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Nutrition For Older Adults: Tips For Seniors To Eat A Healthy Diet

Nutrition For Older Adults: Tips For Seniors To Eat A Healthy Diet
Tips For Seniors To Eat A Healthy Diet

With a few changes in our diet and lifestyle, one can help resolve the medical issues that arise as we grow older.

Written by Editorial Team |Updated : July 30, 2021 7:17 PM IST

According to reports by the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India, there were approximately 103 million elderly people in India and they accounted for 8.6% of the total population. It further points out that the senior community is growing at an annual rate of 3%, and the number is anticipated to rise to 319 million by 2050. This statistic exhibits that both the share and the size of the ageing population are rising exponentially over time.

In the present times, families adopting the nuclear route, the surge in life expectancy, and increased dependency on the seniors for routine chores pose a major challenge for the old adults. In the absence of a structured support system for the elders, they often end up experiencing neglect, ignorance, and abuse despite being surrounded by their near and dear ones. The need of the hour is for our country to effectively manage the growing elderly population is to develop a robust ecosystem for them that takes care of their dietary and health requirements and offers holistic assistance.

Tips To Provide Nutrition And Healthy Diet To The Seniors

As we age, our body turns weak, and all our systems, especially our digestive system weakens. But with a few changes in our diet and lifestyle, one can help resolve the medical issues that arise as we step closer to the golden jubilee of our lives.

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It is important to understand the dietary changes of the elderly as they age and also create awareness about maintaining their nutritional, health, and fitness levels as per their health and medical conditions.

Tips For Seniors To Eat Healthily

Here we share with you a few tips for healthy eating that will ensure that you have a healthy body and stay fit even during old age years-

Staying Hydrating

Drinking water and ensuring that your body is hydrated are essential. Hence, one should consume a considerable amount of water in the quantity that your body can take. Additionally, seniors should eat foods rich in water content such as melon, cucumbers, spinach, bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, and oranges. These food items not only keep you hydrated but also help provide relief from constipation and other digestive issues.

Consuming A Balanced Diet

One should always focus on the intake of a healthy and balanced diet that is rich in fibre and probiotics as you age. Hence, it is advisable to include probiotics in the form of curd and yoghurt, prebiotics rich foods in the form of oats, bananas, leeks, onion, garlic, etc., and fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, miso, etc. along with polyphenol-rich foods such as blueberries, cocoa, and green tea in your diet. These foods are gut-friendly and ensure that your digestive system and your body, on the whole, remain healthy.

Including Essential Vitamins And Minerals In The Diet

It is essential to include vital components like vitamins and calcium in their diet to strengthen their bones and muscles. Foods like milk, cereals, green leafy vegetables, fruits should be consumed by the seniors every day in moderate quantities to ensure that their nutritional requirements are met. Vitamin D and B12 should primarily be an important part of their diet and could be included in the form of supplements along with natural food sources.

Additionally, intake of potassium and fibre is a prerequisite to ensure that their gut stays healthy, the risk of diabetes is reduced as well as to prevent digestive and intestinal disorders and cardiovascular troubles. Hence, fresh fruits, vegetables especially beans and peas along with whole-grain cereals, etc. should be a part of the meal plan of the elderly.

Minimize The Quantity Of Salt And Sugar In Your Diet

As you age, the sense of taste fades away. This often leads the seniors to garnish their dishes with extra salt and sugar to increase the flavour. While these increase the flavour of the dish, they lead to some additional repercussions for the seniors. Hence, excess salty and sugary foods and processed foods are a strict no for older adults. Rather one should opt for fruits and vegetables in their diet. Also, they should consume dairy products within permissible limits as per the suggestions of the concerned doctor.

Take Small Meals

In older age, it is often advisable to take small quantities of food at regular intervals. It is also recommended to take the proper time to chew the food as doing so keeps digestion-related problems at bay.

Summing up!

India needs to push the introduction and acceptance of an organized system for the seniors, including home care services, interactive social setups in the form of adult day care programs, along with long-term care and assisted living programs that help in extending care and love beyond hospitals. Various senior living facilities have emerged that offer a plethora of state-of-the-art home care solutions, assisted living spaces, specialized care services, and customized offerings provider available at economic pricing to ensure that the senior community has the access to a healthy life ahead as they enter their silver years.

As they age, all seniors seek is affection and a positive environment. Undergoing various hormonal changes, their dietary needs to be taken care of to ensure that they stay fit as they grow old. While there is no fixed mantra but with minute changes in lifestyles, intake of a nutritious diet along with physical activity in the form of walk or yoga can help the seniors stay healthy and hearty!

(The article is contributed by Dr Mamta Mittal, Founder, Seniors First)