Seniors Nutrition
Powered by Max Banner Ads
Every time you switch on the television or open a general interest magazine today, you're bound to be confronted with an account about the startling and ever-growing worldwide problem of obesity. A lot more people are unhealthily overweight, to the point where eating can actually endanger our lives. There have always been some individuals who have eaten unhealthily, mainly because naughty foods taste so good, but the population as a whole now has to consider how our diets are affecting us. We can become sluggish and lethargic when we're getting the wrong amounts of nutrients and so conscious thought about what we put into our bodies is essential, and that especially applies to seniors.
As we grow older, our metabolism slows down and we can no longer burn calories at the same rate as we used to. It therefore makes it much simpler for all of us to put on weight but harder for us to shed it. However, extra weight carries a more negative affect on seniors than it does any other age bracket. Being overweight can put unnecessary stress on your joints and thus accelerate the affects of arthritis, osteoporosis and other bone and muscle disorders and illnesses. Additionally, it can bring about the start of diabetes, which is more common in seniors when compared to any other age bracket as it is. While any senior should enjoy a little of what he or she loves to eat from time to time, no matter how unhealthy it may be, a regular balanced nutritious diet is exactly what the doctor orders!
A normal senior diet should include:
* 5 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, although more of the latter than the former
* 6 to 10 servings of complex carbohydrates each day, which incorporates rice, pasta, bread and cereals
* 2 or 3 helpings of calcium-based products, including milk, cheese and yoghurt (although the low fat variety would work out best)
* 2 to 3 servings of meat, poultry or fish a day to provide the body with protein
* A great deal of fiber throughout the day, which can also be found in the cereals, vegetables and fruits mentioned above
Every one of the foodstuffs in the list above are finely balanced so far as amount are concerned. This diet would fulfil every nutritional need that the senior has and would encourage a healthy body. However, dieticians do advise that seniors avoid saturated fats and sodium. The latter, also known as salt, is a factor of increased blood pressure. Therefore, salt should only b used sparingly. Most natural foods do contain salt, but in healthy doses, therefore excess salt should be avoided. Avoid baking with it if possible, and try to resist that liberal sprinkle on your main meal! Saturated fat is in fact resistant to your body's nutritional process. In other words it's not broken down and used for good in the human body. It just sits there and clogs your arteries. Consequently, it's a factor in heart disease, forms of cancer and gallbladder disease, along with the widespread obesity in society today.
A well balanced diet can improve your health, but an unhealthy diet that doesn't fulfil all bodily nutritional requirements can in fact cause it to deteriorate. In seniors, this is especially dangerous. After all, if you struggle to move, then how are you supposed to work off the excess weight? If you are in shape you can avoid immobility. Therefore, it is a vicious circle that may relate directly to your diet.
All seniors should enjoy life to the fullest extent, but eating healthily on a regular basis can actively extend the amount of time you have left to enjoy it! Make the most of every opportunity because you only get one chance at life. Revolutionize your diet and reap the rewards!
These are effective points we wrote in our article, but it isn't the only place to find this subject. We have found other pieces of content like this one about senior care that you might find useful too. If liked the article please share it with your friends on Facebook.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
