Nutrition in old age
Every body is different and has different needs
With increasing age, nutrition becomes more and more important, or at least it should, because especially in older people there are often deficiencies due to improper nutrition. Therefore, a balanced and healthy diet helps you feel good and maintain your performance even as you age.
While a healthy and balanced diet is important at any age, it's especially important between the ages of 60 and 60. – 65. At the age of 65, particularly noticeable physical changes occur, which should be supported accordingly with the right diet and exercise.
However, it is not possible to give a universal recommendation for a healthy diet, as every body is different and has different requirements. Factors such as z.B. Genetic predispositions, illnesses, medication and lifestyle should be taken into account.
With increasing age, the metabolism changes, the amount of muscle in the body decreases and the amount of fat tie increases. As a result, older people have a lower energy metabolism than younger people. Consequently, the calorie requirement also decreases. You usually eat less food. If food intake is lower, care should be taken to ensure that it is appropriately nutrient-rich. Fruits and vegetables, legumes, lean dairy products, potatoes, whole grains, lean fish and meat are particularly rich in nutrients. Less recommended are all fat-. Sugary foods.
The sense of thirst also decreases with age. One should make sure to drink enough. The German Society for Nutrition advises drinking about 1.3 to 1.5 liters a day in old age, or more in summer. even more. Here one should fall back with priority on still water, fruit or herbal teas or diluted fruit juices. Coffee, black tea or alcohol should only be consumed occasionally and in small quantities.
…Did you know that traditional Mediterranean cuisine not only tastes delicious, but is also based on numerous healthy ingredients, such as vegetables and unsaturated fatty acids in the form of fish and olive oil.
Food supplements
Sometimes, for various reasons, it is not possible to consume the required nutrients in sufficient quantities. Then one has the possibility to fall back on food supplements for the prevention of deficiency symptoms.
It is best to talk to your doctor or a nutritionist about this. He can tell you exactly what is the optimal combination of supplements for you to avoid deficiencies such as iron deficiency and the symptoms that go with it, such as persistent fatigue, feeling weak. However, one should always keep in mind that dietary supplements cannot completely replace a healthy and balanced diet.
If you often suffer from feelings of weakness, one of our stairlifts may be a great help in coping with your everyday life. Here you can find more information about our stairlifts.
Chewing and swallowing disorders
The fact that a balanced and healthy diet is not always easy to implement may also be due to the fact that older people often do not chew these foods properly or do not eat them at all. swallow. Sometimes due to tooth loss and ill-fitting dentures, and sometimes due to disease. In addition, many foods are difficult to chew as z.B. Meat and whole grains.
If you need help on what foods are best to consume in such a case and how to best prepare them, a nutritionist can be of further help. In many cases, especially in the case of illness, nutritional counseling is covered or subsidized by health insurers.
Have you ever heard of Smooth Food belongs?
Smooth food can add a nice variety to your plate. If you are dependent on eating pureed food due to chewing and swallowing difficulties, you may not want to eat at all.
The preparation of smooth food is a bit more time-consuming, but the result leaves (almost) nothing to be desired on the plate.
For example, with jellied pork medallions, the meat is seasoned and pan-fried. Then it is cut up, pureed and the so-called texturizer (here GELEA) is added. The entire mass is then boiled up again. Seasoned to taste. Then the whole thing goes into a special silicone mold and after approx. 30 minutes resting time the visually appealing food is ready. Looks deceptively similar to the original.
As they always say? The eye eats with you. And anyone who has ever had to resort to porridge will confirm this statement. Beautifully prepared food gives you more appetite. Tastes much better.