Nutrition Matters in Aging- Healthy Eating and Active Living

Abstract

Numerous studies indicate that diet influences life expectancy and the development of age-related diseases by regulating aging processes. An overview of recent pre-clinical and clinical findings was conducted to assess the role of nutritional factors in modulating fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging as well as their role in preventing the onset of aging-related diseases. With aging, the physiological responses to stress from a broad range of functions change and adjust at a different pace, and restoring these functions in a normal healthy range becomes increasingly difficult. In spite of the fact that this natural decline cannot be prevented, there are opportunities to slow down and mitigate its effects on major physiological processes that tend to deteriorate as we age. Throughout this narrative review, we revisit current knowledge about the aging process and how it impacts key metabolic functions including immune, digestive, nervous, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular functions; and we revisit insights into biological targets that can be used as inspiration for effective strategies to promote healthy aging.