Nutrition for the Older Adult

Eating well can also be the key to a positive outlook. For adults over 50, the benefits of healthy eating include increased mental acuteness, resistance to illness and disease, higher energy levels, faster recuperation times, and better management of chronic health problems so it plays a crucial role to a higher quality of life and enhanced independence as you age.

Healthy eating over 50: Tips for wholesome eating

§  Consume Nutrient Dense foods: Consume mainly nutrient-dense foods and limit their consumption of sweets, fatty foods and junk food.

§  Reduce sodium (salt) to help prevent water retention and high blood pressure. Look for the “low sodium” label and season meals with garlic, herbs, and spices instead of salt.

§  Enjoy good fats. Reap the rewards of heart healthy fats.i.e: olive oil, salmon, walnuts, flaxseed, and other monounsaturated fats.

§  Add fiber. Avoid constipation; lower the risk of chronic diseases by increasing your fiber intake from foods such as raw fruits and veggies, whole-grains, and beans.

§  Cook smart. Opt for steaming, sautéing, broiling, microwave cooking —it preserves nutrients. Forget boiling—it drains nutrients.

§  Put five colors on your plate.  Fruits and veggies rich in color having high antioxidant properties have been recognized as important factors in the biology of aging and of many age-associated degenerative diseases.e.g. Blackberries, melons, yams, spinach, tomatoes, and zucchini

§  Stick to Unprocessed foods: While processed foods may be more convenient, seniors should rely more on unprocessed foods as they usually contain more nutrients and less fat, added sugar and sodium.

§  Hydrate
As we get older the body's ability to conserve water gradually decreases & they do not get thirsty very often. Fluid intake does not necessarily mean just water and can also include fruits, vegetables & hot drinks such as tea and coffee, fruit juice or squash.

§  Eat small & frequent foods: It is better for most seniors to eat 5-6 small meals a day because this can:

Ø  Reduce the highs & lows of insulin levels.

Ø  Help seniors who find it painful to eat large meals because of chest congestion or breathing problems.

Ø  Encourage more calories intake for those who have lost appetites.

Ø  Offer more opportunities to socialize with others.

Nutrients of Concern for Older Adults

 

Nutrients	Recommended Amount
Calories(Kcal/day)	Activity Level Men above 50 Women above 50 Sedentary(Light) 2000 1600 Moderate 1800 2200-2400 Heavy 2000 2400-2800
Calcium	Calcium requirements increase after age 50, when a risk of osteoporosis is highest. Increase your daily calcium intake to 1,200 milligrams-equal to about four cups of milk per day to preserve bone mass, to counter calcium losses after menopause, to lower blood pressure.
Iron	Menopausal women need less iron. Postmenopausal women lose very little iron and have a low risk of iron deficiency, so you can reduce your iron intake to 8 milligrams a day.
Vitamin D	Homebound or institutionalized elderly people who lack sunlight exposure & their skin is less efficient at synthesizing vitamin D and therefore require more vitamin D So consult your doctor about supplementing your diet with fortified foods (fatty fish, egg yolk, and fortified milk) or a vitamin supplement.
Vitamin B12	After 50, your stomach produces less gastric acid making it difficult to absorb vitamin B-12—needed to help keep blood and nerves vital. Get the recommended daily intake (2.4 mcg) of B12 from fortified foods (Eggs, Dairy Products, Nonveg preparations) or a vitamin supplement.
Zinc	Zinc is required for the maintenance of a healthy immune system and is most commonly found in meat, shellfish, whole meal bread and pulses.

Are We Technically Killing our Relationships?

 “All you need is love..love is all you need”

We as a society have come a long way since Beatles sang this in 1960s.

Today we do need love, but with it, we also need “Space, money, self esteem, egos, big cars, cool gadgets, hi fashion clothes, no questions please, maybe a little freedom to stray” in our relationships. Love, obviously has taken a back seat.

Ironically, now, whenever we are asked, “Who is your ideal couple?”, we usually point at someone from the previous generation. Our parents, grandparents or uncles and aunts. I wonder what is it that they did right and got it going. Well, most of them at least seemed to…

For starters I think, they said their “I love yous” in person, one on one; rather than declare their undying feelings on Facebook. I guess they spent more time talking face to face than on SMSs and Whatsapp.

Today when couples go out for dinner, their first priority seems to be clicking a selfie and putting up on a social media site. Throughout the dinner, they are constantly checking how many ‘likes’ their picture gets. The entire idea of spending time with each other goes for a toss. Isn’t it?

So before we all relationships fall prey to technical glitches, here are a few ‘relationship vows’ put together by couples who have been through rough patches and relationship turbulences, yet stuck to each other and complete each other:

I will give you my time: Make a ‘together ritual’. It can be your morning tea in the balcony, a post dinner walk or gardening time. Something you do together, when you are exclusively there for each other. Do not compromise on it, put your gadgets aside and just be there in person.

I will give you your dreams: Many times you give your dreams a break so that the other one can flourish. You do it because the happiness and needs of your loved one is more important. But with time frustration sinks in, you feel your ‘sacrifice’ is not being appreciated. So let’s be sensitive, appreciative each other and communicate how important the partner’s role is. When the time is right, give each other the right momentum to start again, gain the lost confidence once again.

I will not judge you: You are a team. Win or lose you have to stick together. Blame games just make the team fall apart.

I will fight my battle in the right spirit: One thing leads to another, it’s always like this. So if there’s an issue, sort it out then and there. Don’t let it snowball into an avalanche. Agree, it’s difficult, but fight your battles with some logic. An interesting tip someone gave was, if you are mad at your partner, write a mail venting your anguish, don’t censor anything, just write. But don’t send the mail. Read it the next day, with a cooler mind. Most of the times, you would end up thanking yourself for not venting out and saying things you shouldn’t have.

I will share my responsibilities: When you are sharing love, you better share your liabilities and responsibilities too. Fair enough.

I will not smother you in the relationship: Love shouldn’t spell the end of your social life and other relationships. You still have a life to live, work to do, relationships to keep. Please give each other space and time to pursue your interests. You must feel happy; not tied down.

So folks, let’s fall in love and rise in it. Let’s revel in our relationships and celebrate the joy of being together with someone we love.