It’s never too early to start eating healthy, here is the blueprint for your ideal diet if you are in your 20’s & 30’s from health expert Fareeha Jay, a dietician!
Health experts stress upon the importance of adapting your diet as you age. As well as keeping your body healthy and avoiding diseases, eating well can also be the key to a positive outlook and staying emotionally balanced. No matter your age or your previous eating habits, it’s never too late to change your diet and improve the way you think and feel. It’s never too early to begin focusing on a healthy diet and making changes.
Health expert, Fareeha Jay who is a Registered Dietician based in Plymouth. She is working as a Diabetes specialist, conducting educational sessions for people who are recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. She also has a private practice. Her work entails online consultations with South Asians all over the world. In addition to this, she is quite active on social media and never misses out on making fun yet informative videos for her followers. She listed down the all the ways you should be changing your diet in your 20’s and 30’s:
Levelling Up Your Diet in Your 20’s and 30’s
20s and 30s are those decades of our life when we usually develop more regular habits. If we do not develop healthy eating habits at this stage, we will likely continue the less ideal habits. Therefore, it is a crucial stage of our life where our focus should be on adopting a healthier lifestyle. Here is why and how:
Bone Building:
Its surprising to find out, the bone-building continues in our 20s. Therefore, we need to pay attention to our calcium intake.
Sources of Calcium: Milk, cheese, yoghurt. However, those who do not have dairy for certain, specific reasons should try and include plant sources of calcium such as chia seeds, fortified plant-based milk and yoghurts, soya, sesame seeds, beans, pulses, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
Fertility:
20s and 30s, for most people, is the time to think about fertility. There is evidence for certain foods that can be included in your diet that may help boost your fertility, such as fish, walnuts, whole grain, fruit, vegetables and soya. If you are trying to conceive, ensure you have folic acid supplementation.
Combatting Stress:
This is the time when many people go through different types of stress. For some, it can be education; for others, it can be job and for others family pressures. Many factors are involved; however, diet can play a massive role. There are some foods which may help combat the stress. Foods with folate, magnesium and zinc should be added to the diet.
Sources of Folate: leafy greens, including liver, pulses and beans, bananas, and fortified breakfast cereals.
Sources of Magnesium: Nuts, legumes, seeds, whole grains, bananas, green leafy vegetables
Sources of Zinc: meat, shellfish, legumes (lentils, chickpeas), nuts, seeds, dairy products and whole grains.
Maintaining Muscle Strength
When we reach 30s, the ageing process starts, and the body starts losing muscle mass. To maintain our muscle mass, the following two things must be included:
Strength Training: It will help build muscles, enhance our quality of life and protect our joints and bones.
Protein: To maintain and repair muscles, include protein in all meals—meat, fish, eggs, nuts, pulses, lentils and beans.
Prevent Cell Damage
As we move from the 20s to 30s, foods high in antioxidants should be included as they will prevent cell damage. Have fruit and vegetables and focus on variety and different colours.
Be sure to incorporate the above if you are in your 20-30’s!
It’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian to create a personalized diet plan that meets your specific needs as you age. They can provide guidance on nutrient intake, portion sizes, and any dietary restrictions you may have, helping you maintain good health and quality of life as you grow older.
Here is Fareeha Jay’s Instagram handle!
