corn, teff, sorghum, and oats. If you are gluten intolerant, avoid wheat(wheat berries, spelt, kamut, farro, and bulgar) rye, barley, and triticale.
You can’t go wrong with Bob’s Red Mill products.
Leaky gut and other digestive issues
People who have taken large doses of antibiotics may develop a fauna and flora imbalance in their bodies and suffer from candida, (yeast infections) leaky gut, IBS, and other stomach ailments. These conditions are worsened by eating grains that contain gluten. However, foods rich in probiotics will help heal leaky gut. You can also take a probiotic supplement.
For most people, whole grains will provide fiber, iron, and other nutrients that are necessary for good health. When purchasing bread, look for stoneground-sprouted organic wheat as the first ingredient or try gluten-free flours like amaranth, buckwheat, millet, and oat. (non-contaminated), Other healthy grains include cornmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and popcorn.
BEWARE of foods marketed as GLUTEN-FREE because they may wreak havoc on your health
Before you think I’m insane for saying this, “Gluten-free flours” and packaged food substitutes are often notoriously high in starch and may contain chemicals. Read food labels carefully. Gluten-free flour may also become contaminated in the store. For this reason, don’t purchase gluten-free flour from bulk bins if you’re gluten intolerant. Also, be aware that gluten-free flours must be blended carefully or they will turn into sugar and do a number on your metabolism.
It’s a wonder how we Baby Boomers survived eating Wonder Bread.
Potatoes
Spuds have earned a bad reputation among those who promote the low-glycemic diet. However, potatoes are one of America’s favorite comfort foods and contain many healthy nutrients. Eat and enjoy potatoes in moderation, but be careful not to slather them in butter, sour cream or ketchup and don’t eat them deep-fried in fat. I love small fingerlings or Yukon Gold potatoes because they taste like their buttered on their own. Sweet potatoes and yams are highly nutritious and should always be included in your diet.
Did you know that potatoes originated in Peru where they have over 3,000 varieties? They were brought over to Ireland where they became popular.
Food pyramid level #5 – Eggs, Fish, Dairy
Cheese and Yogurt
In case you didn’t know, Velveeta is not real cheese and sugar-infused flavored yogurts with artificial food coloring are not real yogurt. They are. . . pardon, my French. . . crap. High-quality aged cheeses and plain Greek yogurt provide calcium that will help prevent osteoporosis. Yogurt, kefir and some aged cheeses contain active probiotic cultures that will help maintain your body’s flora and fauna balance. If you’re a cheesehead, don’t feel guilty but eat cheese in moderation because it will add to your muffin top if you overindulge.
Eggs
Eggs are the perfect protein. When you purchase them at a store, make sure they haven’t been injected with antibiotics or hormones. Three of my siblings, even one who lives in a big city have had chicken coops in their yards. You can’t beat the taste and quality of a truly free-range egg.
Fish and Seafood
Did you know the world’s healthiest diet is Pesco-vegetarian? (fish as the only meat source)
Fresh untainted seafood has so many heart benefits that if I were to ever give up eating animal products, I would never give up fish. Go WILD literally when it comes to seafood. Avoid farm-raised or contaminated seafood products because they aren’t as nutritionally rich and may contain mercury. Fresh non-contaminated fish provides iodine that will keep your thyroid in balance. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are excellent sources of Omega 3 Fatty acids.
Even Former President Bill Clinton, who went “vegan,” several years ago, is said to sneak in a little fresh wild salmon once a week for its protein and other health benefits.
Food pyramid level #6 – Beef, Poultry, and Dark Chocolate
Meat and Poultry
Human beings, as a species, are omnivores. (our ancestors ate vegetables, fruit, and hunted and consumed meat)
What’s happened is that as we’ve evolved, the proportions of vegetables, fruit and the meat we consume have changed. Since we no longer need to hunt for meat, it’s easier to obtain. Americans have become “meat and potato heads.” In contrast, Italians only eat meat as an accessory (tiny amounts) to their meals. A dish of spaghetti with giant meatballs is rare in Italy and is purely an American adaptation.
Years ago I was traveling cross-country on Route 66 and we stopped at a restaurant in Amarillo, Texas. The restaurant was offering a 32oz steak because everything in Texas is big. Anyone who finishes off a steak like that is a perfect candidate for a heart attack. The recommended protein allotment for a woman or a man should be the size of that person’s palm. (about 4 – 5 oz.)
There’s nothing as American as a juicy hamburger
A burger itself isn’t bad if it comes from a grass-fed cow and doesn’t contain hormones or antibiotics, It’s also what you put on a burger that determines its health value. As American’s, we add a white-flour bun that has zero nutrients and turns into sugar in our body. Then, we slather it with Miracle Whip, Ketchup, processed cheese, or Thousand Island dressing. Suddenly your lean little burger becomes a super-sized meal of over 1,000 calories. Other lean meat alternatives that make delicious hamburgers include ground bison, venison, turkey, or salmon. I had an insanely yummy veggie burger that was made out of portobello mushroom.
