Posts Tagged ‘Nutrition’

Nutrition for the Elderly

As we all know, good nutrition is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Since many of us in our retirement years live on a strict budget, eating healthy can sometimes be a very expensive and difficult task; however, finding the extra money and time to eat healthier will pay dividends toward your overall health. Healthy eating will aid us in our efforts to fight against disease such and obesity, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. The lack of nutrition among the elderly varies, but most commonly comes from a result of bad habits, physical problems, and cooking skills.

A healthy diet must include a low fat low calorie plan. Make sure to eat a variety of foods that cover all of the five major food groups. Some suggestions are whole wheat, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy, and poultry or fish. Eating an assortment of different foods in all five major food groups will ensure us that our bodies will have the proper nutrition that is required for healthy living.

For some of us, proper nutrition may require more then just eating the right foods. You must make sure that you are aware of any medications that may deplete any aspects of your nutrition intake. For example, some preliminary studies show that prescribed acid reflux medications may prevent the body from absorbing calcium, so someone on these types of medications may want to take an additional calcium supplement along with healthy eating.

Drinking water is a must, water is natures miracle cure. The body needs water to flush out toxins and maintain healthy tissue. The goal is to drink eight glasses of water a day which will also help to aid against dehydration.

To help your cause to stay on a healthy diet there are a few things that you must incorporate into your daily life. When ever possible, prepare you meals a few days in advance, this will help you to stay motivated toward eating healthy when you are busy and on the go. Also, stock your refrigerator with vegetables and fruits this will help with your urges to snack on potato chips or candy. Become creative with your fruits and vegetables. For example, for those with spicy taste buds you may want to eat fruit such as pineapple and watermelon with a little power chill or something simple as carrots and low fat ranch dressing as a dip, as these goodies will help keep you from unhealthy foods.

Strive not to overcomplicate things, keep things simple, and eat you fruits, vegetables, diary, and fish.

For more information on issues that enrich and affect the senior citizen community, G. J. Rigdon invites you to visit his website http://www.seniorcarenevada.com

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Healthy Nutrition For The Elderly

Healthy eating and nutrition for the elderly is greatly impacted by several factors, one of them being a change in body composition. During the later years in life, the body will lose bone and muscle and gain fat because the hormones aren’t very active anymore.


There are many factors which hinder an elderly person’s health. The information below will help you to lead a healthy life – no matter how old you may be.


Water

Water in the body decreases with age, so many older folks will become dehydrated very easily. Sometimes they won’t feel thirsty, while other times it’s too much work to pour a glass a water. With this in mind, it’s recommended that they drink at least 1 ounce of water for every 2.2 pounds of weight.


Protein

At this stage in life, protein is very important. Protein is needed to support a healthy immune system and prevent the wasting of muscle. Since energy needs are less, older folks should eat high quality protein such as eggs, lean meats, poultry,and fish.


Carbs and fiber

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the entire body. You can find carbs inbread,cereals,

pasta,and other grain products. A diet that’s high in fiber and water will help to prevent constipation as well.


Fat

Fat intake for the elderly should be limited, not eliminated. You can limit fat by choosing lean meats,low fat dairy products, and food preparation methods that don’t include frying.


Iron

For the elderly, iron deficiency can be seen with those who aren’t eating much. Good sources for iron include lean red meats or breakfast cereals.


Zinc

Zinc intake is normally with the elderly, and to make matters worse, it’s not absorbed very well either. Meat, poultry, and fish should be a part of your diet to help you meet the requirements for zinc.


Calcium

Calcium is one ingredient that most elderly folks simply aren’t getting enough of. Most believe that milk upsets their stomach, and therefore they will avoid it. They should be getting around 1,500 mg of calcium a day, and nonfat powdered milk can be used in recipes as a substitute for milk. Other foods such as yogurt, low fat cheese, and broccoli can also help you meet the requirements for calcium.


