It’s good to discover that food can actually help promote the health of your gut, whatever your age. Find out how adjusting what you eat can cut the risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
The digestive tract is basically a long elastic and muscular tube that stretches to fit food in and move it through its length. All manner of changes occur with age, but you can address these via your diet.
The smooth transit of food through the digestive tract is aided by rhythmic wave-like contractions (peristalsis) that squeeze food through the oesophagus, small intestine, and colon. We don’t need to think about controlling such contractions as the part of our nervous system not under conscious control automatically takes care of them. But a natural drop in neuron numbers with age, together with slower impulses and a loss in muscle tone, slows down peristalsis and makes digestion increasingly sluggish, making constipation more likely. Eat fibre daily to keep the digestive system functioning smoothly.
The digestive tract is teeming with over 100 trillion micro-organisms, which affects not only gut health, but many aspects of our wellbeing, including our immune system (see here). As we age, the composition of gut bacteria becomes less diverse. Just one of the side effects is potential digestive complaints, such as constipation and bloating. Eating more prebiotic and probiotic foods helps to promote healthy and diverse gut flora.
The right level of stomach acidity is vital to destroy bacteria in food but also to enable digestive enzymes to work effectively. However, once we reach our 50s, the stomach lining becomes less active and the production of acid can fall. Less acidic conditions can make it harder for the body to absorb several nutrients, including iron, folate, zinc, calcium, and vitamin B12. Eat gut-friendly foods and follow the longevity eating plan, which provides all micronutrients in plentiful amounts.
Nearly 40 per cent of older adults have one or more age-related digestive symptoms each year.
The stomach lining loses elasticity with age, so is less able to accommodate large amounts of food. Food takes longer to move into the small intestine, too, so the stomach feels fuller for longer; as a result, appetite may wane. A poor appetite can result in poor nutrient intake. Eating small amounts regularly, rather than a few big meals, can help to ensure enough food is eaten to meet nutritional needs.
The digestive tract – all 9 metres (291⁄2ft) of it – is designed to extract all the goodness from our diet. Each part of the gut is functionally different and responds better to certain foods. Fibre-rich foods and probiotics promote gut health, while refined foods are linked to disease.
Bananas are an excellent source of prebiotics – non-digestible carbohydrates that make their way into the large intestine to feed good bacteria. One study of overweight women found that eating two bananas a day as a snack increased levels of bifidobacteria (good bacteria) in the gut after 30 days.
Wholegrains are packed with fibre, which is essential for healthy digestion and preventing constipation. Studies also show that cereal fibre and wholegrains offer the greatest protection against bowel cancer – one study found three daily servings of wholegrains reduced the risk by 17 per cent.
Studies show that people who eat nuts find it easier to control their weight, possibly because nuts are satiating. Research also shows some of the nuts’ fat passes into the gut undigested, so fewer calories than would be expected are absorbed. Studies also show that those who eat at least 28g (1oz) of nuts five times a week had a 25–30 per cent lower risk of gallstones.
Studies show ginger fights nausea, stimulates bile production, relieves stomach discomfort, and speeds transit through the digestive tract. It also helps to break up and dispel intestinal gas, to counter bloating.
Yogurt is packed with probiotic bacteria, which may protect against constipation, and ulcerative colitis. Eating yogurt has been linked to having lower body weight, less body fat, and smaller waists.
Good intakes of yogurt are linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and a lower body mass index.
Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are high in fibre and protein, helping us stay fuller for longer. Their soluble fibre aids blood sugar control, while insoluble fibre is filling and helps to keep waste moving, guarding against constipation.
33%
lower risk of colon cancer by eating pulses at least three times a week.
All fruit and veg have positive effects on the digestive system. Their fibre intake helps to control blood sugar and adds bulk to stools, helping to prevent constipation. Some fibre feeds gut bacteria, helping them to flourish.
Foods to avoid
• Meat – Limit red meat to no more than 500g (1lb 2oz/cooked weight) a week and avoid processed meat altogether. Both are linked to a higher risk of bowel cancer. Processed meat has also been shown to increase the risk of stomach cancer.
• Refined foods – Skip white, processed carbs (pasta, bread, and rice) as they’re low in most nutrients and take the place of fibre-packed and nutrient-rich wholegrains.
