The Age-Well Project

Change the way you age

Get our posts direct to your inbox

  • About The Age-Well Project
  • Books
    • Our Books
    • Reviews
    • References
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Recipes By Ingredient
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Family
    • On The Go
    • Soups and Salads
    • Treats and Snacks
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Press

WHAT TO EAT THIS SUMMER

July 30, 2020 5 Comments

  • A quick post before I don my walking boots and head off to the South Downs. When I’m not walking, I’ll be eating plenty of sage, large handfuls of capers, a little fish, and lots of plant-based protein. Here’s why…Let’s start with pickled capers which have long been a favourite ingredient of mine.  A recent study identified capers as a nutritional powerhouse, rocket fuel for both our brains and our hearts. How so? Capers contain a compound that activates proteins critical for both brain and heart health. The compound is a flavonoid known as quercetin, also described as ‘an atypical KCNQ potassium channel activator’, which means it helps get potassium in and out of our cells. Without adequate potassium our cells don’t function. Capers are the richest-known natural source of quercetin. Enthused researchers think that quercetin from the caper binds to a region of the KCNQ channel, tricking it into opening when it would normally be closed. They speculate that capers could even lead to future therapies for the treatment of epilepsy and abnormal heart rhythms.Capers have been eaten and enjoyed for over 10,000 years, and are already being studied for their  anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as their possible circulatory and gastrointestinal benefits. They feature heavily in the Mediterranean diet, and are both delicious and inexpensive, particularly when pickled not salted. Read more here.Capers go beautifully with fish (there’s a rather good, caper-dense salsa verde recipe in the recipe section of The Age-Well Project – if we say so ourselves).  There’s more good news when it comes to fish. According to a new study, older women who eat more than one to two servings a week of baked or grilled fish or shellfish are likely to have enough omega-3 fatty acids to counteract the effects of air pollution on the brain.  For Susan and I, this is great news, as we’re subjected to large doses of air pollution every day. The study involved over 1,300 women over the age of 70 and you can read the details here. The lead author explained that Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to fight inflammation and maintain brain structure in aging brains. They have also been found to reduce brain damage caused by neurotoxins like lead and mercury. And now, it appears they also have a protective effect against the miniscule particulate matter (PM2.5) found in air pollution.If you think fish and chips might work, I have to disappoint. Deep frying kills Omega-3s.  Stick to poaching, steaming, grilling, or flash frying with a splash of soya sauce or white wine.

    We’re partial to tinned sardines which are cheap and sustainable. Our sardine pate (pictured) contains capers, as does one of my favourite ways to eat salmon. Take a salmon fillet, squirt a little lemon juice over it, drizzle with oil. Add a handful of capers and some black olives, and bake for 15 minutes at 180.

    Sage (the herb) is also turning out to have remarkable properties. Clinical trials suggest sage might work wonders for our brain and cognition.  The science is, as ever, complex.  You can read more here, or simply  add some chopped sage to your sauces and stews. I love pairing sage with trays of roasted pumpkin and squash, or adding plenty to casseroles.  It’s pungent, but don’t be shy. Most dishes can take a much heftier quantity than we think. Our chicken liver pate includes an entire bunch of sage. As does our Brown Rice and Butternut Bake.

    My final study for today is a meta analysis reported in the British Medical Journal, linking a diet rich in protein with a longer, less diseased life. Protein is good for us as we age (indeed we need more protein as we age) but plant proteins win over animal proteins.  In a nutshell: Diets high in protein, particularly plant protein, are associated with a lower risk of death from any cause, says this report.

    Intake of plant protein was associated with an 8% lower risk of all cause mortality and a 12% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.  Interestingly, the study also found no link between consumption of animal products and a greater risk of heart disease or cancer. Not everyone will agree (you won’t hear this from Dr Michael Greger, for example).  But one thing’s certain: Including plenty of protein from nuts and pulses in your diet isn’t going to do you any harm. Quite the reverse it seems. In the words of the study authors: Replacement of foods high in animal protein with plant protein sources could be associated with longevity. Read more here.

    Enjoy your summer!

    Annabel

« WHY WRITING BY HAND IS GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN, A PRIZE DRAW TO SPUR YOU ON, AND SIMPLE STUFFED PEPPERS
HOW TO BEAT STRESS, ENHANCE NEUROPLASTICITY AND A FABULOUS TREAT FOR YOU »

Comments

  1. Jim Smith says

    July 30, 2020 at 6:01 am

    Great post! Would love your take on the Carnivore diet one day, gaining a bit of traction lately.
    As always, thank you for your informative inspirational posts.

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      July 30, 2020 at 4:17 pm

      I think Susan will be writing about that in the future. Certainly, protein is getting traction when it comes to healthy ageing… Thanks for your kind words too!

      Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      July 31, 2020 at 8:40 am

      Hi Jim
      Yes, as Annabel says, I’m looking into the role of protein as we age, and certainly eating more meat myself. As an ApoE4 carrier, I’m on a lot of forums and Facebook groups with my peers and the carnivore diet is definitely gaining traction there. Will report back soon!

      Susan

      Reply
  2. Katie Whiskin says

    July 30, 2020 at 11:49 am

    Great to hear that capers are so good for you. I will add the to even more dishes now. Enjoy the South Downs- sounds idyllic

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      July 30, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      Yes, throw them in. Who would have thought such little dull things could be so powerful? Have a lovely summer too. See you in the autumn? Annabel

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Welcome to The Age-Well Project

Welcome to The Age-Well Project!
Here you’ll find easy changes for a longer, happier life. We’ve immersed ourselves in the science of longevity and distilled the research to make it work in our everyday lives. You can change the way you age: here’s how.

Favourite Posts

WHY I’VE THROWN OUT ALL MY BEAUTY PRODUCTS (nearly…)

Why Alzheimer’s Is A Women’s Issue

HOW HAVING A DOG CHANGED MY LIFE

GREEN SPACE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, SADNESS AND BRAIN-BOOSTING BISCUITS

WHY ‘INFLAMM-AGEING’ COULD START IN THE GUT AND HARISSA-ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD

POLYAMINES – THE NEW SECRET WEAPON FOR AGEING WELL & MOROCCAN SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS.

THINNING AGEING HAIR – WARM CHICKEN LIVER SALAD

About The Age Well Project

This site is for anyone who wants to make the second half of their life as healthy, happy and disease-free as possible. Sign up to get the latest research on ageing – and delicious recipes to match – direct to your inbox.

agewellproject

⭐️Change the way you age
📚The Age-Well Project + Age-Well Plan ⭐️Get tips & recipes on our blog - sign up ⬇️

The Age-Well Project blog
We’ve been playing with Pinterest! We’ve upl We’ve been playing with Pinterest! 

We’ve uploaded 10 of our Age-Well recipes to Pinterest, just to test the water. We’ve got so many gorgeous recipes on the blog, and sometimes they’re hard to search. Hopefully being on Pinterest will make them a bit easier to find. 

Are you a…. pinner? Pinster? What’s the correct term? We don’t know! Anyway, if you are, could you let us know if we’ve done it right? Then we can start adding more recipes. 

Link in our bio to our Pinterest page

#pinterest #pinterestrecipes #brainhealth #longevity #womenover50 #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers
We’ve been thinking about this a lot recently: i We’ve been thinking about this a lot recently: if grieving is an inherent part of ageing, how do we do it well? 

As we get older, we must inevitably live with an accumulation of loss, because we’ve had longer to love. Love has a huge impact on our brains: they are literally rewired by our relationships. When someone dies, our brains struggle.  We cannot understand where they are, or why they have gone. We try to locate them in time and in space. 

How we cope with our emotionally overloaded brains in times of grief, and how it shapes us, is the subject of our latest blog post - link in bio. 

#brainhealth #longevity #womenover50 #cognitivehealth #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #longevity #longevityblog #healthblog #agewellblog #over50bloggers #grief #loss
Annabel is in Tel Aviv this week, finding her way Annabel is in Tel Aviv this week, finding her way around using a proper paper map - which is a fantastic brain work out. Research published a few days ago from McMasters University 🇨🇦 linked orienteering (a team sport which combines map reading with running) to reduced dementia risk. Who’s tried it? We’re keen to give it a go! @britishorienteering #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #aginggracefully #mapreading #orienteering #dementia #dementiaawareness #reducedementiarisk #alzheimers #alzheimersrisk #dementiaprevention #womenover50 #womenagainstalzheimers #agewellblog #longevityblog #healthblog #over50bloggers
Strength training is one of our non-negotiable Age Strength training is one of our non-negotiable Age Well strategies, so we’re always looking for ways to make the best of our work outs! 

5 top tips here - and more on the blog, link in bio. 

What are you top tips for strength training? Let us know

#longevityblog #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #healthblog  #longevity #over50andfit #agewellblog #midlife #midlifewomen #strengthtraining #buildmuscle #womenwholift #fitover50
In recent years we've both, like so many of our ge In recent years we've both, like so many of our generation, faced the consequences of caring for elderly relatives. But we talk so little about caring, and the unexpected burdens and stresses that can bring. 

Caring is an experience that's so difficult to prepare for, but it can help to share experiences. This is what we've done in our latest blog post. Do have a read and let us know your stories too - the link’s in our bio (and the post will also explain why Susan went on a ‘pilgrimage’ to Kentish Town!) 

#longevityblog #agewell #ageingwell #agingwell #healthblog  #longevity #over50andfit #agewellblog #hydration #midlife #midlifewomen #caring #carers #daughtersofdementia #dementiacarers
#carersupport #dementiacaregiver #dementiacare
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Contact Us

For any enquiries please email theagewellproject@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2023 The Age-Well Project