As you age, maintaining a balanced diet becomes more important to your overall health. Healthy whole foods provide micronutrients that keep your body strong, support your immune system, and help your brain function optimally.
However, when you’re socially isolated, you’re likely to ignore enough of these elements for a variety of reasons. When this happens over a long period of time, negative health effects occur as your body needs a constant supply of nutrients to function optimally.
Does malnutrition make you lonely?
In a study on age and aging, researchers examined the relationship between certain nutritional deficiencies and loneliness. They hypothesize that the more lonely a person is, the more likely they are to experience health problems.1
To establish the study, the researchers used an English longitudinal study involving men and women over the age of 50. Starting in 2002/2003, the researchers gradually collected data from previous years and sampled 3,771 people.2
Dietary intake was assessed by questionnaires comprising approximately 200 items grouped into 21 categories. To create an accurate analysis, participants reported the foods and beverages they consumed, as well as the portion sizes. The team then compared the answers to standard UK food charts and calculated macro and micro energy intake.3
An index consisting of criteria such as the following was created to measure participants’ social isolation and loneliness.4
- Frequency of social contact with other relatives
- Did they participate in clubs or not?
- If they live alone
Additional questionnaires were also administered to assess participants’ perceived loneliness. Their responses were scaled, with higher scores indicating greater loneliness. Overall, their study builds on previous research that has established a link between social isolation and poor eating habits among older adults.5
Deficient micronutrients in adults
The researchers identified a gap in the current literature – the lack of comprehensive data on the intake of micronutrients, especially among the socially isolated elderly. While studies have explored the broad relationship between social isolation and overall diet quality, the specific impact on essential vitamins and minerals has been less explored.
As most people know, adequate intake of micronutrients plays a key role in promoting healthy aging and preventing various health problems. In the study, the authors found that the respondents lacked five important elements.
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Vitamin B6
- folate
- Vitamin C
These substances play an important role in general health, supporting the immune system and ensuring proper brain function. In particular, magnesium and potassium are critical for muscle and nerve function, while vitamins B6, folate (also known as vitamin B9) and C play a significant role in energy metabolism and cognitive health.6
While the study itself doesn’t investigate why micronutrient deficiencies are more common in socially isolated older adults, lead author Andrew Steptoe, Ph.D., has a theory.7
“One explanation for this link is that if you’re more isolated, you may not have others around you to provide information about what’s healthy and encourage a more varied diet. Older people stick to familiar diets and may not vary their meals as much as they used to.”
Increase your micronutrient intake with healthy foods
Are you deficient in the micronutrients mentioned in the study? Don’t worry, adjusting your diet can help correct these deficiencies. But before you do, make sure you reduce the amount you take Linoleic Acid (LA)I believe that it is the most dangerous poison in the western diet. It is commonly found in vegetable oils, highly processed foods and beverages.
I recommend keeping your LA intake below 5 grams to protect your health. If you can get less than 2 grams, this is better because LA is associated with systemic inflammation, the risk of neurodegenerative diseases and reduces your body’s antioxidant capacity. That being said, I recommend adding these nutrients to your diet.
| Magnesium | Potassium | Vitamin B6 | folate | Vitamin C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black leaves | Watermelon | Black leaves | Brussels sprouts | Red bell pepper |
| Berries | banana | Papaya | Broccoli | Parcel |
| Organic yogurt | Coconut water | Orange | Spinach | Kiwi |
| Potatoes (peeled and boiled) | Tomato | Cantaloupe | Broccoli | |
| banana | Strawberry |
Exercise helps to get rid of loneliness
In addition to addressing the micronutrient deficiencies noted in the study, I recommend regular exercise to help ward off the blues. There is empirical research showing that exercise improves overall mental health. It also boosts your body image and self-esteem, thereby motivating you to keep exercising.
As stated in the study8 Published in Geriatric Nursing Physical activity has a significant impact on the physical and mental well-being of older adults. In particular, the risk of loneliness and social isolation decreased by 15 to 30 percent when exercising, the researchers said.
Moreover, people who exercise will have lower health care costs, which will reduce loneliness. In short, the money you save on self-care contributes to feeling better, because you’re not worrying about hospital costs.
In another study9 Similar findings were observed. People who exercised had better overall behavior and an improved quality of life. For example, the researchers pointed out that exercise improves sleep quality, which is important for mental health. Exercising can also help fight cravings for unhealthy habits like smoking, which can be detrimental to overall health. The researchers also noted the benefits of physical activity on mental health.
“Physical activity and exercise have been shown to improve depression symptoms and overall mood in people of all ages. Exercise has been implicated in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms in children and adolescents.
An international study found exercise to be a more effective and beneficial treatment for depression than a control group. Most forms of yoga, which begin with a focus on breathing exercises, self-awareness, and relaxation techniques, have positive effects on depression and well-being.
What is the best way to exercise right now? I believe the best approach is through moderate-intensity activities such as yoga, gardening and recreational cycling. As mentioned in my interview with Dr. James O’Keefe, doing these over a long period of time has better benefits than intense exercise.
To learn more about this radical exercise regimen, read my article “Nailing the sweet spots for exercise volumeHe said. There, I’ll discuss O’Keefe’s research as well as specific strategies to make sure you don’t cross the line into high-intensity exercise, which can harm your health.
