Growing older means eating better. That’s because we have different nutritional requirements as we age. Our bodies change and it gets tougher to get the nutrition necessary for living a healthier and more comfortable life.
Diet is an essential component for aging successfully because the nutrients you gain from each and every meal are effective at protecting your internal organs and systems to help you increase your immunity and maintain overall good health. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you are making the smart decisions for putting only the best foods on your plate at meal time.
So if you are an elderly adult or providing affordable senior care in Columbus, you are going to want to know what the best options are for good eating. They say that you are what you eat, so make sure that everything you eat is fresh, healthy, and nutritious. Otherwise, you could be courting trouble down the line. With that in mind, consider these vital components of a healthy diet for senior citizens:
Read Carefully
When it comes to food, you need to read first. For elderly adults, the choices made as to the kinds of foods being consumed should be based on how much nutritional value can be gained. That means taking a good hard look at the nutritional labels that have been printed on the packaging of your food. Examining these labels is crucial for getting the necessary knowledge about what is inside the food you are about to eat.
These labels can act as a guide for steering you towards creating a healthy meal and helping you steer clear of the foods that will do no good at all. These are items that are high in sugars, fats, and sodium, just to name a few of the ingredients that elderly adults need to avoid.
Lowering Your Sodium
Among those aforementioned ingredients, sodium can be one of the most detrimental to the well-being of a senior citizen. But reducing your sodium intake can help lead a much more heart-healthy life. Sodium, of course, refers to salt and when a senior consumes too much of it on a routine basis this increases the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.
Therefore, salt is something that seniors should take care to restrict in meals or try to avoid altogether. Luckily, there is a vast array of alternatives available for adding flavor to dishes. You don’t need to rely on salt for brightening up the taste of food. Try using paprika, oregano, pepper, or rosemary to do the job of sodium.
Turn to Vitamin Supplements
Every meal should be rich in healthy nutrients and choosing foods high in vitamins will go a long way towards practicing the right diet fit for seniors. But sometimes elderly adults can have trouble absorbing the vitamins they sorely require and that might require taking a vitamin supplement to get all of the vitamins and minerals that are necessary for a healthy outlook.
We’re not talking about all vitamins but the most important to seniors include calcium, potassium, and vitamins B12 and D. These are the essentials for helping elderly adults stave off the development of a myriad of health issues related to disease and illness. If you aren’t sure that you are getting all of the vitamins you need, talk to you doctor and consult with him or her on what your vitamin intake should be as you get older. Each of us is different and while we all have to take our vitamins, some of us require a lot more to live a healthy life.
Visit the Produce Aisle Often
A wealth of vitamins and nutrients can be found in a wide variety of produce options at your local supermarket. What’s so great about choosing to spend more time in the produce section? It’s because some of the most popular and tasty fruits and vegetables are not just low in calories but they are packed to the brim with vitamins and minerals that we can all rely upon as we get older.
So, make your way to the produce section and choose wisely. Don’t limit yourself to just a few options, stock up on anything green, red, and yellow as these are the colors of produce that indicate they are high in vitamins and nutrients. Just be sure you are well acquainted with the recommended daily allowance of these food items for your age, weight, and overall health. Make the right choice here and you can be sure to reap the benefits.