Proper nutrition should be important for everyone, but even more so if you’re over the age of 60. Your body becomes very vulnerable to bad food choices after this age, and poor nutrition is one of the main reasons why seniors develop diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart conditions. Seniors are also more likely to suffer from conditions that limit their food selection and force them to make modifications and concessions, which can then make it harder for them to get the nutrients they need. Let’s take a look at a few essential nutrition tips seniors should follow if they want to stay happy and healthy.
Drink More than You Think You Need
Staying properly hydrated is extremely important when you’re older. Dehydration increases the risk of things like heat stroke, heart failure, and urinary tract infections, among others. It can also affect things like joint health and mobility. Know some helpful health Tips for your healthy lifestyle just go on ehaa jaa lifestyle login
The worst part in all of this is that many people start losing their sense of thirst as they age, which makes it difficult to gauge whether they need hydrating or not. The only solution to this is to keep a strict drinking schedule and drink water throughout the day.
There are many recommendations out there as to how much water you should consume but, as a rule, you should try to aim for one-third of your body mass in pounds and drink that amount in fluid ounces. For instance, if you weigh 180 pounds, then you should try to get at least 60 oz of water per day. Bringing a container with the amount you need daily will help you stay on top of your daily consumption, or you could bring multiple containers just to make sure that you get the water that you need.
Stock Up on Protein
Protein is probably the single most important nutrient as you get older. It is what keeps your muscles healthy and supports various other functions as well. Protein will help you with things like cognition and memory, mood, and energy. So, you should try to get as much as you can and consider protein-enriched foods and supplementation.
Try Eating Organic
We know that organic food can get expensive, but people are much more sensitive to the chemicals that are used in food production as they get older. Things like sodium nitrite, for instance, which can be found in lunch meats and things like canned tuna are extremely dangerous to seniors and can lead to things like pancreatic cancer. Artificial food coloring and aspartame are two other things you need to stay on high alert for.
Use the Right Additives
A lot of seniors need to add additives to their foods either to make them healthier or because they’re required to. One example is people dealing with dysphagia. If you happen to be suffering from this condition, you will have to be very careful to get all the nutrients that you need and find thickeners that will make thickened soups, water, and other drinks taste delicious. If you’re looking for a good option, you should check out Simply Thick and their selection of products today. Also, consider speaking with other people with dysphagia for their recommendations.
Proper nutrition will help you stay healthy for longer and could add years to your life. Do not neglect it, and do everything you can to eat as healthily as you can, starting today.
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