• Sugary and fizzy drinks – Sugar-sweetened drinks increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Fizzy drinks and products containing artificial sweeteners (such as sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol) can have a laxative effect.
• Alcohol – Excessive amounts of alcohol increases the risk of several digestive cancers, including those of the oesophagus and bowel.
When it’s working well, we rarely register our gut, but when something goes awry, it can become hard to ignore. Below are common age-related conditions that significantly affect gut health and how these can be addressed through diet.
Even if you are failing to pass a stool every day, this doesn’t mean you’re constipated. Chronic constipation is defined as having fewer than three bowel movements a week for at least three months. Physiological changes make constipation more likely with age. Bowel contractions weaken, so waste moves more slowly and more water is absorbed en route, making stools harder and more difficult to pass. Eat wholegrain foods and a range of fruit and veg every day to boost fibre, and increase your intake of fluids. If constipation doesn’t ease, visit your doctor.
Drinking plenty of fluids is one of the simplest ways to avoid constipation and keep things moving.
EAT PLENTYFresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, fluids
LIMITProcessed foods, refined carbs
Doctors use body mass index, or BMI, to assess whether a person’s weight is healthy for their height and to identify if they are under- or overweight or obese. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 means you’re above your ideal weight, and a BMI of 30 or above is obese. Obesity can exacerbate the natural changes that occur with ageing; these changes increase the risks of many conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Being active and eating a diet such as the longevity eating plan (with its high intake of fruit and vegetables, fibre-rich food, and monounsaturated fats) helps to keep weight at a healthy level.
EAT PLENTYFresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses
LIMITFoods high in saturates, processed foods
The hormone insulin plays a crucial role in controlling blood sugar levels. It’s responsible for allowing glucose into cells for the conversion of fuel, which is either used immediately or stored as glycogen for later use. When insulin isn’t working as it should, diabetes can result. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that destroys insulin-producing cells. In type 2 diabetes, cells no longer respond properly to insulin; this type of diabetes has a close correlation with obesity and age. As we age the body also becomes less efficient at using glucose, so diabetes risk increases. However, this type of diabetes has a close correlation with lifestyle and age, and is far more likely to develop in people who are overweight or obese. Diabetes can have a knock-on effect on health overall and accelerate ageing, especially if it’s undiagnosed or poorly controlled, contributing to eye and joint problems and affecting kidney function. Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable.
Several large-scale studies have shown that making targeted lifestyle changes can slash the chances of developing diabetes by as much as 50 per cent in at-risk individuals. Building periods of activity or exercise into each day is essential and following a balanced healthy eating regime, such as the longevity eating plan, can help control weight.
EAT PLENTYYogurt, fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, spices
LIMITProcessed foods, sugary foods
The gallbladder stores bile, a substance produced by the liver to help the body digest fats. If there is an imbalance in the chemical make-up of bile, gallstones can form; these can be large or small. As many as one in six of us has these stones; their presence is known only when a stone becomes stuck in one of the bile ducts and causes pain. If this happens, doctors may remove the gallbladder via keyhole surgery. Obesity is a contributing risk factor, so being a healthy weight reduces your risk. If you need to lose weight, aim to achieve this slowly since studies show that rapid weight loss increases the risk of developing gallstones.
EAT PLENTYFresh fruit and vegetables, pulses, nuts
LIMITProcessed meats, fatty foods
After the age of 50 changes in the large intestinal wall can lead to the formation of small pouches, known as diverticulae. Up to one in three people between 50 and 60 are affected. The condition can have no symptoms, but if waste in the bowel gets lodged in a pouch and becomes infected, diverticulitis results. Though common with age, diverticular disease isn’t inevitable; being a healthy weight and active reduce the risk of the condition. Research is ongoing into the causes, but it’s thought that healthy gut flora may play a part in promoting bowel health.
EAT PLENTYYogurt, fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, nuts, fluids
Bowel cancer risk rises with age. Most cases develop from polyps, which are stalk-like growths in the bowel, but not every polyp becomes cancerous. Polyps can usually be removed before they become harmful, so have a check up if you have a family history of polyps or an inflammatory bowel condition. Eat plenty of high-fibre foods and aim to get most protein from sources such as fish, beans, and soya.
Cancer is a leading cause of death. Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide.
EAT PLENTYFresh fruit and veg (particularly berries and leafy greens), wholegrains, pulses, nuts, spices
LIMITRed meat, processed foods