For seniors, a healthy diet is incredibly important. Maintaining a correct diet helps seniors to age with grace and helps them to take care of the optimal health levels. Proper diet is extremely important to the right functioning of the mind and body, and this is often very true for the changing dietary needs together age. Seniors are more susceptible to the event of a good range of various health conditions that need special nutritional considerations. While it’s not always easy to supply a senior with the optimum nutrition, a healthy eating plan can’t only improve the senior’s quality of living, it can reduce their risks of developing certain diseases.
Listed here are some simple tips for selecting the very best quality foods best for seniors.
- Get nutrients from food, not supplements. It is always best for seniors to get the minerals and vitamins they need through the consumption of food, as opposed to supplementation through the use of synthetic vitamins and minerals. Conscious diet decisions that provide for the senior’s nutritional needs are better for his or her wellbeing. It has been widely documented that the body best absorbs vitamins and nutrients from food sources than through the use of supplements.
- Increase intake of vitamin B12. B12 is a vital nutrient that the body requires and can only get from food sources or supplements. In addition to a host of other things, the adequate intake of vitamin B12 is important to proper brain functioning. As one gets older, their ability to soak up certain nutrients, including vitamin B12, is reduced, necessitating a requirement to extend the number of foods high in B12 within the diet. Good choices are low-fat dairy, juices, and even cereals that are fortified with the vitamin.
- Don’t forget about Omega-3 fatty acids. The intake of Omega-3 fatty acids is shown to assist improve brain health also on reducing the risks of the many diseases that are related to aging. Increasing one’s intake of quality sources of Omega-3 fatty acids from things like oils from flax seeds or canola, oily fish like salmon, or nuts like walnuts will increase the amount of Omega-3 in the body. This can reduce one’s risk of stroke, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, as well as help to lower one’s cholesterol and even reduce the pain associated with arthritis.
- Limit intake of “no-no’s”. There are certain vices that no-one should be asked to offer up, like sweets or a cup of tea, but the intake of so-called “no-no’s” should be kept to a minimum. Caregivers for seniors should help to limit the quantity of sugar, caffeine, saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Choose a rainbow of colors. The different pigments in fruits and vegetables that give them their colors signal the presence of certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Merely varying the color of produce within the diet helps to make sure better nutrition because the food will provide for a wider, more varied diet that provides seniors more vitamins and minerals than they might have gotten by simply eating leafy greens.
- Know what the senior needs. As one age, their dietary needs change also. It is important to know that the recommended daily allowances (calories, fat, sodium, sugar, and more) are different and will be adhered to so as to supply the senior with the best quality diet possible. For example, after the age of fifty, a lady only needs 1,600 calories a day; and a person, after the age of fifty only needs 2,000 calories each day.
- Go whole grain. Whole grains provide more nutrients than refined grains do. They provide more fiber which helps to assist in digestion, something many seniors have difficulty with. Whole grains also keep one fuller, longer, which helps to ban overeating. It is easy to form the switch to whole grains, simply swap white bread for whole wheat bread, and polished rice for whole grain rice.
- Look for nutrient-dense foods. Foods that are high in nutrients, but low in calories, like fruits vegetables and legumes (peas, beans, etc.) are excellent choices. These won’t put seniors over their daily caloric needs and supply a good array of vitamins and nutrients that can’t be found in food.
Preferred Private care, Homecare services provide seniors with the highest quality in-home care services. Our caregivers understand the importance of top quality nutrition and therefore the individual needs of each of their clients. A balanced, nutritionally dense diet, which takes into consideration the specialized needs of seniors, will help to enhance their health and wellbeing.