Eat Right as you Age
Nutrients play a major role in determining our health at different stages of life. Good nutrition is important no matter what our age is. You will indeed become what you eat. Aging is related to many changes in the body including muscle loss, visceral fat build-up, thinner skin, less stomach acid, and a lot more psychological changes. Some of these changes might lead to nutritional deficiencies or malnutrition while some might affect the quality of life. Apart from these, the body’s ability to recognize senses might also decrease like hunger and thirst. The reduction in body weight and loss of some lean body mass can lead to increased risk of sarcopenia, osteoporosis, frailty, falls, fractures, infections, and overall risk of mortality. It is known that aging is inevitable, but the issues related to aging can be prevented with optimal nutrition and an active lifestyle. Ever wondered how do we optimize nutrition for older adults at home? Practical and realistic approaches are key to optimize diet and food intake in older adults. There are specific recommended dietary allowances (RDA) at each stage of life.
Recommended Dietary Allowances for older adults:
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are energy-providing nutrients. When eaten in moderation, the right type of carbohydrates provide elders with benefits that enhance their well-being. According to the Indian council of medical research, the RDA for total calorie intake is 1700 Kcal for men and 1500 Kcal for women per day. It is best recommended to choose complex carbohydrates as they take longer to break down and help in avoiding unwanted hunger spikes and fluctuations in blood sugar levels. These carbohydrates promote the feeling of fullness. Include foods like oatmeal, wholegrain foods, lentils and grain mixed recipes, etc. Include fruits and vegetables as they are not only sources of carbohydrates but also vitamins and minerals. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables also contain fiber that helps in digestion and proper bowel movements. Chose whole grains, quinoa, faro, amaranth, barley, soba noodles, whole grain pasta, brown rice into the daily diet.
Proteins:
It is very common to lose muscle mass and strength during the process of aging. This is what is known as sarcopenia- an age-related loss of muscle mass. Including enough protein can help recover the lost muscle mass and maintain health. The recommended dietary allowance of protein for older men is 54g per day and for older women is 46g per day. Protein is also important to have proper wound healing ability. Studies show that people who included a protein-rich diet lost 40% less muscle mass than people who ate the least. Foods like nuts and seeds, eggs, curd, nut butter, lean meat, beans, lentils, legumes are some of the good sources of protein. Try and load morning breakfast with chickpea flour instead of refined flour or rice flour. Include nuts and seeds as snacks in between main meals. Protein digestion could be another major issue in the elderly. The food for the elderly must be as soft as possible to aid in easy chewing and digestion. To multiply the digestion process include probiotics and fermented foods like curd as they are proven to maintain gut health and ultimately digestion and absorption.
Fats:
Fats are always misunderstood to be unhealthy, but the right type of fats are very important for health and well-being. The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help in reducing bad cholesterol LDL and increase good cholesterol HDL. Fatty fishes like salmon, trout, sardines, and herring are great sources of healthy fats, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein. Chia seeds are 80% fats and contain good sources of omega- 3 fatty acids and carbs present are fibers that aid in digestion. Full-fat yogurt, nuts and seeds dark chocolate, avocados are good sources of healthy fats. Fats should make up 20 to 35 percent of the calories, with less than 10 percent coming from saturated fats.
Vitamins and minerals:
Calcium, vitamin D, B12 are some of the most important nutrients. Calcium helps build and maintain healthy bones and vitamin D helps absorb calcium. With the process of aging, calcium absorption can decline as deficiency of vitamin D is at higher risk. Vitamin B12 is essential for making red blood cells maintain healthy brain function, preventing Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. B12 is found abundant in animal foods such as eggs, fish, meat, and dairy. Calcium is found in dairy products, green leafy vegetables, etc. Walking for at least 30 minutes every day in the morning can help produce enough vitamin D through sun exposure and keeps elders physically active. The recommended dietary allowances for B12, calcium and vitamin D are 2.2 μg, 1200mg, 800 IU per day respectively.
As mentioned earlier brain receptors tend to function less with aging, so recognizing thirst could be of great difficulty for elders. It is very important to make a conscious effort to drink enough water every day. Dysphagia is another major problem where older adults face difficulty in swallowing. Cooking food that is suitable for them to eat like mashed potatoes, lentil soups, soft cooked rice, etc and encouraging them to have a meal along with family and friends can help them eat enough and meet the requirements. All these steps can help you fight against deficiencies, infections and make you healthier in every stage of life.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nutritional-needs-and-aging
https://www.nin.res.in/RDA_short_Report_2020.html
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378-5122(18)30178-6
