A well-balanced mix of food serves as an essential step towards healthy living, especially for aging seniors above the age of 65. Proven by the National Institute of Health, eating healthier meals filled with body-benefiting nutrients can help seniors grow healthy and reduce the chances of issues like heart disease, stroke, or heart disease.
According to reports by the National Resource Center on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Aging, a quarter of the American population suffers from poor nutrition. This malnutrition becomes a problem as one gets older, since the body lacks nutrients required to help guard against diseases and ailments.
As one ages, the body requires certain nutritional supplements to keep up with daily activities and keep one healthy. To meet these dietary needs, consuming foods that are rich in body-benefitting nutrients like minerals, fiber, vitamins, and other valuable nutrients will go a long way to ensure proper health for seniors.
So, what are these nutritional diets that can help with healthy aging for seniors past the age of 65? Let’s check out some crucial elements of a healthy diet for seniors.
WHAT MAKES UP A HEALTHY DIET FOR SENIORS?
When it comes to achieving a healthy diet, the usual suspects are Vitamins, Minerals, Fruits, and Low-Fat Grains. However, there are some tightly kept diet secrets specially designed for aging seniors looking to eat and stay healthy:
Water: Water is considered just as important as the food you consume. It helps avoid burnout, reduce fatigue, and avoid headaches and constipation as a result of dehydration. Health authorities recommend drinking on average about 2 Liters of water per day (or ~8 glasses of water.)
Fiber: Foods rich in fiber play a huge role in maintaining a healthy digestive system. From fruits and vegetables to whole grains and legumes, these foods will help manage blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Fiber also plays a vital role in managing blood sugar levels and reducing the chances of diabetes.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes, just like other foods rich in lycopene, provide seniors with natural chemicals needed to prevent prostate and lung cancer. The nutrients from this vegetable can also be obtained from tomato juice, paste or sauce.
Nuts: Heart-healthy nutrition, nuts are blessed with an abundance of Omega-3, healthy fat, protein, and fiber. This unique combination of hearty nutrients makes them an ideal choice for blood pressure management and improved heart conditions. Having five 1-ounce servings of nuts per week should do the trick.
Fatty Fish: Fatty Fish like mackerel, salmon, and sardines form the few nutrient-rich fish with heart-related benefits. Filled with an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, two servings a week of these fishes will play a massive role in ensuring a healthy diet for aging seniors.
These body benefiting, nutrition-filled foods form a healthy diet for seniors looking to eat and stay healthy. However, despite the benefits these nutrition-filled foods offer aging seniors, some age-related health issues may hinder the effectiveness of these foods.
You are probably wondering, “What Health Issues Could Affect Healthy Eating Habits For Seniors?”
Let’s take a look at some age-related issues that may affect nutrition for seniors.
AGE-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES THAT HINDER NUTRITION
If faced by any of the following age-related issues, you should consider improving your aging senior’s diet and start thinking of a healthier meal combination to boost overall nutrition and general health.
Decreased Sensitivity
As one begins to age, some traits and senses begin to weaken. Sometimes, it even becomes more difficult to stimulus while smell and taste functions become less active.
One might even find it difficult to differentiate between fresh and stale food, thus resulting in poor food choices that are damaging to health.
Bad Dental Health
With disappearing gums and loss of teeth, dental issues are bound to come up as one grows older. These dental issues may result in shaky teeth, jaw pains, and soreness of the mouth. Considering these issues, it could become challenging to chew food, thus pushing seniors to pick softer, unhealthy food options.
Physical Difficulty
Seniors tend to lose their strength over time, especially when they are dealing with disability or arthritis. With such issues, performing usual tasks like standing long hours to cook or going for grocery shopping can become difficult.
Memory Loss
One of the most common issues among seniors is memory loss. Aside from possibly developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, seniors may find it hard to remember to take prescribed medications, purchase food or even eat altogether.
These age-related health issues are common problems among seniors, and they pose a significant threat to ensuring optimal health as they grow older. If left unattended to, these problems might persist and further damage one’s health as time passes.
So, how can you go about mediating these issues? The answer is to look into caregiver options.
HOW CAN EMEREST HELP?
If your aging senior shows any of the signs above, hiring the service of a professional home care service provider will help curtail the situation. This step will give you the peace of mind and assurance that your aging senior is maintaining a healthy life.
An Emerest Health caregiver will provide optimal attention to your aging senior, providing a tailored care service that caters to your aging senior’s daily needs without having to worry.
Our company provides a comprehensive home care service that delivers personalized expert home care. Combining grace, kindness, and the uncompromising dignity that you or your loved one deserves, we provide best-in-class care service that meets your needs.
Our home caregivers are skilled, well-trained, and courteous. They provide a home care service that improves the lives of the ones in their care with a singular spirit of humanity, gentleness, dignity, and respect.
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