Also, be wary of processed hot dogs, sausages, and deli meats. Make sure the meat is aged without chemicals. (like they are in Italy) In and Out Burger (a fast-food chain that’s mainly in California) serves fresh beef and you can order it “protein style” without the bun and wrapped in lettuce.
Most living centenarians eat a Mediterranean-style diet
The Mediterranean diet popular in Italy, Spain, Greece, and the Middle East is rich in vegetables but is balanced with whole grains, beans, legumes and small portions of meat, poultry or seafood.
Pure vegetarians and vegans have lower body fat and are healthy. However, if their meatless diet is not diligently managed, they might lack important vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health. Supplementation may be necessary. It’s also important for vegans, vegetarians, those who are gluten or lactose-free to avoid eating so-called “health foods” (marketed to them) that are junk.
A note on taking supplements – Supplements can be as toxic as taking prescription drugs if taken in too high of a dose. If your body doesn’t need it, don’t take it. Have a blood test first to determine what vitamins and minerals are lacking before spending a fortune on expensive supplements.
Chocolate
For many women, chocolate is “medicine” but not all chocolate is equally healthy. Dark chocolate with over 70 % cacao is a true super-food. The flavonols in dark chocolate help lower blood pressure and aid in vascular function. Raw Cacao improves cognitive function, provides UV protection for the skin, and makes it softer! However, dark chocolate is also high in calories. Limit your portions to 1-2 small squares a day.
When you purchase dark chocolate, read the labels. Some manufacturers use child slave labor. (Unfortunately, that still exists) Look for organic-fair-trade brands. Make sure it isn’t processed with alkali, which can be harmful. Milk chocolate has fewer health benefits and usually contains more sugar.
Consumer Reports has recommended Trader Joe’s dark chocolate with 70% cacao and that’s what I often buy.
Other high-quality dark chocolate brands you can purchase online including:
Order gorgeous French dark chocolate gift sets from ZChocolat – Their dark chocolate is 70% cacao and is sources from Venezuela.
Sugar
As I mentioned before, enjoying a decadent dessert once in a while makes life fun. Just keep in mind that sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup, is an ingredient you want to avoid. In large quantities, it may feed cancer, mess up your metabolism or cause obesity.
If you want dessert, go for homemade apple or berry pies, Italian cheesecake, gelato, or sorbets. Stay away from sweets that contain artificial colorings and flavors.
Nix artificial sweeteners.
It’s better to have a “spoonful of sugar,” honey, maple syrup, or stevia than a sugary concoction made up in a chemical lab. Put “real” whipped cream on your homemade ice cream rather than eat a chemical version of it. Use half & half or milk instead of sweetened coffee creamers. You can also try soy, almond, or coconut milk but check to see if sweeteners or other chemicals have been added first. They usually are. Also, those “kinds of milk” are highly concentrated so beware.
I repeat. Read food labels carefully.
Avoid the following sweeteners on food labels.
acesulfame potassium,alitame,aspartame,cyclamate,Dulcin,Equal,Glucin,kaltame,mogrosides,neohesperidin dihydrochalcone,neotame,NutraSweet,Nutrinova,phenylalanine (A phenylalanine warning can alert you to hidden Aspartame),saccharin
Splenda, sucralose, Twinsweet, Sweet N Low, Sweetmyx
Food pyramid level #7 – Stay hydrated with pure mineral-rich water
Water is life and the best anti-aging liquid there is. Staying hydrated is especially important, as you get older. That doesn’t mean you have to drown yourself drinking buckets of it. However, keep a bottle of water with you at all times, especially when you are out and about.
Instead of spending money to buy fancy bottled water, you can filter it using an inexpensive pitcher with a filter. This saves the environment from excess plastic bottles.
I live in Los Angeles and we have awful tasting tap water. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to live in Flint, Michigan. However, other cities have excellent tasting tap water that doesn’t need to be filtered. The natural minerals in water are important so don’t spend money on “purified” mineral-free water.
Also, use a reusable water bottle to be environmentally conscious. But make sure to ALWAYS rinse it out every evening before you go to bed.
A big trend right now is to drink alkaline water.
The jury is out on the benefits. The truth is, it’s not necessary and is often expensive. An easy, cheap, and natural way to raise the Ph in your water is to add a little fresh lemon or lime juice. That way you won’t have to buy an expensive alkaline water system. As a bonus, the citrus will give you a natural dose of Vitamin C.
Flavored bottled waters almost always contain sugar and artificial colorings.
Again, read the labels.
