Elderly Nutrition- Foods that keep your Seniors Healthy

When we talk about maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the elderly, nutrition plays a significant role in keeping them fit and active.

The majority of the diseases that most of the seniors suffer are due to a lack of proper diet, which can also lead to chronic diseases such as cancer of the prostate or pancreas.

It’s important for individuals caring for the elderly to ensure their diet consists of all the essential nutrients and must take care of age-related challenges that may hinder proper nutrition.

Age-Related Obstacles Leading to Poor Nutrition

Before focussing on improving the nutrition intake, the caregiver must ensure that no underlying issue is causing a lack of nutrition in their loved ones.

Several age-related challenges could lead to nutrition deficiency. Some of them include:

1. Decreased sensitivity leading to reduced appetite

2. Poor dental health causing pain while chewing

3. Memory loss that can increase the chances of meal skipping

4. Depression leading to loss of interest in eating

These issues must be addressed and the caregivers should ensure there aren’t any of these underlying issues before they make a balanced diet plan for their seniors.

Food Choices

Let’s have a look at some healthy choices for seniors to ensure they’re having a nutritious diet.

1. Carbohydrates: Focus on increasing carbohydrates in the diet to maintain their overall mental health and performance. Brown rice and sweet potatoes can be considered for maintaining adequate carbs level in the diet.

2. Proteins: Protein-rich food not only maintains muscle mass but eventually promotes physiological functions in the body. Since the elderly require more protein in their diet, it’s essential to add meat, eggs, beans, and dairy in their diet.

3. Vitamins & Minerals- Adding 3 to 4 portions of seasonal fruits in the diet could ensure a healthy balance of vitamins & minerals in seniors.

Besides these basic food choices, you can focus on a diet that is rich in the following nutrients:

Calcium

Calcium helps in maintaining and building bones and is known to regulate blood pressure levels in the elderly. Since most of the elderly consume less calcium in their diet, caregivers must emphasize adequate levels of calcium in the diet.

Dairy products are an excellent source of calcium and one can also consider green vegetables along with cereals for maintaining an adequate amount of calcium in the body.

Fiber

Many surveys reveal that the digestive system slows down with age. This can lead to a variety of digestive issues including constipation.

Foods that are rich in fiber promotes digestion and improves bowel movements. It’s important to add fiber-rich foods including nuts, cereal, bread & pasta, brown rice, vegetables, and fruits.

Iron

Iron-rich food produces hemoglobin in the body that regulates oxygen in the blood. Reduced hemoglobin levels may lead to lethargy and tiredness in seniors.

Dark green vegetables, red meat, fish, and poultry are excellent sources of iron for the body and must be included in the diet.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium in the body and hence improves bone density and decreases the rate at which bones lose calcium.

Vitamin D protects seniors from many chronic diseases including type-2 diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis.

Exposure to sunlight is one of the best sources of Vitamin D and certain foods including cereals, milk, eggs, fish, and juices also contain Vitamin D.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 helps in maintaining nerve function and aids the production of red blood cells. Seniors must emphasize foods that contain Vitamin B12 along with the supplements as the body isn’t able to absorb vitamins from food in the old age.

Consulting a physician regarding the supplement intake could be a better option to meet the daily requirement of these vitamins.