Too much or too little of anything is a dangerous thing…

Think about this: one in three elderly Americans admitted to hospitals each year do not have access to proper nutrition.

The number is both alarming and embarrassing because it is happening in a country of abundance, not scarcity. If there is anything the U.S. is never short of, it is food.

Americans are so obsessed with food that it is almost the default subject in any gathering. They make gastronomic spectacles of any social event. Even office anniversaries are not complete without a serving of pizza or a frosty cake.

As a consequence, only 3% of Americans have a healthy lifestyle, according to new research published in the journal, Mayo Clinic Proceedings. In other words, the U.S. is far from being among the healthiest nations in the world.

The proverbial saying, “You are what you eat,” is taking its toll on the food-obsessed American public.

Miriam Shor said, “Eating good food is, to me, one of life’s greatest joys, and I will never punish myself for it.“

Yes, good food may be life’s greatest joys – depending on what kind of foods.

So let’s dig in on the basics of what constitutes “good food.”

What is proper nutrition

Proper nutrition is eating sufficient quantities of “good foods,” – those that support and maintain good health, wellness, and the energy to function normally.

Good foods must have the full range of nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals.

More than just satisfying the cravings of the taste buds, good food must, above all, saisfy the nutritional needs of the body.

What proper nutrition is like

Proper nutrition is a must for everybody, regardless of age. Before, proper nutrition was focused on the younger population until the effects of malnutrition started showing on the elderly.

Now, the “Net” is full of tons of studies and articles about elderly nutrition, often making it difficult for seniors to make educated choices.

To help you out, here a few tips to guide you to proper nutrition:

1.  More nutrients, fewer calories

The body’s metabolism slows down in the 60s. This means your body cannort absorb all the vitamins and minerals from the food you eat.

To make up for this shortfall, you must increase your intake of necessary nutrients,  and cut down on your your calorie intake to avoid weight gain.

2.  Manage your weight

Being overweight is a sign of improper nutrition – regardless of age. In old age, it can be a serious health risk especially if you have a sedentary life style. Obesity is a risk factor for  diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, loss of mental acuity, and some forms of cancer.

Manage your weight by trying to hit an ideal BMI (Body Mass Index). This is, however, not a foolproof measure of your overall health. To be sure, consult your doctor for propr guidance.

3.  Never skip a meal

Never skip a meal even if you don’t have the appetite. Doing so will make you gorge on on high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods when your stomach craves for food.

Skipping meals will also make your blood sugar level swing from low to high if you are a diabetic.

Finally, frequent skipping of meals can suppress appetite which can lead to malnutrition.

To avoid this problem, set your day right by having a hearty breakfast – the most imporant meal of the day. If it helps your appetite to have snacks in between meals, then do so.

4.  Always stay hydrated

Dehydration is one of the most common fluids and electrolytic problem among the elderly. This is because age causes changes in total body water, and thirst perception.

There are no set guidelines how much water to drink daily since fluid requirements are dependent on a lot of things, i.e., body size, weather, physical activity, etc. To be safe, drink water regularly throughout the day, say a glass per hour.

Prolonged or habitual dehydration can lead to serious medical conditions.

5.  Don’t eat anything because your slim

It is a common compulsion for slim and prim seniors to eat anything. If you are one of them, do a double-take. Eating nutritious food is for everybody – young, old, slim and, even more so, and by defaulut, overweight people.

Even if your slim, you will still miss out the necessary nutrients for healthy living if you are not discriminating on what you eat.

6.  Minimise food recycling

When preparing food, it is unavoidable for live-alone seniors to cook more than what is required for one meal. The extra goes to the ref for the next. This saves time and effort and a bit of gas or electric bills.

But this may be counter-productive, nutrition-wise, if the left-overs are left too long in the ref to spoil or reheated so many times over to lose some of its necessary nutrients.

If you must (we all do), don’t let them stay for more than four days in the ref. And when you reheat them, use the microwave. Among the methods of cooking food, the microwave does the least damage to food nutrients. But don’t sizzle them. Just make them warm enough for pleasant eating

Proper nutrition is for everyone, regardless of age or sex. It is crucial for the elderly with chronic illnesses under other circumstances that may deny them of the necessary nutrients for a healthy and enjoyable living.

~oOo~

The post What You Need to Know About Proper Nutrition first appeared on Age With Charm.

The life expectancy of Americans in 2018 was 76 years old for men and 81 for women. Compared to those in 1990 which was 47 and 49, respectively, this is a great longevity improvement.

Many factors came into play to make this happen. For one, advances in medicine have made people healthier. Then their socioeconomic improved and they started embracing healthy lifestyles i.e. regular exercise, reduced consumption of alcohol and tobacco, and healthy eating or proper nutrition.

