Nutritional Tips for the Elderly
Everyone needs to try and eat healthy and pay attention to the amount of nutrition they are getting, but especially the elderly. As we get older our body will start to lose bone and muscle and gain fat because our hormones are not as active as they used to be.
Water
The amount of water in your body decreases with age. Because of this, it is very easy for elderly individuals to get dehydrated. Very often they will not even have the feeling of thirst. Other times it can be too much work for them to even pour a glass of water. It is recommended that they drink at least 1 ounce of water for every 2.2 pounds of weight that they have.
Protein
At the elderly stage of life, protein becomes extremely important. Protein is used to support a healthy immune system and prevent the wasting of your muscle. Because the energy needs are less, older individuals should try and eat high quality protein like eggs, lean meats, poultry, and fish.
Carbs & Fiber
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your whole entire body. Carbs are found in bread, cereals, pasta, and other grain products. You can also avoid constipation if your diet is high in fiber.
Fat
Don’t necessarily avoid all fat, but you should definately limit the amount of fat that you eat. You can control the amount of fat intake by picking out lean meats, low fat dairy products, and when you cook, avoid frying, because this just adds grease to the equation.
Iron
With the elderly, iron deficiency can been seen in individuals who arn’t eating much. Some good sources for iron are lean red meats, or breakfast cereals.
Zinc
Zinc is important with the elderly, and a big issue is, it’s not absorbed into their bodies well. Meat, poultry, and fish can really help you meet your daily requirements for zinc that is needed to help live a healthy life.
Calcium
Most elderly individuals are not getting enough calcium in their daily diets. A good amount of them feel that milk upsets their stomach, and because of this they tend to avoid it. The amount of calcium that they should be trying to aquire is around 1,500 mg per day. As a substitute for milk, nonfat powdered milk can be used in some recipes instead. Some other foods like yogurt, low fat cheese, and broccoli can also give you the required amount of calcium that your body needs.
Vitamin B12
A good amount of elderly people tend to suffer from a deficiency in Vitamin B12 due to a condition known as atrophic gastritis. This is a common condition that comes from the lack of the ability to secrete sufficient stomach acid to kill the bacteria. Ingested bacteria can then survive and reside in the stomach and the upper part of the small bowel. This issue affects roughly 20% of people between the age of 60 and 69, and 40% of individuals over the age of 80. Vitamin B12 is found in protein food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases Vitamin B12 from proteins in foods during the digestion process. Once B12 is released it is combined with a substance called intrinsic factor, then absorbed by the intestinal tract. You can find Vitamin B12 in foods that come from animals, such as fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products.
Every one of the nutrients that have been mentioned here are needed to keep an aged body in good and proper health. Try and remain active and strive your best for a well balanced daily diet. Just because the body is aged, doesn’t mean that with the right care and nutrients you cant enjoy a healthy, happy, and long life.
