Nutrition – Healthier Eating for Seniors

Last Updated on April 25, 2024 by Rachel

Enriching your body with the right nutrients is important for the aging population. Healthy eating starts with you, the senior. Yes, if your goal is to maintain a healthy weight, stay active always, and remain independent as you age, then eating a well-balanced diet is your best option. Did you know that at least 1 out of 4 Americans has poor nutrition? Read more at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209844/. This is not good. Malnutrition is dangerous for your health. It puts you at a high risk of having weakened body muscles as well as bones. It also weakens your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to various diseases. Want to learn more about how to meet your nutritional needs? Well, in this article we will discuss more of that, and why you need to maintain healthier eating as an elderly person.

Why You Should Maintain Healthier Eating as You Age

Of course, healthy eating is important to everyone, regardless of their age. However, maintaining a balanced diet becomes more important as your age advances. Worried about your previous eating habits? You don’t have to get worked up over this. It is never too late to start maintaining the right diet or enhance your way of thinking. Why improve your diet though?

• Healthy Eating for the Aged Prolongs Your Life and Keeps You Stronger. Maintaining healthy eating allow your body to fight toxins that may cause illness, reduces chances of developing high blood pressure and stroke, and diseases like cancer. It strengthens your immune system and keeps your body weight on the right track.
• Healthy Eating Sharpens Your Mind. Maintaining good nutrition enable you to improve focus and enhance your memory as you grow old.
• Boosts Your Self-Esteem. Having poor nutrition can damage your self-esteem as a senior. Having great meals boosts your mood and self-esteem and helps you feel connected. When you have a good feeling in your body, you are less likely to be stressed out. Instead, you feel happier both on the inside and out.

Did You Know That Healthier Eating is More Than the Food You Consume?

The quality of food you take is crucial for maintaining good nutrition. That’s right. But you need to do more than just eating a well-balanced diet. How you eat your food matters too. Do you eat together with your family? That social atmosphere will make you feel happier and stay on track with your healthy eating plan. Staying alone? You don’t have to worry. You can still make your mealtimes more enjoyable. Why don’t you join others while going shopping? Shopping in a group of friends helps you share new ideas of healthy eating and saves you money too. Ever thought of inviting your friends to your house? Well, use this trick and you will always find your meals pleasurable. Cook together with your friends and enjoy the fun that comes with it. It helps you split costs, thereby making things less expensive for you in the house. Talking to your friends or family members over dinner can help you reduce stress as you age.

How to Maintain Healthier Eating for Seniors

Depending on factors such as health and genetics, bodies can respond very differently to varieties of food. It is therefore important that you stick to a diet that works best for you. At old age, you can maintain healthier eating by doing the following:

• Think About Foods That Gives You Lots of Nutrients and Fewer Calories. Go for plenty of fruits and vegetables. Go for different types of fruits and chose different colors. For vegetables, pick leafy greens such as kale and spinach and orange veggies like carrots and squash. Looking for a way of making your veggies more appealing? Well, why don’t you try them out together with some goat cheese or garlic?
• Ensure You Take Adequate Calcium. It is very crucial to maintain your bone health at old age and having adequate calcium intake will do that for you. Eating adequate calcium reduces the risk of developing fractures in your bones. What are the best sources of calcium? Well, try making cheese, milk, and yogurt. You can also try out the non-dairy sources of calcium such as kales and almonds.
• Avoid Taking Empty Calories. Taking foods like baked foods, candy, and chips alone can be dangerous to your health. You know why? Because they have few nutrients and a lot of calories in them. And we both know that it is not what you need for your body as an elderly.
• Enjoy Healthy Fats. Of course, you will try cutting fats from your diet. Why not rather go for healthy fats that will help in protecting your body against diseases. Fats like omega-3s can also help in enhancing the functioning of the brain for seniors.
• Go for High-Quality Protein. Eating good proteins can help your body function so well. It can boost your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, reduce depression, and boost your level of thinking. Remember, the protein you take must be of high quality for this to work best. Avoid proteins from processed meat products as they may put your health at risk. Such proteins increase your risk of developing cancer, along with other serious health problems. Avoid relying on just meat as the source of protein for your diet. Rather, include fish, eggs, nuts, peas, beans, and seeds.
• Eat Foods Rich in Fiber. Eating more foods rich in fiber enhances your health at old age because it reduces the risk of developing health problems such as heart disease and stroke. It improves your health and helps you attain the right body weight. Old age comes with a lot of problems, including less efficient indigestion. Eating foods rich in fiber will help you make digestion more efficient in your body. Are you a woman aged 50 plus? Well, aim for at least 21 grams of fiber per day. It is so unfortunate that most seniors don’t even take half of what is expected when it comes to fiber intake. It is important to revisit your healthy eating plan and ensure you take the right amount of fiber.