38 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • FEBRUARY 20, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
wellness
Four ways you can tune up your
nutrition and live healthier longer
Just about everyone feels like
they could use a little extra pep
in their day, that surge of energy
to get things done and enjoy their
favorite activities. Th is is especially
true as we age.
However, very few people actually
feel as if they have the energy
they need. Th e stress of modern
life, poor sleep habits, consuming
processed foods and less than
optimal digestion are triggering a
perfect storm for a human energy
crisis.
Th ere are several simple ways to
tune up your nutrition and lifestyle
habits so you can feel better
than ever. A great place to start is
with your diet.
“A healthy diet that is rich in
plant foods, whole grains and
lean proteins is always the starting
point in reaching optimal health,”
says Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, an
author and internist. “At the same
time, as we get older, it’s important
to understand how our bodies
change, and what we need to do to
help our bodies get what they need
to keep our systems running well.
“However, despite our best
eff orts,” Teitelbaum explains, “it
is very diffi cult for us to get all
of the nutrients we need from
food alone. Sometimes nutritional
supplements may be
needed to fi ll nutrient gaps.”
In addition to movement
and a healthy diet,
Teitelbaum shares things
people in their 50s and 60s
need to know to optimize
their health
and feel good.
1. Your digestive
system changes as you
age, so make sure it’s
getting support.
A healthy digestive tract is crucial
for overall health. As we age,
our digestive systems oft en need
more support in order to properly
break down food and absorb
the nutrients our bodies need to
function optimally, according to
a study published in Oncotarget.
To get the most nutrition from
the food you eat, Dr. Teitelbaum
recommends talking to your doctor
about adding a plant-based
enzyme supplement to your regimen
to support your digestive
health. GI Digest, for example, is a
comprehensive digestive enzyme
formula designed to assist in the
proper digestion of proteins, fats,
starch, dairy and gluten.‡
2. Small things can
make a big diff erence
for heart health.
Getting an adequate supply of
omega-3 fatty acids along with
vitamin D, also known as the
sunshine vitamin, may support
cardiovascular health.‡ Because
vitamin D is best absorbed in
the body when taken with a fat
source, Dr. Teitelbaum suggests
talking to your doctor about a
supplement that has a combination
of omega-3 fatty acids and
vitamin D, like QÜELL Fish Oil
EPA/DHA Plus D.‡ Also, be
sure to talk to your doctor about
other heart-healthy habits you
can incorporate into your life,
because things like daily walks,
reducing stress and increasing
your fruit and vegetable intake
can all support heart health.
3. Is your energy lagging?
It may be a
simple defi ciency.
As we age, we tend to accept at
face value that having less energy
just comes with the territory.
Sometimes the solution is a
simple matter of meeting our
bodies’ nutritional needs.
For example, one mineral
that helps the body convert
nutrients into energy
is magnesium. When levels
get low, it can interfere
with your body’s
ability to access its
energy stores, causing
the body to
work harder, as
shown in a study
published in
the Journal of
Nutrition.
To support
your body’s metabolic function,
a supplement like Magnesium
Glycinate contains 100 mg of
magnesium in an easy-to-swallow
tablet.
In addition, vitamin B12 is a
nutrient that helps your body
convert food into energy; however,
as we age, our bodies can
begin to have trouble absorbing
enough B12. To support your
body’s energy needs, ask your
doctor about taking Methyl B12
Plus, a great-tasting lozenge that
rapidly dissolves in the mouth.
If your energy levels are lagging,
Dr. Teitelbaum says, it’s
important to talk to your doctor,
so together, you can uncover
the root causes, and he or she can
make recommendations.‡
4. Feed your body with
real, whole foods.
Food processing destroys
most of the vitamins, minerals
and other key nutrients the
body needs to function optimally.
Dr. Teitelbaum says the best
thing you can do is cut the sugar
from your diet and slowly add
whole foods. Th ough most adults
should be eating at least 1.5 cups
of fruit and two cups of vegetables
per day, a mere 9 percent
actually meet that target, according
to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
It may sound like a tall order
to work all those fruit and veggie
servings into your diet, but
break down the daily goal into
smaller parts and it may feel
more attainable. For example,
just take the simple step of adding
one extra serving of fruits
and veggies to each meal. Slice
some banana on your morning
cereal, opt for the steamed
veggies with your entree, snack
on veggies and hummus, and
close the meal with fresh berries.
Supplementing with a high-quality
multivitamin can also help
fi ll the gaps in your diet. Dr.
Teitelbaum recommends Ultra
Preventive X as a daily multivitamin
that can help provide the
nutrients you need in their most
usable forms for the body.
To address your needs and
support your health, always talk
to your healthcare practitioner
about adding nutritional supplements
to your daily routine.
To discover new ways to use
nutrition to tune up your health,
visit the Douglas Labs website
and watch the videos at www.
douglaslabs.com/tune-up-teitelbaum/.
— Courtesy of BPT
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