A healthy diet gives you a happy life!
Having a nutritious diet plan helps you in keeping energy levels in the body high, maintaining a healthy weight, providing you the necessary nutrients your body needs.
Studies show that 1 in 4 elders has poor nutrition levels. Falling prey to malnutrition can put the person at a higher risk of being underweight or overweight. Making your immunity weak, it can make you more prone to falling ill. Lower nutrition count can also make your muscles and bones weak.
The first step towards a healthy elderly life is to eat a balanced nutritious diet. Nutrition requirements of the body change with age and so does the definition of healthy foods.
How does your food requirement change with age?
As you age, what you ate in your young age may not prove to be healthy for you. Your body might need less of some food products and more of others. Your appetite, nutrition requirements, and habits get altered with increasing age.
Your body may not need the same amount of calories now as it did in your young age. Having more calorie intake may take you towards an increased body weight. You might also experience a loss of appetite and the sense of smell and taste as you age. In this case, you may not feel like eating which can lead you to malnutrition and health problems.
With increasing age, your body gets more prone to falling ill or you might get various chronic health problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. In such a scenario, you might be expected to alter your diet plans, giving you a shift to change in eating habits.
You may discuss your healthy diet with your family or you may take up a home health care service for a health plan.
What counts as a healthy diet? What are some of the easy ways for elderly to maintain a balanced diet?
A healthy and a balanced diet is one which is low in saturated fats; includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products; includes eggs, fish, meat, nuts, and poultry.
With an increase in age, the caloric needs of the body will decrease, while the nutrient needs of the body either increase or stay the same. A diet rich in nutrients will provide the needed quantity of minerals, proteins, vitamins, fats, and carbohydrates to the body. If the elderly person is bedridden or cannot eat on their own, effective patient care services can be contacted for help.
Get an insight in to the key elements to help elderly maintain a healthy diet.
1. Go for Healthier Foods
If you prefer convenience foods, or you cook them for yourself, keep in mind that some foods including low-sodium canned vegetables, fruits, and instant oatmeal are easy to prepare and nutritious. Always check for options that contain less added sugar and salt, and are rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
2. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Remember to drink at least 8-ounce glasses of water daily. Staying hydrated is important as it plays the major part of following a healthy diet plan. You can consume water in any form, be it juice, tea, soup, or even by having fruits and vegetables that are rich in water content. All that matters is maintaining the water levels in the body.
3. Include Supplements in Your Diet
Having a diet full of nutrients can be difficult if you are advised to avoid certain foods. In such a case, you must consider asking your home nursing services or your caretaker to include vitamin or mineral supplements like calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, or vitamin B-12 as these are often found to be lacking in the elder’s diet plans.
If you are struggling to maintain a healthy diet and are strongly willing to follow a balanced and nutritious diet plan, you may consider speaking to a certified dietician to help you with your diet according to your age, or you may call us at our toll-free number 1800-123-445555 for any detailed plans for a healthy diet.
