Healthy aging with a high-protein diet
Hi everyone! I’m Franziska, one of the registered dietitians on Diet Doctor’s editorial team. I’m also a certified diabetes educator who’s passionate about helping people improve their health with low carb.
In addition to writing evidence-based guides for Diet Doctor, I also review our recipes for nutritional accuracy. When you see the nutrition information listed for each recipe, you can be confident that it’s been verified by me.
My low-carb journey
When I first began eating a low-carb diet in 2011 to control my post-meal blood sugar, only a handful of other dietitians believed in this approach. Fast-forward ten years, and I’m happy to report that there are now hundreds of low-carb dietitians worldwide — and our ranks continue to grow. So encouraging!
One of the best things about low carb is that it’s flexible and can accommodate a wide range of eating preferences. I personally thrive on a high-protein, moderate low-carb diet that includes a diverse mix of animal and plant foods. Eating plenty of protein helps me feel satiated, keeps my metabolism up, and protects against muscle and bone loss.
However, I realize that some people may feel their best eating a little less protein than I do – or fewer carbs, more carbs, a mainly animal-based diet, or a mainly plant-based diet. I also prefer to eat three meals a day but understand that intermittent fasting can be life-changing for others.
Focus on what you can control
I can honestly say that I feel as energetic in my mid-50s as I did when I was younger, if not more so. In addition to eating high protein and keeping carbs low, I exercise every day, including strength training three times a week.
Unfortunately, we tend to lose muscle after age 35 – and the rate of loss increases more rapidly with each decade. The good news is, getting enough protein and performing resistance exercises can help you retain and even build muscle as you age.
My goal is to stay vital and independent for as long as possible — and I hope yours is, too!
Finally, I think it’s important to accept the realities of aging. Growing older presents many challenges – some that can be managed fairly easily, and others that are undeniably tough to handle. I know I can’t turn back the clock, but I’m thankful for all the things I can control: my diet, physical activity, and mindset. I hope to live many more healthy, happy years on this planet.
I feel so fortunate to work at a company whose mission is to empower people to dramatically improve their health – throughout all stages of life.
Tip 1: Find a way of eating that works for you. Experiment as much as you need to and recognize that what works best may change over time. Always meet your essential needs for protein and choose nourishing food that you like to eat.
Tip 2: Every day, engage in some physical activity that you enjoy. To preserve muscle, perform resistance exercise several times a week when you can. If you don’t have access to a gym, you can lift water bottles or cans of food while standing or seated – no gym required!
Tip 3: Adopt a grateful mindset toward aging. This is easier said than done, but it’s so important. Be thankful for the health you have, appreciate the opportunity to continue learning, and look forward to the future.
Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE, Senior Writer
Franziska thank you for your article
Thanks Franziska
Sarah Schoonwinkel.
Polly Murray
Carbs grams
Protein grams
Fat grams
To resume weight loss. I'm 71 not able to exercise much. My diabetes is down from 9 to 6. But weight 250
Thank you
I’ve been keto for 18 months and as a T1 diabetic it’s really improved my health Anne overall blood sugars.
My husband saw the improvement in my health but was resistant to change also- until he had a mild stroke while out cycling!
He needed to reduce his blood pressure - fear took over and he went keto immediately as well as only taking aspirin.
In a month he quit his sugar habit lost a stone and started sleeping better. He’s not had any more episodes and feels better in himself and has managed to avoid taking blood pressure pills - his BP is down to normal now. He is now what I’d call low carb.
I am 69 now and weigh under 200. My goal weight is 192. Trouble figuring out what to eat these days. High P, Low C, no sugar, if possible. I look 55 and feel 55 but still age related issues creak in now and then. Keto is alwlays in the back of my mind when shopping.
http://blogs.creighton.edu/heaney/2014/07/25/the-paradox-of-osteoporo...
Patients with adequate calcium intakes failed to reverse their osteoporosis unless their protein intake was greater than 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. That's 150% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of 0.8gm/kg! Yet another example of how absurdly low most of the RDAs are.
