Diet for Elderly People

What Is the Best Diet for Elderly People?

Finding the right diet for elderly people is so important, whether you are elderly and taking care of yourself or you are the caregiver of an elderly loved one. It’s a discussion worth having, as bodies change and 16 percent of the elderly eat less than 1,000 calories per day.

In the following article, we provide a blueprint for how to maintain healthy eating in your later years. Let’s begin!

1. Diets With the Right Ratio of Nutrients to Calories

When focusing on types of diets, nutrients and calories play the most important roles. Eating your base amount of calories will keep you from gaining weight. This staves off a number of potentially critical conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Focusing on nutrients like vitamins, proteins, and fiber will give your body the building blocks it needs to maintain health. Protein helps strengthen muscles, fiber aids in digestion, and vitamins perform hundreds of functions throughout the body.

2. Ones That Avoid Empty Cals 

A proper elderly diet should be devoid of empty calories as much as possible. If you’re focusing on nutrients, then you won’t have the same cravings (and problems) that come with added sugars. Added sugars can be damaging to your teeth, contribute to weight gain, and promote the growth of unhealthy bacteria. 

3. Diets That Stay Away from Fats and Cholesterol

Any diet of an elderly person should steer clear of excessive fats and cholesterol. These particular components clog arteries and make it tougher for the heart to function properly. Without proper blood flow, you can experience a number of potentially fatal health events, namely cardiac arrest.

4. Do Not Forget Physical Exercise

When discussing diet types, it’s not enough to just focus on the food. The elderly lifestyle and diet must go together. And one of the lifestyle essentials that you should make time and energy for is physical exercise.

Physical exercise boosts metabolism as well as mental energy. The release of endorphins that come from a good, consistent workout will keep your body replenished. It will also be easier to burn fat, strengthen muscle, and prevent bone loss that occurs naturally as we age.

5. Or Lots of Water

The more time you make for workouts and a proper diet, the more you will need to feed your body with proper hydration. That means lots of water and electrolytes. 

You can get electrolytes through beverages like Gatorade, but there really is no better solution than good old-fashioned clean drinking water. Considering that over half the human body is composed of water, it stands to reason that we would need plenty of it.

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

The tips above are practical, but how does it translate to the grocery store? St. Louis-based Seniors Home Care recommends stocking the following items if you are elderly or the caregiver of an elderly person:

  • Lean meats
  • Eggs
  • Beans
  • Fish
  • Milk or milk alternatives
  • Whole wheat grains
  • Any fruits and veggies of the red, green, purple, or orange varieties

Also, avoid preservatives as much as possible. The body cannot properly process them, and they can place unhealthy demands on the digestive system.

Follow This Diet for Elderly People to Avoid Late Health Issues

Following this diet for elderly people will keep you or your loved ones healthier and enjoying a better quality of life. Also, don’t ignore the importance of water intake and leading an active lifestyle.

For more health information and articles, check out some of our additional posts!

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