Vitamin B12

In order to absorb the benefits of B12, the intrinsic facotr must be produced by the stomach. Most elderly people suffer from a deficiency in B12 because they have a condition known as atrophic gastritis. This

condition causes inflammation of the stomach,bacterial overgrowth, and the intrinsic factor.Without the intrinsic factor, this vitamin can be

absorbed.


Each one of the above nutrients are needed to keep an aged body in good health. Elderly individuals should try to stay active and strive for a well balanced diet. Even though the aged body isn’t the same as it used to be, proper care and the right nutrients can help the elderly enjoy a healthy and long life.

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Nutrition for the Elderly is Important!

When declining energy requirements are not matched by decreased caloric intake then total body fat increases. The Atkins diet leaves your body shy on some important nutrients, such as vitamin B, and also is negative for vitamins A, C and D, anti-oxidants that slow the effects of aging and calcium.These are necessary and important nutrients that nobody should go without!Once again the lack of exercise has to enter into the equation also.

Nutritional status may be further compromised by other problems in conjunction with the illness, such as trauma, surgery, infection drug therapy which alter nutrient requirements. This makes recovery even more difficult. Each one of the above nutrients is needed to keep an aged body in good health. Elderly individuals should try to strive for a well balanced diet and stay active. Adequate dietary fiber, as opposed to increased use of laxatives, will maintain regular bowel function and not interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients, as occurs with laxative use or abuse.

Some of the factors described above, like changes in the digestive system, as well as health concerns like the increased risk of fragile bones, means that nutritional needs change as you age. Periodic review of your diet is always helpful, particularly if you have specific medical conditions. Taste and smell changes, as well as feelings of loneliness and depression, contribute to decreased appetite, while many elderly people may eat less because of chewing difficulties, fatigue, and social reasons. Another statistic for the elderly being the need for more nutrition because of disease or injury.

Some people who’ve been dieting all their lives find it difficult to change from a low fat diet to richer fare. Sudden weight gain from fat is definitely not recommended. After studying 300 older adults from the ages of 65 to 93, Garry has concluded that even the process of aging itself may be retarded through behavioral changes. That may precipitate a change in the dietary lifestyle,” he says. It makes strangers of those we knew best, changes relationships with loved ones in ways that resonates forever. “STOLEN MEMORIES” is the story of how one family coped with its devastating effects, and how others can learn from that experience.

Because of this, they are not getting as much of some nutrients as they need. In our newly designed pyramid, we made the base somewhat narrower to reflect the fact that less food is being taken in but chose foods that are nutrient-dense, that is, contain many more nutrients per gram of food eaten. Foods with little nutrients and more carbs should be minimized and done in moderation. Individuals with difficulty chewing or swallowing or with decreased ability to taste or smell are in need of soft,moist easy to chew foods for many reasons. Topics include the geriatric perspective on: In the elderly,your B vitamins and micronutrients are an absolute for the nutrition,cognitive function and cardiovascular nutrition.

Unintentional weight loss and malnutrition are common problems in the elderly. Taste and smell changes, as well as feelings of loneliness and depression, contribute to decreased appetite, while many elderly people may eat less because of chewing difficulties, fatigue, and social reasons. If bones decrease in density, then osteoporosis (bone loss) develops over time. Bone degeneration is due not only to calcium deficiency but also partly to genetics. These changes can contribute to decreased food intake, unintentional weight loss and malnutrition. Not everyone experiences all these changes.

Some medications will cause a loss of appetite. Consider nutrition supplements, but use them only with a doctor’s approval. She has found that enhancing food flavors will increase the consumption of the foods to which flavors have been added — and the increase in intake is greater for the people who have a greater loss of smell. Calcium loss is a big problem in any person and could become a serious condition,with the added risk of osteoporosis. We can’t forget our B vitamins as they work with protein to be metabolized into the body.

Changes to our bodies require a need for some high quality liquid vitamin nutrition. Liquid vitamins can energize and help balance your body’s system with daily nutritional supplements!

Chuck Arnone believes that liquid vitamins and nutrition go hand in hand with staying healthy, which will benefit our elderly population.

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