We are told that we need calcium for healthy bones - that's only half the story. Actually bones are made of calcium phosphate deposited in a matrix of collagen. The best sources of premade calcium phosphate are dairy products - milk, yogurt, cheese etc. However, in order to absorb the calcium from your gut you need vitamin D. You may be told that blood levels of 30ng/ml are "adequate" - not so, for most people a level of 50-60 ng is best. Look at the graph of Parathyroid hormone (PTH) vs Vit D on this page
http://blogs.creighton.edu/heaney/2013/04/08/defining-normal-part-two/
You can see that the trend line flattens out at a Vitamin D level of 125-150 nmol/Litre which is 50-60 ng/ml (the measurements used in the US). It's significant that cardiologist Dr William Davis also recommends 60ng/ml for heart health. You can also see from the graph that there is a lot of individual variation, so best to get a blood test of both your D and PTH levels. If your doctor won't order them or they're going to be expensive, the best option in the USA seems to be via the Life Extension organisation. Make sure you get a copy of the blood test results and don't just accept your doctor's assurance that everything's fine. As I indicated before the levels considered adequate by mainstream medicine are nothing of the kind.
To ensure the calcium you absorb is deposited in your bones and not your arteries and other soft tissues you need vitamin K2. K1 is the form found in green plants from which your body makes blood clotting factors. The conversion of K1 to K2 is minimal in humans. K2 is only found in animal life (including bacteria) and occurs in several chemical forms - mammals make MK-4 while bacteria make MK-7 (hence fermented foods like cheese and yogurt contain MK-7). While our bodies can convert MK-7 into MK-4 and K1, MK-4 is the preferred form in humans. In Japan they treat osteoporosis with 45mg/day of MK-4,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4042573/
Compare this with the normal dose of 100 milligrams MK-7 found in most supplements in the US. A Japanese fermented soybean food called natto is the richest food source of K2 however most Westerners can't stomach it and it's only 1mg/100gm so you would have to eat 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds!) every day to get 45 mg, so supplements are your only realistic option. This company is the most cost-effective I've found on a $/mg basis at 25mg per capsule
https://www.k-vitamins.com/index.php?page=vitamin-k-home
You could try 1 capsule a day for 3 or 6 months and see if your bone density scan improves.
Re food sources of Vitamin K this page gives good data
https://honey-guide.com/2014/03/10/menaquinones-k2-and-phylloquinone-...
Frozen natto is available in Japanese-oriented grocery stores or may be available by mail-order. Some people are also making it at home. Other than that, aged hard cheeses seem to be the best food sources ie not cottage cheese or ricotta. The longer the fermentation time the higher the K2 level, so vintage cheddar (aged 12-24 months) will be higher than mild cheddar (1-3 months). Other fermented foods like fermented vegetables, yogurt and kefir may also provide some K2 which is protective against osteoporosis however in your case with significant damage already food won't supply enough, you will have to supplement. However adding foods containing K2 won't hurt and might help.
All this provides the building blocks for healthy bones but you need to stress your skeleton to prompt the body to lay down bone. Astronauts in space lose bone mass because their bodies are no longer subject to the stress of standing upright and walking under gravity. So too do bedridden people. You need exercise that provides impact stress on your body - lifting heavy weights is best, followed by running, then walking. Hopping on alternate legs or bouncing on a trampoline will also promote bone growth in your legs and spine (but not arms). If you are unsteady on your feet there are mini trampolines that have a frame you can hold on to while you bounce. Google "rebounding trampoline".
In searching for K2 on the internet you'll see a number of claims that you'll get all the vitamin K2 you need from your gut bacteria. While it's true that your gut bacteria make K2 they do it for their own benefit not for yours. In a video Dr Mercola asked Cees Vermeer of the Rotterdam Group* of researchers about gut bacteria and K2. Cees responded that the bacteria are present too low down in the gut for the K2 to be absorbed and so it gets excreted in your feces. He said that the only way to get K2 from your gut bacteria would be to do like rats and eat your own poop! You first.
* The "Rotterdam Group" are a bunch of Dutch researchers at the University of Rotterdam who've published a number of papers on K2 and health. Cees Vermeer is one of the principal researchers although the lead author is usually Schurgers hence their studies usually get cited as "Schurgers et al".
Hi, Ada! You will probably enjoy our video series on exercise for beginners! It doesn't involve going to the gym or using any equipment. https://www.dietdoctor.com/lets-get-moving-with-this-new-video-course...