Assisted Living: Healthy Eating Habits for seniors

Assisted Living: Healthy Eating Habits for Seniors

Healthy eating is for everyone but as age progresses it becomes more important to eat fresh and stay fit. When one eats well, it not only keeps the body healthy but also derives a path to staying emotionally balanced and have a constructive outlook towards life. Eating a well-balanced diet becomes essential with age to stay fit.

As one age, the metabolism of the body slows down and it becomes more prone to developing different medical conditions. Healthy eating in no way means dieting or saying goodbye to your favorite food if done correctly. Fresh & tasty food with wholesale ingredients enjoyed in the company of family and friends comprises a healthy diet.

Eating healthy will help in improving energy levels, mental intensity, and resistance to diseases. Food rich in fiber, minerals, vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients should be consumed as well as staying away from processed food does wonder.

Here are some of the ways that would help in maintaining a healthy diet plan :

Meal Planning

What you eat & what goes inside your body is the most crucial part of healthy living. With age, the nutritional need of the body change. There are a lot of psychological changes that come with old age and it results in having an impact on the body too. The body probably needs fewer calories and more nutrients to function better.

A lot of older adults face the issue of appetite loss and a diminished sense of smell and taste with age. In all of these cases, meal planning helps a lot. Following a planned eating chart throughout the week makes things easy. It’s less likely to get diverted towards junk in this case. Stick to the serving size recommended maintaining a healthy weight. Reduce the usage of table salt and sugar in the food and go for a healthier substitute.

More Liquids

We cannot stress enough on the importance of drinking enough water in a day. Our body needs fluids to be regular and stay healthy. Drinking Fluids throughout the day is a good habit that should be adopted by one and all.

Select High Fibres

High fiber food like whole-grain cereals, nuts & seeds, and bread as a great source of nourishment provider to the body. Good fiber helps in lowering the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. It also improves skin health and helps in losing unnecessary weight.

Include Fruits and Veggies

Avoid fried food instead one can opt for grilled, broiled, or boiled options. Include fresh fruits in your meal and aim for at least 2-3 servings each day. Choose Colorful berries to make your food more interesting. Leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and other leafy greens are anti-oxidant rich and should be included in the meal plan.

Varied source of Protein

With age choosing the kind of protein intake in the body extends great support in boosting the mood and keep one away from stress, anxiety, and depression which is common in seniors these days. Nuts, seeds, fish, eggs, and fresh veggies like beans are some of the good protein sources which can be included in the meal in the appropriate quantity.

Stronger bone with Calcium

Bone health becomes more important with growing age and maintaining it is an important task. Good calcium sources are dairy products like yogurt, milk, and cheese and nondairy ones like almonds and tofu. Bone Fractures and Osteoporosis are common in old age and therefore including these calcium sources in food would help in reducing their chances.

Include variety

Choose colors and options in food. Take the help of herbs and spices like pepper, oregano, basil, turmeric, rosemary etc to make things interesting.

Go for “Good” fats

It is not required to cut down on fat completely, rather focus on the good fats like omega3 that can protect the body from diseases and help it function on pace. Try and minimize trans and saturated fat in the meals and opt for polyunsaturated & monounsaturated fats generally found in olive, avocado, and nuts.

Technology has advanced to such a greater extent in this era that it has become really easy to follow a certain diet plan and stick to it completely. If you cannot travel and go out to get your groceries, there are numerous online delivery options available that will deliver the goods to your home. Again, if cooking is a problem for you, Technology has a solution for that too.

You can order food online and it will deliver to your doorstep. There are several healthy eating outlets that provide healthy food. With a healthy diet, it is also necessary to have some physical activity to stay fit. Indulge in some yoga or simple exercises to give your body some movement. This will keep up your energy level and will keep you energized always. If you cannot do all of this by yourself, there are options of assisted living where they provide a greater number of services.

There are little things that have to be taken care of and one can easily live a healthy life ahead.