It is highly advised for elderly individuals to engage on having a healthy diet since their vital organs are no longer functioning to its full extent. As they continue to become older, their muscles and bones would continue to degenerate and more fats will be stored in their body due to their hormonal changes.
There are many factors which hinder an elderly person’s health. The information below will help you to lead a healthy life – no matter how old you may be.
Water. Elderly individuals are more prone to dehydration since their amount of water in the body tends to decrease as they age. Worse, they find it hard already just to pour water into a glass. Therefore, it is recommended to drink a minimum of one ounce of water per 2.2 pounds of weight.
Protein. At this stage in life, protein is very important. Protein is needed to support a healthy immune system and prevent the wasting of muscle. Since energy needs are less, older folks should eat high quality protein such as eggs, lean meats, poultry, and fish.
Carbohydrates and Fiber. To have enough energy for the body, it is highly advised to eat foods having a high content in carbohydrates. Such food products include whole grain products like cereals, bread and pasta. To avoid constipation, old-aged individuals should have enough intakes of foods rich in water and fiber.
Fat. Fat intake for the elderly should be limited, not eliminated. You can limit fat by choosing lean meats, low fat dairy products, and food preparation methods that don’t include frying.
Iron. Breakfast cereals, green leafy vegetables, and lean meats are good sources of iron. This is very important since elderly people are very prone to iron deficiency anemia.
Zinc. Zinc is known to be the mineral that is not well-absorbed in the body most especially if the hormones and organs are no longer fully functioning. It is therefore important for elderly individuals to eat foods having sufficient amount of zinc such as fish, meat and poultry.
Calcium. Sadly, even foods rich in Calcium such as milk is usually avoided by elderly people. However, each elderly requires as much as 1,500 mg of Calcium to maintain healthy bones. Its good sources include low fat cheese, yogurt and broccoli.
Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 cannot easily be absorbed by the body. This is because stomach needs to produce the intrinsic factor first before the absorption of vitamin B12 can be implemented. Unfortunately, numerous elderly citizens experience B12 deficiency when they develop different kinds of gastritis that affects the stomach, hence, affecting the organ’s ability to produce the intrinsic factor. B12 is useless without the intrinsic factor.
Each elderly must strictly follow the rules of maintaining their healthy lifestyle and they can attain that kind of lifestyle by engaging on a healthy diet and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. Their bodies may have deteriorated but as long as they know how to live healthily, they can still prevent themselves from developing numerous diseases.
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