Healthy Eating & Nutrition for an Older Adult

The duty to consume a healthy and balanced diet comes from the need for the body to obtain the necessary nutrients to function properly. Nutrients are the substances in food that our bodies need to grow and function. Among them are proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. Water is also extremely important as part of the diet, and must be included for all people regardless of age.

Regardless of age, a good diet is important for everyone. It will give your body energy, affect your mood, mental health, and help control weight. Weight control is important not only for cosmetic reasons, but to prevent disease. Diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, etc., are diseases that can affect a person with a higher weight than is healthy for their height. Which can bring you critical consequences. In the same way, a person with very low weight can suffer from diseases due to their condition. So it is important to eat according to the needs of the body and age, but also according to an ideal weight for the body to function optimally.

The following aspects can negatively impact the nutrition and feeding of an older adult:

• dehydration

• loss of appetite

• slower metabolism

• mechanical or swallowing problems

Drink water – on average we should all drink 8 glasses of water a day, an older adult needs a lot of fluids but not overloading the body with too many, so it is recommended to drink a glass every two hours to be healthy.

Increase your fiber intake – eating whole grains, vegetables, and fruit with the peel increases the percentage of natural fiber ingested per day. It can also be supplemented with a high fiber supplement, or using pharmacy fiber in soft drinks or shakes.

Choose foods low in cholesterol and fat –Avoid those that contain saturated and trans fats. Saturated are fats of animal origin, and trans fats are processed in margarine and dietary fat. They can be found in baked goods or fried foods in fast food restaurants or grocery stores.

Opt for preparations that facilitate the digestion of food –This would be to use more ground meat, chicken in fajitas or shredded, mashed potatoes, broccoli cream, etc. The idea is to cook in a soft or semi-soft presentation, so that it is easy to chew and process for everyone.

Avoid empty or hollow calories –These are foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients, such as potato chips, candy, baked goods, sugary drinks, and alcohol. It is recommended to avoid these so as not to increase the caloric value of ingestion so as not to gain weight and put health at risk due to being overweight.

Workout! – A recommended exercise method for older adults is multicomponent exercise, this is an exercise routine that is designed to work several components at the same time.

In conclusion, the food and nutrition of an older adult is based on the adequate adaptation of food for the condition of each one; ideal hydration, low number of empty calories, and a good balanced percentage of nutrients. It is always good to use the help of a professional if you are seeing negative consequences of your diet, for example if you feel low energy or begin to see exaggerated changes in your weight. Remember that good nutrition for aesthetic purposes is not the main thing, but the most important thing about this is what you “put” into your body like gasoline; and as we grow we must be more careful with what we “put” on it.