We all age. Ageing is in fact, inevitable. But a lot of the negative changes that take place in our bodies are not. As we age, we become more susceptible to such things as heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and arthritis. However, medical research has shown that proper nutrition can slow down and even prevent many of these ailments.
It is estimated that nearly one half of all health problems in the elderly are directly related to poor nutrition. The elderly are by and large some of the most poorly nourished people. Some reasons for this are as you age your sense of taste and smell decreases, it is harder to chew, and you just don’t feel hungry.
In some cases, financial reasons may affect the food choices made and it may be harder to get out and shop for food due to various physical factors. On top of this, as you get older your body may not be able to absorb some of the nutrition from food as well as it could when you were younger. In some cases a good multivitamin (preferably in liquid form) could help offset this. Your doctor can help you find one that’s right for you.
- Plan out regular meals for each day and try to include vegetables in at least 2 of them every day. If you must snack, use fruits and vegetables rather than junk food like biscuits and chocolates.
- Try to eat more soups as they are very nutritious and are great choice if you are on a budget.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day and between meals to prevent dehydration and help with the absorption of vitamins and minerals.
- Make meals more interesting by inviting a friend to lunch or dinner once in a while. Sometimes it can get boring to always eat alone and having someone over can entice you to get more creative with meals than you might when eating alone.
- Make every meal an event. Use all your finest cultery and your fanciest set of plates. This will inspire you to be more creative with your meals.
- Eat slowly and mindfully, enjoying every bite.
- Experiment! Try something new at least once a week as you never know your new favorite healthy meal might just be an experiment away! If you’re looking for ideas why not check out the packages we offer!
- Another thing you can do to ensure that you’ll be getting better nutrition is to make each plate colorful. Different color vegetables for example generally contain different nutrients so the idea here is, mix it up and eat the rainbow.
Growing old may be inevitable but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow old gracefully and healthier and with a steady diet of proper nutrition, you can maintain better health well into your golden years.
