For a senior citizen, eating healthily and engaging in regular physical activity, helps you live a full, active life, preserving independence into older years. A healthy diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, stay energized, and get the nutrients you need. It also lowers your risk of developing chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.
How does your diet change as a Senior Citizen?
Unmukt Festival has super healthy tips for the senior citizen. These tips are simple to follow and ensure a diet full of nutrients and vitamins with proven benefits. We hope this makes you hungry!
Factors that Impact a Healthy Diet
Calorie Intake: As a senior citizen you require fewer calories. It is vital that the foods you consume are beneficial to your health and not empty calories. Keep a regular check on your calorie intake and make sure your diet is rich in nutrients and
Appetite: Many people experience a loss of appetite with age. It’s also common for the senses of taste and smell to diminish. This can lessen your appetite and cause you to eat less. If you’re burning fewer calories through physical activity, eating less may not be a problem. However, you still need to get enough calories and nutrients to maintain healthy organs, muscles, and bones. Not getting enough can lead to malnutrition and health problems.
Medical Conditions: As you age, you become more susceptible to chronic health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and osteoporosis. To help prevent or treat these conditions, your doctor may recommend changes to your diet. While these may be difficult to adjust to, don’t ignore them – the long term benefits are immense.
Medications: You may need medications to manage chronic health conditions. Some medications can affect your appetite. Some can also interact with certain foods and nutritional supplements. Ask your doctor about such side-effects and get advice on how to adjust your diet.
Immunity: Human immune systems weaken with age. This raises your risk of infections in general and food-borne illness, or food poisoning in particular
How can a Senior Citizen maintain a healthy diet?
Tip 1: Fuel your body with nutrient-rich foods.
Get the bulk of your calories from nutrient-dense foods, such as:
- vegetables and fruits
- beans and lentils (dal)
- nuts and seeds
- whole grains
- low-fat dairy
- lean protein
Tip 2: Fuel up your system with fibre.
Soluble fibre is especially important for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Good sources of fibre include:
- fruits and vegetables
- beans and lentils
- nuts and seeds
- oats and bran
- whole grains
Tip 3: Energise your body with water
Our bodies are 70% water. Make sure you’re drinking fluids on a regular basis. Aim for 8 glasses of water daily. You can also get some water from juice, tea, soup, or water-rich fruits and vegetables like watermelons, melons, coconuts etc.
Tip 4: Consult a dietitian.
Eating healthy is important across your entire life. Consult your doctors to identify any health condition and then consult a dietitian to plan out a diet suited to your age and medical conditions.
Remember, diet and diet tips are just one piece of the healthy ageing puzzle. Combine your diet plan with moderate exercise, physical and mental, and you are good to go. Which diet plan or tips are you following?
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