You can still enjoy a long life after turning 50 if you eat and exercise properly. Your body changes as you age, so you need to get enough calcium and vitamins D, B6, and B12.

Older adults need more calcium, and vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. According to a 2023 study in the medical journal Endocrine, people at this age are more likely to have vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to lower bone density, more falls, and reduced muscle strength.

So starting your day with a glass of low-fat milk fortified with vitamin D will give you 17% of your daily vitamin D, since most milk is fortified with vitamin D, according to the health news site Health Digest.

Although exposure to sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, a 2012 study in the journal Aging and Disease found that older adults often have less sun exposure and their skin has difficulty synthesizing vitamin D, leading to deficiency. Vitamin D not only protects older adults from infections and improves blood vessel function, but a lack of it can also lead to metabolic syndrome, dementia, and certain cancers.

According to a 2021 study in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, drinking a glass of milk a day can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and osteoporosis.

A 2022 study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that drinking ¼ to ½ cup of milk a day can help people aged 69 reduce the risk of muscle weakness and drinking at least 1 cup of milk a day can help middle-aged men be healthier.

Drinking 1 cup of milk a day can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, obesity and osteoporosis

A 2022 study in the journal Nutrients recommends switching to low-fat milk to prolong life. The study included 7,000 people and found that drinking low-fat milk reduced the risk of death, helping to prolong life, compared to drinking whole milk. Specifically, it reduced the risk by 31% in men and up to 41% in women, and men who drank low-fat milk also reduced the risk of death from heart disease by up to 37%, according to Health Digest.

Older adults may also have trouble getting enough protein to maintain lean muscle mass. While older adults often have trouble chewing and digesting protein, dairy protein may be better than plant protein, according to a 2017 study in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging, which found that doubling the amount of dairy protein helped older adults meet their protein needs.