Diet for elderly people

Nutrition tips

 

Individual approach really crucial

Quite often material conditions of elderly people is the reason for a lack of balanced diet that would be rich in nutrients. The elderly choose tinned food and give up fresh vegetables or fruit which quickly lose freshness, because they are not able to go shopping on a regular basis. Health problems causing appetite disorders or taste disorders are the reasons that the elderly stop looking after the right diet.
They usually do not spend much time preparing meals. Dental problems also influence the kind of meals that are prepared – the foods they choose are usually easy to chew, which disturbs digestion.
This is why seniors often forget about products rich in fibre such as fruit and wholemeal breads. They prefer light meals, not always valuable, e.g. white breads. Excess weight or emaciation and the lack of nutrients, assisting both of these conditions, are a result of such a diet. To avoid that you need to decide carefully about your diet.
You have to include individual needs of each senior and take into account dietician’s recommendations, e.g. with problems such as diabetes or arteriosclerosis present. 

Proteins and minerals as an important element of senior’s menu

Grains such as wholemeal and mixed breads play an important part in senior’s diet, as well as barley, rice, pasta and potatoes. It is advisable to eat cooked meat once a week e.g. lean beef. This will provide the body with iron. Chicken meat will strengthen the heart. Fish should be eaten at least twice a week – it is rich in unsaturated fatty acid, which raises the level of good cholesterol in the blood, lowering its coagulability, prevent from arteriosclerosis and heart diseases. Fatty fish, like herring and mackerel contain a lot of vitamin D. Seniors do not get vitamin D from the sun, so it is not synthesized in their skin in a natural way. It is not good to eat a lot of eggs, maximum 2-3 a week, since egg-yolks contain a lot of cholesterol, you can have an egg white without limiting yourself too much. There have to be dairy products in the daily menu – as a great source of calcium which strengthens bones and teeth. It is best to drink kefir, yoghurts, butter milk or fermented acidophil milk. Before a dairy meal you can take lactase preparation, available at pharmacies over the counter. Leguminous vegetables should be eaten at least twice a week – beans, soya beans and lentils contain phytoestrogens – nutrients that act just like estrogens, diminishing the effect that are present at menopause, lowering the level of and protecting the heart.
Food should be seasoned with herbs that prevent flatulence, e.g. cumin, marjoram, savory.