Diet

What does the science tell us? Focus on fuelling your body with what’s proven to work for now and the future with these stay-strong strategies

Your blueprint to better health

Our health as we age is a moving target. As part of the process of getting older, the elephant in the room is that we become more vulnerable to diseases, such as age-associated Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's and heart, and illnesses – chronic or viral. It has become painfully obvious in recent times that we need to protect ourselves more to better take it all on.

Dawn Bowdish, the Canada Research Chair i n Aging and Immunity and also a professor at

Hamilton's McMaster University with a focus on pathology and molecular medicine, says one of the key reasons older people can get sicker is comorbidity, or having one or more chronic disease or condition. So, how can we arm ourselves to better fight back against ageassociated disease? Bowdish breaks down the science, while we bring home a few easy solutions. All of which should be considered your blueprint for better health, starting now and through the rest of your life, pandemic or not.

> LOSE THE WEIGHT

The Science Breakdown “One of the things that we're finding as the epidemic hit North America is that obesity also seems to be a bit of a risk factor,” says Bowdish. “Obesity causes inflammation and immune changes. And actually, it's very similar from an immunologist perspective to premature aging.”

Bringing It Home Whole and un■ processed foods are generally more filling and help manage weight, according to a multitude of studies. Choose foods that make you feel

full without the necessity of larger portions and higher calorie counts: lean proteins such as fish, eggs and chicken, as well as Greek yogurt (with high protein); oatmeal; soups due to the high water/liquid content (check labels for high salt content, however) as well as vegetables, which in their whole, uncooked or gently cooked form, take longer to chew, which can help you feel fuller sooner.

TIP If you're a carb lover, choose boiled potatoes over processed foods like pasta; they hold more water and you'll quickly feel satiated while still getting vitamins C and B6, and minerals such as magnesium and potassium.

> MANAGE CHRONIC DISEASE AND INFLAMMATION

The Science Breakdown In a nutshell, people who manage their chronic conditions are also managing their inflammation, which helps the immune system do what it needs to do when it comes in contact with a new threat.

“Let's use diabetes as an example,” says Bowdish. “People who have really huge swings in their blood glucose tend to be the ones who are most likely to get pneumonia or to be hospitalized for other infectious diseases.” People who can keep that blood glucose nice and steady tend to be at the least risk, she adds. “For viruses, it's really not clear why that is, but we know that immune health increases with blood sugar control.”

Cardiovascular disease is another high-risk condition. It's also known that heart disease increases inflammation. So, advises Bowdish, people who are really proactive in managing their heart disease, especially if they're combining exercise and a healthy diet, will see a reduction in inflammation. “And also see their immune function going up.”

Bringing It Home Herbs and ■ spices that help fight inflammation, such as ginger, turmeric and garlic, as well as antioxidant-rich berries, tomatoes and green tea, along with nuts such as almonds and walnuts.

> IF YOU ONLY TAKE ONE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENT, MAKE IT D

The Science Breakdown “The only vitamin that passes the science test with keeping you healthy from infection is vitamin D,” says Bowdish. And there's sufficient evidence, she adds, that says living in the northern hemisphere like we do, we're almost all certainly a little bit vitamin D-deficient. Supplementing with the sunshine vitamin does seem to prevent serious respiratory infections. [On the other hand, studies show that vitamin C, for example, is better absorbed by the body through the foods we eat, rather than through a supplement.] A caveat: “We still have no idea if that's the case for [COVID-19]. It will take us a long time to figure that out.” Regardless, Bowdish believes that vitamin D is the only supplement worth spending the money on during this particular outbreak.

Bringing It Home Aside from a ■ daily supplement – Health Canada advises between 600 and 4,000 IUs for adults up to 70 years of age and between 800 and 4,000 IUs for those over 70 – dietary sources of vitamin

D include fortified milk, yogurt, white mushrooms and eggs (the D is in the yolk). If you're not eating dairy, look for fortified orange juice. Fatty fish such as sockeye salmon, swordfish, sardines and canned tuna – even a spoonful of good oldfashioned cod liver oil – are also sources of vitamin D and omega-3s, a known immune booster.

> IF YOU MUST BE ON A “DIET,” MAKE IT THE MEDITERRANEAN

The Science Breakdown “The science is sound enough to suggest that it's one of the ways to a healthy, happy life,” says Bowdish, “and is associated with longevity.”

Bringing It Home Olive oil, fresh ■ fruits and vegetables are the hallmarks of a Mediterranean diet. Choose fish over meat, nuts as an energy boost and shy away from sugar as much as possible. Beans and legumes can be a budgetfriendly staple, but be mindful of portion sizes as, although they pack a healthy fibre and protein punch, they can also be high in calories. A little goes a long way.

TIP Yogurt with cultures, a.k.a. probiotics, aid in balancing the gut and may help stimulate your immune system to help fight disease. —Vivian Vassos with files from Tara Losinski

in the body, including regulation of the immune system and tissue repair. Nine amino acids, known as “essential” amino acids, can't be produced by our bodies, so we can only attain them by breaking down protein in our diet. Unfortunately, emerging research suggests that the dietary guidelines we've relied on for years have been badly low-balling the amount of protein we need. That gap is even greater when we're older or coping with added stressors, like chronic disease, because we become less efficient at processing the nutrient. In other words, if your muscle mass is shrinking, so is your ability to fight off disease and recover from injuries.

