Across the country, programs are thriving in their focus on nutrition this month. Nutrition is an important part of the holistic well-being of every person, and unfortunately, it is often overlooked. The human body requires a certain amount of vitamins, minerals, calories, and yes even carbohydrates and sugars to remain healthy, active, and in balance. As we age, our bodies change and even more balance is required. This balance is maintained by increasing certain things, cutting back on others, and yes, remaining in motion. Let’s investigate some of the changes required for the aging body, and how programs like Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio (MOWNEO) can help the aging body remain in balance, in motion, and healthy for every phase of an aging adult’s life. These are all suggestions based on a 2,000 calorie diet, and please do check with your doctor and medical professionals for your own personal dietary needs.
- Embrace changes in your eating habits and make simple, supportive adjustments to continue to make healthy choices while enjoying foods and drink you love. If vegetables and fruits are becoming harder to eat, look for pre-sliced options. These foods make great snacks.
- Make sure you’re enjoying three cups of dairy throughout your day. This can be glasses of milk, cheese, yogurt, or even lactose free options. When it comes to aging, one of the first parts of our bodies that can cause us problems is our bones. Getting calcium, a mineral important to bone health, can help you maintain that strong skeleton to keep you moving. Calcium also helps with muscle and nerve function, hormone secretion, and blood clotting. If you want to reduce your risk of osteoporosis, try to take in at least 1,300 mg of calcium per day.
- Vitamin D is a must for all bodies, and as we age, it becomes more important. Vitamin D actually works with your bones to help them absorb that calcium you have been consuming. It also helps with blood pressure management, immune and nervous system functions, and hormone production. It is recommended to consume 20mcg per day of this essential vitamin to help reduce osteoporosis, so make sure you’re following your calcium with some vitamin D to help those bones stay strong and last long!
- Ensure you are drinking enough water throughout the day. Water is one of the main components of our bodies, and as we age, we lose more of it throughout the day. Balance out this loss with a bit of an increased consumption to keep yourself moving!
- Get more dietary fiber! As we age, things take a little longer to move through our systems. Increasing your dietary fiber consumption will help. Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate that cannot be digested easily, so it acts to speed up the movement of food and waste through your body. This can cause an increase in bowel frequencies and even help reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Doctors and experts recommend getting 28 grams of fiber per day, and a conversation with your doctor will help lead you in the right direction for your own physical and dietary needs.
- Aging bodies also require more potassium to help with heart, muscle, and nervous system functions. This also helps with fluid balance as we age. Getting 4,700 mg per day is recommended to help your body stay in balance and healthy longer.
- Replacing saturated fats (found in most animal products) with unsaturated fats (found in plant-based oils, nuts, seeds, and seafood) will definitely make your heart smile. This switch – taking consumption down to less them 20 g per day of saturated fats – will reduce cardiovascular disease risks, help you maintain a healthy weight, and help with overall health.
- Sodium is another mineral that adults overconsume, and that consumption can have adverse effects on our bodies. Sodium, though important for fluid balance and muscle and nervous system functions, is needed in the body in very small amounts. However, the increase in packaged and prepared foods in our diets today has led to an increase in large amounts of sodium making its way into our bodies. This increase can lead to a myriad of risks associated with increased blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, kidney disease, and even blindness! So, keeping your levels below 2,300 mg per day is a recommended way to keep all of those risks at bay.
- Oh, sugar. How we love you. But, there are so many ways you don’t love us. And as we age, keeping sugar levels low is even more imperative. Sugars are added to food processing, much like our friend sodium. Table sugar, syrup, honey, and juices are all delicious additions that our taste buds enjoy. However, a diet high in calories from added sugars is not one that is healthy or sustainable long term for our bodies. And, as we age, we need to be even more cognizant of that. There is a reason Grandma had a candy dish and passed it off on the kids. Added sugar daily recommendations are less than 50g per day. Talking with your doctor about healthy sugar substitutes is always a good idea, no matter what your age.
- Exercise! Some people don’t see exercise as a piece of the nutrition puzzle, but it is! As we age, sedentary lifestyle changes can kick in, and that’s when it’s even more important to get moving! Moving your body in a way that feels good to you – biking, hiking, walking, yoga, stretching, swimming, golf, tennis, whatever keeps your heart pumping and muscles moving – is recommended at least 5 times a week. Everyone, no matter their age, can do better with movement. Even if it’s fifteen minutes of yoga or stretching on your floor, whatever movement you can fit into your day will be a blessing to your body, mind, and spirit. It just feels good to move!
Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio is designed to help you meet all of your dietary needs and goals. With customizable meal plans for all dietary specialties – including renal, diabetes, heart smart, and soft foods – MOWNEO is there for you. Menus are planned by our in-house dietician with all recommended plating and calorie guidelines. Taking the aging body into consideration, our menus provide precise caloric needs to help keep you strong, healthy, and moving. If you or someone you know is struggling with nutrition and facing food insecurity, or for more information, please visit Meals On Wheels.
*The information in this article is intended solely to provide general information on matters of interest for the personal use of the reader, who accepts full responsibility for its use. This article should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional legal, medical, or other competent advisors.