Many people start feeling tired when they hit their 50’s, and blame it on their age. That’s probably not the case at all. A lack of energy at mid-age and older is more often due to dietary deficiencies. For example, the reason I can ride BMX and ski race at my age is because I’ve done a lot of research about what the boomer body needs _ and I make sure my body receives it.As we hit mid-age, our bodies get less efficient at absorbing many factors of the B group of vitamins from food; especially B6 and B12. These are essential nutrients. The B6 factor helps metabolize amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. It’s also needed to make melatonin, which helps us sleep, as well as seratonin, the hormone that prevents depression and keeps us feeling in a good mood.

B12 is involved in nerve function, mood and energy. A deficiency of this B factor causes fatigue, makes us feel lethargic and mentally dull. It’s also suspected as a possible cause of Alzheimer’s disease. But many boomers have real problems absorbing this nutrient, so taking a vitamin B supplement can prevent a deficiency and eliminate its symptoms.

As people hit their 50’s and beyond, they often drift into dangerous dietary habits that cause serious nutritional deficiencies; especially if they live alone. After his divorce, my friend Joe began living on frozen dinners, especially inexpensive cartons of pasta. Ten years ago, he was an active cyclist, skier and hiker. Today, his hands tremble, his teeth are loose, and he doesn’t have the energy to do more than watch television and run his vacuum. He refuses to believe that the cause of his rapid aging could be the convenience of living on microwave meals.

There is quite a bit of scientific research showing the diets of people living alone often deteriorate. Don’t let that happen to you if you’re in that situation. Don’t live on prepared or fast food; make the effort to prepare your own meals from scratch. Make a big batch of stew or soup, divide it into portions and freeze them. If you have a problem chewing harder foods such as meat or beans, grind them up or use a crock pot to soften them.

As we get older, our taste buds tend to fade and we don’t have as accurate a sense of thirst. That means spending time on cooking loses importance, and we also tend to get dehydrated. But preparing healthy meals is essential for those middle-aged and beyond. So is taking certain supplements, such as calcium, vitamin D and phosphorous, all of which are harder to absorb as we age. It helps prevent age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and more.

Taking the time to prepare nutritious meals will make sure you get the minerals needed by the boomer body. Taking a vitamin and mineral supplement will make up for the frequent boomer problem of not being able to absorb enough necessary nutrients from your food.

Eat what your body needs, and boomer fatigue, often due to diet rather than age, may never be a problem for you.

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For the latest in adventure sports and physical conditioning, visit Adventure Sports Weekly at http://adventuresportsweekly.com.

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(c) 2009, Adventure Sports Weekly (adventuresportsweekly.com)

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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