Nutrition Facts for the Elderly

By Stan Mack

Like other age groups, elderly people should follow balanced diets that include a variety of healthy foods and minimize their intake of unhealthy foods, such as fried foods, alcohol, and sugary desserts and beverages. Choose foods that are low in cholesterol, trans fats and saturated fats, which can lead to or worsen cardiovascular problems by clogging your blood vessels.

Nutrients

Elderly people might need fewer calories as their activity levels decline, but it's as important as ever for them to obtain proper nutrients. To lower your calorie intake while maintaining proper nutrient levels, choose nutrient-dense foods. For example, elderly people should maintain a high calcium intake to preserve as much bone density as possible, though some bone loss is inevitable due to aging. Regular milk provides calcium, but low-fat milk is more nutrient-dense because fewer calories accompany the same amount of calcium. Generally, nutrient-dense foods include fruits; leafy, green vegetables; lean meats, such as skinless chicken; and fiber-rich foods, such as cereals, seeds, legumes and nuts.

Problems

As you age, physical changes can make eating more difficult or less pleasurable. For example, if you have dentures, it might be harder to chew and your gums might be sore. Some people experience changes in their senses of taste and smell as they age, making food seem less flavorful. Certain medications can change how food tastes. You also might experience diminished appetite or lactose intolerance. If you experience any problems that make getting proper nutrition more difficult, discuss your situation with your doctor or nutritionist to determine what measures you should take.

Supplementation

Your doctor might recommend nutrient supplementation to maintain a healthy intake, especially if you have difficulty getting nutrients through your diet. Typical nutrients elderly people should ensure they obtain in proper amounts include fiber, calcium, protein, vitamins A and C, and folate, notes Colorado State University Extension.

Assistance

If you are elderly and need help getting proper nutrition, or if you know someone who needs assistance, contact your local public health department to learn about regional nutrition programs. 

Source: http://www.livestrong.com

Caregiver Tip: Nutrition for Seniors

As a person ages, their dietary needs change. Different systems in the body begin running slower than they once did, potentially leading to nutrient deficiencies. A senior’s diet should take this into consideration and aim to supply the body with things that may be lacking. All cases are different, so start by following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and remember to take specific circumstances into consideration. A few things to be aware of include:

• Seniors need more calcium and vitamin D in their diet to help maintain proper bone health.
• Many seniors don’t get enough vitamin B12, which aids in keeping the nerves and blood cells healthy.
• Fiber helps seniors stay regular. It also helps lower their risk of heart disease and other related issues.
• Increasing potassium and lowering sodium intake reduces the risk of high blood pressure.
• Saturated and trans fats should be carefully managed, due to their close connection with heart disease.

Ask your clients what kinds of foods they like and, keeping special nutrient needs in mind, find foods they’ll enjoy eating. When applicable, find out if the client’s doctor has given any dietary suggestions or restrictions.

Source: http://www.homecarepulse.com

5 Diet Tips to Help Seniors Stay Healthy

Written by: Theresa Pagani

We’ve put together a few tips to get the diet on the right track:

Fruits and Veggies

This one may seem obvious, but we find that many seniors still avoid the fruits and vegetables, just like they did when they were kids! They’ll need to incorporate this back into their eating regimen, ones that are high in fiber and vitamins. Juices can temporarily replace the fruit but the level of nutrients just isn’t the same. For veggies, the darker the green the better; so introduce them to kale, have them eat some spinach and broccoli, along with some other colorful ones.

Calcium

We all know that one of the most common health problems we run into as we age is the fragility of our bones. And we’ve all heard about the importance of calcium for our bones, but as we get older we seem to neglect that notion. Conditions like Osteoporosis and brittle bones are common in seniors, so making sure that your loved one gets the calcium they need is extremely important. Other than the usual dairy products, foods like almonds and kale provide a great source of calcium.

Grains and Proteins

The best thing a senior can do is minimize their carbs and replace them with whole grains instead. This provides them with the fiber they need. Most of the everyday foods such as pasta, bread, chips, etc. all come with a whole grains option.

