Much has been written about nutritional needs at every age. We ignored most of the suggestions along the way, but by now you may be having second thoughts. At a certain age, well now, a diet rich in nutrients may be the difference between life and death.
Okay, maybe not quite that drastic but look at yourself. Good health and good nutrition are linked. The troublesome part is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to cram all the necessary nutrients into your diet. Your appetite isn’t the same as it used to be. Your sense of smell and your taste buds have taken a dive, and you aren’t as active as you used to be. Nutrients aside, you also must be careful not to eat foods that will exacerbate conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Yuk.
Decreased appetite and changes in bodily physiology make good nutrition more important than ever. You want to avoid losing the weight and muscle mass that keeps you strong. As muscle mass decreases, so does strength and endurance. Being weak and frail is not a good look.
We understand all that, but what if you don’t feel like eating. The idea of eating even small servings of everything required for optimal health is daunting, not to mention expensive. It is not surprising that many older adults suffer from clinical malnutrition.
Cooking loses its appeal. It is easier to buy packaged, precooked food, but alas they are often high in salt and fat, which isn’t ideal either. Sad to say protein, iron, calcium, vegetables, fruit, whole grains and water are often missing from the senior diet.
Calorie needs decrease but nutritional requirements do not. Researchers recommend eating two good meals a day and having a variety of nutritious snacks available. The emphasis is on “good.” Try using the same ploys on yourself that you did on your kids when you cajoled them into eating their vegetables. At the very least talk to your medical provider about supplements and energy drinks. Do whatever it takes so that you aren’t depriving your body of the fuel that it needs.
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