How Seniors Can Get The Most Nutrition From Their Food

A nutritious diet is one key to good health. Including a balance of vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrates is important for everybody, senior citizens in particular. Seniors and those that are cooking for them, such as family members and senior home care professionals, should pay special attention to foods that are low in cholesterol, fat and sugar, but high in vitamins and protein. A variety of fruits and vegetables, milk and cheeses, protein and whole grains is important for any diet. Interim Healthcare can help its patients choose the right types of foods for a healthy diet. Within our senior care services we offer meal preparation and planning and shopping assistance to help keep seniors on track with a well-balanced diet.  

Where to find foods with high concentrations of vitamins and minerals can be perplexing sometimes. Here are a few tips. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends a healthy diet including foods from five of the six food groups to promote good health and lower risks of chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain cancers. The five food groups for a well-balanced daily diet are fruits; vegetables; breads and cereals; milk and cheeses; meat, fish, dry beans and poultry. Fats, sweets and alcohol also make up a food group, but eating choices from this group should be limited.

Seniors should especially focus on calcium, protein, fiber, and vitamins A, C and E. Here are a few ideas on which foods are rich sources of these.


Foods that have no cholesterol are especially good for you. Fruits and vegetables fall into this group. Most of them are low in fat as well. Find vitamin A in fruits and vegetables like Chinese cabbage, pumpkin, spinach and cantaloupe.  Other foods high in vitamin A include picked herring, liver and cooked cereals.

Vitamin E is great for the skin and helps the body in healing. Find high levels of this vitamin in tomato products, avocados, spinach, nuts, peanut butter and herring. Look for it in lower cholesterol oil, such as canola. Sources rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, cantaloupe, guava, strawberries, pineapple, green pepper, broccoli, kale and peas.

Calcium is found in foods traditionally referred to as “dairy products.” Milk that is low-fat or no-fat is especially good for you, although other types of milk have calcium as well. Cheese and yogurt also have high calcium levels. Other high-calcium foods not in this food group are oatmeal, tofu, pink salmon, white beans, okra, clams, collards and molasses.

Foods high in fiber help the body stay regular. High-fiber foods include various types of beans, such as kidney, pinto, black, soy, and Navy. Also look to artichokes, crackers, pears, bulgur, bananas, parsnips, oat muffins and apples for a rich source of fiber.

Protein is the body’s fundamental building block. It replaces enzymes and cells, an important function in seniors. While some foods high in protein are also high in cholesterol and fat, varying sources of protein and choosing carefully will keep a nutritious diet on track. Eat foods like poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and meat.

Source: http://www.interimhealthcare.com

Quotes by Paulo Coelho

Healthy Aging – How to Improve Memory

When you cross the threshold of 50, you would occasionally feel that your memory is not as sharp as it had been earlier.  While you can recall incidents which happened years ago, you may find it strange that you cannot remember the name of the person you met yesterday.  This type of loss of memory which affects only recent memory is considered normal age related memory loss.  However, it is possible to keep your mind sharp and improve memory by following some simple lifestyle modifications.

Physical Exercises

Regular physical exercises increases the blood flow into the brain and this would help to keep the memory cells healthy due to increased supply of nourishments and oxygen.

Exercise Your Brain Too

To keep your brain working smoothly, it is important to give it a workout regularly.  You can do this by developing a new skill, writing or reading.  Solving puzzles and playing brain games can also stimulate your brain cells and keep them healthy.

Avoid Stress

When you are stressed, your body may release chemicals which can damage brain cells and add to memory loss.  You can do meditation or other enjoyable activities which can relax you and release stress.

Avoid alcohol or smoking

It has been proved that excessive use of alcohol can lead to memory loss.  Similarly smoking also is said to be damaging to brain cells.  As you age, it is important to curb such bad habits.

Have an active Social Life

Having a number of friends and enjoying social activities can keep your brain cells young, vibrant and active.  Such social activities can also help you avoid loneliness and deal with stress.

Be Safe

You should also avoid situations such as high speed riding which can result in any impact on your head.  As a person ages, it becomes difficult for the brain cells to recover and this can lead to severe memory loss.

While it is normal to have some memory loss while you age, you should seek medical help when you feel that the memory loss is becoming worse over time.

Source: http://enjoyafter50.com

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Health Tips for Men Over 50

Here are some important health tips to keep in mind if you are a man in your 50s:

Cut Back on Salt

Eating too much salt can be very dangerous for you, so be careful with those packets of crisps and that processed lunch meat. Too much sodium will raise your blood pressure, which is a major contributor to heart disease. According to a study by the American Heart Association, 75% of the world’s population consumes twice the daily recommended amount of sodium.

When you reduce your sodium intake and eat more leafy greens and fruit, you will reduce your chances of a heart attack or a stroke.

Keep Your Bones Strong

Most people associate osteoporosis with women, but the truth is that men can get this disease as well. It is important to supplement calcium and probiotics in your diet, so that you can keep your bones healthy. This is especially crucial after the age of 50, when you will start to lose bone mass.

Feed Your Brain

There is a lot of evidence that links together diet and the risk of dementia in your later years, as well as other cognitive disorders. According to a study in 2011, there is an association between a sharp mind and a healthy diet with plenty of unsaturated fats and very few saturated fats. This means that eating more fish, nuts and vegetable oils will help you to stay vibrant and alert longer.

Eat Your Veggies for Sexual Health

You want to be able to have a healthy sex life as you get older, so cut down on the red meat and eat more vegetables. Eating too much red meat will clog up your arteries and increase your cholesterol. Both of these factors can lead to erectile dysfunction. If you can reduce the amount of red meat in your diet and add more vegetables instead, you will experience better sexual health. Also, cutting back on refined sugars and transfats will also help.

These are just a few of the ways that you can protect your health and enjoy youthful vibrancy well into your 50s.

Source: http://www.tens.co.uk

Stillness

Weight Loss After 50: 8 Core Beliefs

By: Amber Alexander

Examine your beliefs about food and what food means to you and, if necessary, change them.One of the most powerful strategies for ending emotional eating or any other undesirable eating habit is one that few men over 50 consider:

Change does not mean you have to have superhuman willpower, it is what you do when a behavior violates your strongest beliefs. Strong beliefs=no temptation. To create a new belief system for your behavior, change the metaphors you use to describe your body and the food you eat.

If you believe your body was a temple or a divine gift, would you desecrate it by poisoning it with junk food? What if you said your body was like a high-performance sports car? Would you fuel it any differently?

 Core beliefs lean men over 50 have about food:

1. Food is for building material. I will become what I eat, as the food becomes the cells, organs, and tissues of my body

2. Food is for fuel. I will be as energetic as the fuel I put into my bodily engine

3. Food is nourishment. Nutritious foods contain everything I need for perfect health

4. Food ignites the metabolic fire. When I eat foods that are nourishing on a consistent meal schedule, I am stoking my metabolic furnace

5. Food is the best medicine

6. Fruit is nature’s candy

7. Lean protein is the lean muscle builder

8. High-fiber foods are natures’s Roto-Rooter

If you believed your body was a lean, fat-burning machine, how do you think it might affect your attitude toward training?  If you’re going to label yourself anyway, choose empowering labels!

 Source: http://www.bestmastersfitness.com