But you can take steps at any age to preserve your muscle mass, even beef it up again. That's good news because it could extend your life. In fact, a 2018 study at the University of Michigan showed that in a group ofmorethan8,000seniors aged 65 and over, those with greater muscle mass were outliving their weaker peers.

And, yes, muscle-building involves rolling up our sleeves and getting physical through weight-training and weight-bearing exercise. But the food we eat also plays a key role. “We need nutrition to fuel our muscles,” says Prado. “You can exercise but if you're not getting enough nutrition, where are the energy and nutrients going to come from to build the muscle?” Depending on your age and health, you should aim for one to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight – not the 0.8 recommended by Health Canada, which hasn't been updated since 2005. If you're a senior with a health issue who hits the scale at 59 kilograms (130 pounds), for example, you might need as much as 88 grams of protein daily.

Here, seven power foods that can improve your muscles – and your odds for a longer, stronger life.

1 EDAMAME THE BONUS A SOURCE OF DIETARY FIBRE

You can get all your amino acids as a vegetarian, just as long as you're not a picky eater. You need a varied diet since most plant-based proteins are not complete. An exception is edamame and other soybean products like tofu. Edamame is particularly high in leucine, an important amino acid that acts as a sort of “on” switch for your muscle factory. In addition, edamame provides dietary fibre, which brings its own benefits – after all, it's hard to focus on bench-pressing when you're feeling bloated.

2 CHICKEN BREAST THE BONUS AN AMINO ACID POWER HOUSE

Meat is powerfully high in protein (one chicken breast contains 31 grams). Plus, as an animal product, it's a complete protein source. That means it contains all nine essential amino acids in one tidy, ovenroasted, rosemary-sprinkled package. “Meat should not be avoided as long as it's lean,” says Prado. Eat red meat in moderation and avoid processed meat as much as possible, as these are high in saturated fats and sodium.

3 PLAIN GREEK YOGURT THE BONUS A VITAMIN D AND CALCIUM FIX

Greek yogurt is strained during production, so it's more concentrated than regular yogurt and thus packed with protein. You'll get 11 grams from a half-cup serving. Dairy also contains calcium and is fortified with vitamin D, two more nutrients that are necessary for muscle health. But read your labels, yogurt lovers, becausestrainingitcanlower the calcium content, and not all producers refortify to make up for it. Plus, a plain yogurt touted as lower in fat could be diluted and have less protein.

4 SALMON THE BONUS A CHRONIC INFLAMMATION FIGHTER

Salmon has 24 grams of protein in a 100-gram serving. And it contains omega-3 oil, another nutrient our muscles rely on. Fish oil helps to control chronic inflammation, one of the factors that can speed up muscle loss. It also helps your body respond properly to the hormone insulin, lowering your diabetes risk and, as it turns out, providing one more piece in the muscle puzzle. “If you're more sensitive to insulin, you can build more muscle mass,” explains Prado. In a recent paper in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, she and her colleagues reviewed previous research

papers demonstrating that omega-3 fatty acids helped cancer patients preserve muscle mass and improve muscle quality as they underwent treatment.

5 WALNUTS THE BONUS THE NUT THAT PACKS THE MOST PUNCH

Nuts such as almonds, pistachios and cashews can be a savoury source of protein. And many types, though not all, contain omega-3 fatty acids. The walnut stands apart as an MVP for your muscles. It provides a high amount of omega-3 fat compared to other nuts while also delivering three grams of protein for every 10 walnut halves.

6 EGGS THE BONUS LOADED WITH OMEGA-3S

Breakfast for dinner! This complete protein is easy to digest and can also be a source of omega-3 fats. (And although eggs contain cholesterol, that doesn't mean they raise our cholesterol.) But for best results, you should eat the whole egg, not just egg whites. Otherwise, you may be missing out on some of the muscle-boosting benefits: a 2017 study of men at the University of Illinois found a 40 per cent greater muscle response after workouts when protein was consumed from entire eggs, compared to only the whites. We know from other studies that the difference doesn't come from the fat. Rather, the researchers concluded that it's best to eat this protein in its original natural form.

7 WHEY PROTEIN THE BONUS THE BEST WAY TO SUPPLEMENT

We can't stress enough that the makings for muscle-building should come from whole foods as much as possible. “The benefit is you get all the other nutrients that the foods provide,” says Prado.

But if you're not getting enough protein from your diet alone, she adds, it's not a bad idea to consider supplementation. While there are lots of high-protein products on the market, not all of them perform when they're put to the test. A new study from Hamilton's McMaster University shows more muscle gain i n older women who take whey protein, a powder extracted from dairy. And because it's a powder, tossing it into more than just a smoothie is easy.

“You can add it to foods such as soups and shakes,” says Prado. Thus, it's another promising way to power up. — Lisa Bendall