There was a time when a man in his 50s was considered old, not long to retirement and the beginning of the steady decline. These days men are living longer, more fulfilling lives. Healthy eating, exercise, reducing or excluding smoking and drinking can add years to a man’s quality and longevity of life. It is clear a nutrition diet is one of the most important ways a man over 50 can start to make healthy improvements to his lifestyle.

By 50 many men feel it is too late to start changing their eating habits, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. The good news is it is never too late to start looking after yourself and the benefits of taking up a healthy diet can be felt and seen almost immediately. Some men may feel at their age it is not worth depriving themselves of the pleasures of unhealthy foods but when they closely look at what a healthy, nutritious diet can give in return they may change their minds.

Of the 10 leading causes of death and disease in men, 4 are can be linked directly to a man’s diet. A healthy diet and healthy weight greatly reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes in a man over 50. Men over 50 need to look at reducing the amount total fat, saturated fat in animal products like meat or high fat dairy like butter, and eggs), transfats (found in margarines and baked products), cholesterol (high in shellfish, egg yolks, and organ meats), and sodium (salt) in their diets.

The prostate can be a sensitive area of discussion for many men over 50 but it is important to pay particular attention to the area as men age. Studies have shown that older men who eat vegetable such as broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts every day have a 48% lower risk of developing prostate cancer. It is also believed that green tea can lower the risks.

Testosterone production slows dramatically after 40. Testosterone is an important hormone for maintaining physical health and wellbeing in men. It is used to maintain muscle mass and for those men who like to stay in shape it is important to maintain your levels as much as possible. Foods high in fish oil is thought to help aid testosterone production.

What man isn’t interested in having a healthier sex life? Flagging energy levels, performance issues, weight gain or confidence can be a problem for any man. They can all be impacted by a healthy diet. Excessive alcohol or caffeine consumption, vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances have all been linked to sexual problems and can often be balanced, corrected and even completely solved by small changes to diet and lifestyle. Diets high in wheat germ, liver, ginseng, and some nuts are thought to improve a man sexual drive.