What is proper nutrition

Proper nutrition is eating the right kinds of foods for better health, well-being and enough energy to keep you going.

Healthy eating consists of foods that contain necessary protein, carbohydrates, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals your body needs.

It is very crucial among seniors because malnutrition can lead to weight loss, among other things. It can impair the immune system, thus increasing the risks of a host of medical issues that can affect your quality of life.

In 2005, only 1% of healthy and live-alone American seniors are malnourished. Though no current figures are available, it is expected to be higher as more baby boomers have retired since then.

The figures may not be alarming, but it raises the question, “Why would people in the midst of abundance be malnourished#8221;

Here’s why…

Issues that affect nutrition and how to cope with them

Several factors can cause poor nutrition among seniors, but these are the most common:

1.  Loss of appetite

Loss of appetite is not a normal consequence of aging and it is not necessarily a sign of a medical issue.

It could be a lack of energy to cook or due to a change in taste buds, or sense of smell. Loneliness or depression can also cause a loss of appetite.

Whatever the reason is, it should not be taken lightly because it can result in a drastic loss of weight and other serious medical issues.

You can cope with the loss of appetite by…

• Setting a regular eating schedule. The body has a biological clock that dictates most of our routines, i.e., time to sleep, discharge waste, hunger, thirst, etc. Setting a regular eating schedule is like programming the body to yearn for food.

• Increasing nutrient density, not the volume of food you eat. This assures enough nutrients are taken in even if the volume of food intake is sparse.

• Eating with a friend or groups of friends to have a better eating experience and better nutrition. Dine out occasionally to be in the midst of people (this is my favorite way of whetting up my appetite).

• Take appetizers like banana, mango, or salad with your meals.

2.  Budget constraints

Based on the 2017 official poverty measure (income of $11,756/yr), 9.2% of adults 65 and older, or 4.7 million, live in poverty. For them, buying quality and nutritious foods is a real problem.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t. It just takes a little patient digging.

For example, Clark.com has a list of discount restaurants for seniors. And for groceries, SeniorList contains a list of grocery stores where you can buy necessary stuff at bargain prices.

3.  Oral health issues

Age brings along oral health problems like a diminished sense of taste, teeth loss, gum disease, root decay, and thrush (a mouth infection caused by the Candida fungus) which can affect your daily food intake.

It is very important then to stick to a daily oral hygiene routine like:

• Brushing your teeth twice a day using fluoride-based toothpaste;
• Flossing your teeth at least once a day;
• Rinse your mouth with an antiseptic once or twice a day.

On top of the above, visit your dentist regularly for teeth cleaning and oral exam.

4.  Health conditions

There some medical issues like stomach flu, migraine, or cold sores that can temporarily affect proper nutrition.

But chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, heart failure, cancer, obesity, etc., may affect your nutritional intake over the long haul.

It is very important, therefore, to have your doctor or nutritionist design a diet plan which can satisfy your nutritional requirements and, at the same time, keep your medical condition in check.

5.  Medications

Aging, woefully, brings along a lot of medical issues requiring the ingestion of several drugs that may cause malnutrition in several ways. For example, drug interaction may cause:

• suppression of hunger
• interference in the absorption of nutrients like fats, proteins, and vitamins;
• an alteration of the senses of taste and smell;
• Swallowing problems.

To avoid drug-induced malnutrition, do these:

• ask your health care provider the effects of all the medications you are taking, prescription or over-the-counter;
• consult with your doctor for any side-effect you are experiencing with a particular drug;
• take your drugs on their suggested schedules, i.e., before or after meals;
• unless clearly specified, take medications with a full glass of water to prevent stomach irritation and improve absorption;
• don’t mix or stir medication into food or drink unless indicated. Some foods may break them down, decreasing their efficacy.

6.  Personal circumstances

Living alone or having reduced social contact is a risk factor for malnutrition. In fact, an NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) report shows that loneliness is a predictor of anorexia nervosa.

There is no easy way to cope with this other than determination and the will to live.

I am a live-along senior and I hate eating alone. It sucks. But I am not malnourished. In fact, my BMI is perfect, and I am trying to get rid of unwanted belly fat.

How I get over this loneliness/nutrient thing is to constantly remind myself that malnutrition is a painful (and dishonorable) way of dying – especially since my ref is full of foodstuff.

But I am not talking about myself. Malnutrition is an ugly specter hovering over 1 in 2 seniors and the diseases it causes cost a whopping $ 15.5 billion annually.

Don’t fall for it.

Please share to help other seniors keep up.

Image: The Conversation

~oOo~

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The post How to Cope with Issues that Affect Nutrition first appeared on Age With Charm.