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Nutrition: Stick to the Basics
Healthy eating is no rocket science! On the contrary, it is pretty simple and easy to follow in your daily routine. All you need to do is focus on the basic food groups and ensure you get a well-balanced diet that provides the daily nutrients your body needs.
To find out if you need any "extra" or "special" diet/nutrition supplements, it would be advisable to consult your doctor or fitness expert and have them evaluate your nutritional requirements based on your health profile and medical history. A broad outline of nutritional diets for seniors is provide below:
- Steam the greens: The healthiest way to cook your veggies is to steam them to preserve the nutrients. Other good options are to sauté or boiling them.
- Grab the good carbs: Eat whole grain food items like whole wheat bread, brown rice, barley, rolled oats, millet, and refined/processed "white" products such as products made with white flour, white bread and white rice.
- Cut down on protein: Cut down on salty meats (such as ham or bacon) and red meats that contain saturated fat. Eggs, fish, poultry, nuts, tofu beans and peas are all rich source of protein, so you have a variety of healthy proteins to choose from. Try supplementing your diet with baked/grilled/steamed/poached chicken, turkey or fish, and you'll pamper your palate and add low-fat, low cholesterol nutrition to your diet.
- Eat'em Raw: Eat at least one portion of your vegetables and fruits raw every day. Raw fruits and vegetables are stuffed with minerals, vitamins, fiber, and enzymes to help digestion.
- Pick the "good" Fats: Get your supply of fats from healthy oils such as olive oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, seeds and nuts.
- Calcium for your Bones and Teeth: To follow a healthy senior diet, choose low fat or fat-free dairy products. If you're lactose-intolerant, milk products such as hard cheese and yogurt that are low in lactose or free of lactose can be considered. If not, you can take calcium supplements to meet your calcium needs.
- Drink a lot of liquids: Staying hydrated helps cleanse toxins from our body, cures constipation, helps retain flexibility in our muscles and joints and keeps the mind energetic. Besides drinking a lot of water every day, try having foods with high water content such as cucumbers, melons, apples, grapes, onions, cabbage, and different kinds of soups.
Some healthy eating tips for seniors:
- Consume more calcium and vitamin D to strengthen your bones
- Increase your water intake
- Adding fresh fruits and vegetables along with greens in your daily diet would save you from common problems of aging like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity.
- Stay away from calorie-rich food items like sweets, chocolates and fried stuff as they can affect your liver adversely
- Reduce sodium (salt) to help prevent high blood pressure and water retention
- Monitor fat intake to maintain cholesterol levels
- Consume more fiber-rich foods to prevent constipation
- Cut down on sugar intake
- Make sure to supplement your daily diet with the recommended amount of minerals and vitamins
- Participate in regular physical and mental activity
You will be surprised by the extent to which a healthy diet, along with some physical exercise will make your retired life enjoyable meaningful and.
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