Make your own tasty “spa” water by adding sliced lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges or cucumbers to a beautiful water dispenser.
People who live in the world’s longevity hotspots (Italy, Greece, Costa Rica, etc.) drink pure mineral water from mountain springs. Some of it is even and filtered through the volcanic soil. It contains elements that improve bone health like silicon, calcium, and magnesium. Two outstanding and award-winning mineral waters are Gerolsteiner from Germany and San Pellegrino from Italy.
Ban soft drinks from your life
(Coke, Pepsi, 7-up, etc. are sugar bombs) except for carbonated mineral water. Sports drinks, (like Gatorade) energy drinks, (heart attacks in a can) and diet drinks of all kinds are tremendously unhealthy and contribute to the rapid rise of type 2 diabetes and metabolic diseases. Don’t buy into their snappy advertising.
Only purchase soda pop to take the corrosion off your car battery.
Food pyramid level #8 – Wine, tea, and coffee
Mama’s gotta have wine.
People have been drinking wine for thousands of years and it’s frequently mentioned in the Bible. For those who live in the Mediterranean region, wine what people drink for lunch and dinner.
Most centenarians say they drink a glass of wine, or some other type of alcoholic beverage every day. (in moderation, of course)
If you don’t drink alcohol, then don’t worry about it. It’s not mandatory. Grapes and resveratrol supplements are just as good.
Women should only drink one 5 oz glass of wine per day and men two 5 oz glasses.
Red wine contains resveratrol, which is an anti-aging antioxidant. A Pinot Noir in the Finger Lakes region of upper state New York is said to have the highest amount of resveratrol.
Organic tea
Tea contains antioxidants that are anti-aging and are known to extend longevity. It’s good for your bones, stimulates your metabolism, and protects your immune system. No wonder English Royalty enjoys long healthy lives.
Be careful when you purchase tea because some brands contain heavy metals. Art of Tea, based in Los Angeles, is a tea importer and wholesaler that sells organic, high-quality teas and gift items. They have a huge variety of blends to choose from.
Coffee also has excellent health benefits
Like tea, it contains antioxidants. Coffee will improve your mental capacity, metabolism, helps you lose weight, lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, cirrhosis of the liver, cancer, and even stroke. Cold-pressed organic coffee is especially tasty and chemical-free.
To learn more about coffee with a “conscience” and how to cold press it, click here and listen to the 2 Boomer Broads podcast with Arabica Dabra Coffee CEO Jackie Mendelson. For the freshest and best tasting coffee, grind it yourself right before making a pot.
Other wonderful organic coffee brands are known for their remarkable taste that include:
Food pyramid level BONUS – The Italian Secret to Longevity – Olive Oil
Olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet and its most famous longevity secret.
Extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil is heart-healthy and will even soften your skin. Use it for salads and drizzle it lightly on vegetables. Extra virgin olive oil is not heat resistant so don’t use it for cooking. Instead, try grapeseed or coconut oil.
Go easy on the quantity of olive oil that you use. Even though it’s healthy it’s high in calories. Use it instead of butter or margarine whenever possible. Other healthy oils include walnut, almond, pumpkin, avocado, hemp, hazelnut, tea seed, and red palm oil.
Outstanding olive oils you can purchase online that include:
Why some “health foods” are just as junky as junk food
Health food stores are stacked with vegetarian meat substitutes and diet foods. These foods are almost always processed and contain chemicals. What’s the good of being vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free if you’re still eating junk? Just because the label says “health food” doesn’t mean it’s “real food.”
Protein powder
Although I’m not a big fan of “diet” foods there are times when a good protein shake comes in handy, especially if you are doing a cleanse or detoxing. They may also be a good option if you’re undergoing treatment and need healthy nourishment. Be careful about what brands you choose. It’s best to go with an organic raw protein like pea protein as opposed to soy which some people are sensitive to. Soy can also wreak havoc with your hormones. Also, be wary that women over 50 are recommended NOT to take iron supplements unless they are severely anemic. Some protein shakes contain excess iron. Below are some protein drinks you may want to consider.
In conclusion:
Eat and enjoy “real food” as long as it’s right for YOUR body. Be aware of portion sizes when you eat a meal. If you’re President of the Clean Plate Club, like me, use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. That way there’s no need to go on a diet and you’ll never feel deprived.
When you eat smart you’ll save a ton of money, stay healthy, and it will keep you moving and grooving for a long, long time.
Eat well, live long, and stay healthy!
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I agree with everything in moderation. I can’t give up my ice cream but I need to not eat it all the time. Carol
Moderation is the key. There’s no need to have to deprive yourself of the things you enjoy in life. Life is meant to be enjoyed. As long as you eat lots of veggies, drink enough water and avoid overly processed and artificial ingredients you should be fine. Indulge every once in a while and love every minute of it.