When it comes to healthy aging, diet is something that many people neglect to change. But as you age, your nutritional needs change and it’s important to give your body what it needs to stay energetic and well.
One important nutrient you may need more of as you age is calcium. As you grow older, your bones require more help to stay strong. You can accomplish that by participating in weight bearing exercise and increasing your intake of calcium.
The best way to add nutrients to your body is through food. While you can take calcium supplements, you should also work to get calcium from natural sources such as dairy products and green vegetables.
Iron can be low in older adults and eating foods that are high in iron can help to prevent or alleviate that problem. Some good choices are turnips, red meat, liver, and spinach to add iron to your diet naturally. A supplement may be necessary in some cases.
You may also find that you need to increase zinc. This helps you to keep your sense of taste strong as well as aiding in the healing of wounds. In order to keep zinc levels high, it’s important to eat meats, fish, and eggs.
Fiber is also essential for keeping your cholesterol levels healthy and keeping your bowels regular. The best way to increase fiber is to eat fruits and vegetables that contain high amounts of fiber and to eat whole grain foods.
A healthy aging diet also includes foods that are high in vitamin B12. This helps to keep your memory strong and can help you to have more energy. You can eat meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products to keep B12 levels up. You may also want to talk with your doctor about supplementation.
As you age, your need for calories may decrease. This is because your body may not have as much lean muscle as it once did. You may also not be as active. If that’s the case, you need to try to eat a diet that’s high in nutrients but lower in calories.
However, if you maintain an active lifestyle it’s possible that your caloric needs won’t go down as much. There’s no one prescription that’s right for every healthy aging diet. If you’re concerned about gaining or losing weight, you should talk to your doctor about your individual needs.
As you age, your dietary requirements can change depending on your lifestyle. It’s important to evaluate your health and diet and make changes as necessary. For healthy aging, diet can’t be ignored as a way to keep your body strong and add quality years to your life.
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If you are looking for more information please visit Firstat of San Diego’s website and pick up a copy of their free report “Critical Questions You Must Ask Before You Hire a Home Care Provider,” Visit, http://FirstatOfSanDiego.com
About Firstat Nursing Services
Linnea Goodrich is the owner of Firstat Nursing Services, which is the only Home care Agency in San Diego that is both state licensed and certified by the Alzheimer’s Association. Firstat Nursing Services has been providing a higher standard of home nursing, home health and home care services for elderly, disabled and injured people in the greater San Diego area since 1997. To pick up a copy of her free report “Critical Questions You Must Ask Before You Hire a Home Care Provider,” Visit, http://FirstatOfSanDiego.com