Proteins can be the most important facet of a senior’s diet. Make sure that your loved one is getting enough of it, whether it’s through eating some tuna, other fish, nuts, miles, eggs, or some kind of meat with little fat such as chicken.

Limit sodium

Sodium is bad for us no matter our age, and unfortunately it can be found in some of the most common foods. The negative effects of it include dehydration and high blood pressure, both of which put seniors at high risk. Before you purchase something be sure to check the ingredients, see how much sodium it has and be sure to look at the percentage of daily intake it has. If it seems like too much, then put it down!

Keep an eye out for the secret sugars

Many of us make the mistake of assuming that if the amount of sugar listed in the ingredients is small, then there must not be that much in the product, but sometimes that’s not the case. There are many other ingredients that play a huge part in adding sugar that aren’t included in the nutritional chart. Look for words such as corn syrup, fructose, and dextrose, just to name a few. You can help avoid these if you stick to buying fresh fruit and vegetables.

Source: https://www.cariloop.com/

Nutrition and diet tips for seniors – Make the most of the golden years

The body changes as it gets older and we require different amounts of nutrients to keep us healthy and strong. With the right diet, exercise and social stimulation, it’s possible to enjoy a fulfilling and healthy life well into your golden years.

Eat more fibre

Increased fibre is the best way to avoid constipation and it’s particularly important in a person’s senior years to look after the bowels, so as to avoid any gastrointestinal diseases. Include whole grains, raw fruit and vegetables, beans and lentils into your diet. These nutritious foods help to keep you feeling fuller for longer and lessen the chance of developing chronic diseases in the bowel and digestive system.¹

Increase calcium intake

After the age of 40, calcium depletes from the bones at a faster rate than it can be replaced, and this is especially prevalent for women with osteoporosis. Both women and men should try to get enough calcium to encourage strong, healthy bones. If you are particularly low in calcium, it’s recommended to take a supplement daily to counteract this loss of calcium, but speak with your doctor or dietician to get the right dosage for you.²

Use less salt and eat a banana a day

According to Nutrition Australia, approximately 50% of the population over 50 years old have high blood pressure which is largely due to a diet with a high salt intake. Although a small amount of salt is required for the body, we can get enough required salt from our diet in the form of vegetables, meat, milk, eggs and manufactured foods like crackers and bread. Adding salt to foods or a diet high in salt will increase the chances of developing high blood pressure. Another way to protect your heart and to lower blood pressure is to eat bananas. With their high potassium content, bananas are able to lower blood pressure as well as having many other benefits including overcoming depression with their high levels of tryptophan, which converts to serotonin in the body, feel good neurotransmitter in the brain.

Eat a variety of colourful whole foods

Colourful fruit and vegetables help to keep the mind active and strong. Nutrient rich foods boost the mind, helping to lessen the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Choose a diet rich in colour and aim for five different colours on your plate at meal times. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind and is a great self-esteem boost as well, because when you look good, you feel good.

Avoid skipping meals and snack throughout the day

Missing a meal will cause your metabolism to slow down, which will make you feel sluggish and will not keep mind active and ticking over to make good decisions throughout the day. It’s also great for the metabolism to have healthy snacks between meals like nuts, fruit or wholegrain crackers.

Visit the dentist regularly

Teeth are crucial to being able to enjoy food, and so it’s important to keep teeth and gums healthy to ensure that food is able to be eaten. Elderly people have a higher chance of experiencing and developing dental problems and so it’s recommended that seniors visit the dentist more regularly than twice a year for check-ups, especially people with dentures.

By looking after your diet and keeping the mind busy and active, it’s possible to live healthily and feel fulfilled well into the golden age. Include healthy amounts of fibre, calcium, colourful fruit and vegetables, consume less salt and try a banana every day. Use these tips to make the most of the senior years!

Source: http://www.realinsurance.com.au