|
The Danger of Inadequate Nutrition
It's hard to believe but even in the resource-rich United States up to 16% of Americans age 65 and older are not regularly getting adequate nutrition, and one in four older adults is actually at risk of malnutrition.
People who are chronically ill and those who are of advanced age, in frail health, living alone or in nursing homes are at the highest risk of malnutrition and its complications.
Low food energy intake ultimately causes inadequate levels of essential nutrients which can result in chronic illness and impaired health.
|
New Powdered Supplement
Easier for Seniors!
Makes orange juice taste less acidic and smoother to drink.
It is an easy and enjoyable way to give your body the vitamins and balanced nutrition it needs. It also mixes well with your favorite protein shake.
Provides 100% of the Daily Value of essential vitamins and nutrients, including A, C, D, B6, B12, E, and more! It also provides inulin (a prebiotic) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (a probiotic), delivering friendly microflora to promote gastrointestinal and long term colon health and a healthy immune system.*
It's perfect for seniors, children, and your entire family `
Need More Info?
|
The following links lead to an extensive educational network of .pdfs and accompanying products which represent a lifetime of lab testing and researching of optimal nutrition.
Undertaken by a well known and beloved company of nearly 50 years, to support their products, this nutritional research provides a missing component to the often haphazard approach taken by those who earnestly seek to spare their bodies unnecessary suffering and early aging.
Feel better, look Better, have more energy......these products come with a guarantee!
• Best Multivitamin
• Cardio Health
• Children’s Health
• Digestive Health
• Immune Health
• Pain Relief
• Mental Health
• Sports Nutrition
• Weight Loss here's how to AVOID FOOD CRAVINGS !!!
• Women’s Health
• See All Nutrition
Why BALANCED
Nutrition is Critical!
Guidelines to Follow
Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the recommended servings as guideline for healthy eating. (See diagram below.)
Choose many items from the bread, cereal, grains and pasta group. This is the basis for a good diet. Six to eleven servings daily make a sound choice. The vegetable group is also an important group for building the diet. Three to five servings are recommended for daily consumption.
The fruit section offers refreshing options throughout the day. Fruit is a good dessert selection. Everyone needs at least two to three servings each day.
Meat or alternate meat selections (beans, nuts, eggs) are also necessary for a healthy diet. Two to three servings provide the nutrients you need for the day.
Food Guide Pyramid
Fats, Oils and Sweets: Use sparingly.
Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Groups: 2 to 3 servings.
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts Group: 2 to 3 servings.
Vegetable Group: 3 to 5 servings.
Fruit Group: 2 to 4 servings.
Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta Group: 6 to 11 servings.
The fat and sugar section is the tip of the pyramid. Limit your intake of these. Few nutrients are offered in group.
Lose Fat, Not Faith
Health and Medication
One out of live people in the United States take nonprescription medications daily, and almost half of them don’t follow the label instructions.
Thirty-five percent of the patients who are prescribed medications by a doctor leave the office without information on the drug they were prescribed.
Follow some rules for safe drug use:
Take exactly the amount of drug prescribed by your doctor.
Follow the dosage schedule as closely as possible.
Be sure you understand all instructions before starting to use a drug.
Never take a drug prescribed for a friend or relative.
Medicines will not produce the same effects in all people.
Inform the health care worker all reactions to medications.
Keep drugs stored in a cool, dry place.
Ask for easily opened containers from the pharmacist if an elder has trouble opening the child-proof containers.
Remember to keep them out of reach of children.
Ask the pharmacist for large print names and instructions.
Discard all old medications.
Don’t mix one drug with another without the health care worker’s OK.
Unless told otherwise, make sure all medication is taken until it is gone.
Always eat well-balanced meals, especially if you are on medication for a long period.
A Well-Kept Secret:
Elderly Alcoholism
A retired man or woman, such as Loretta or John, would be the last person you would think might have a drug or alcohol problem. However, alcohol dependency in people over 60 is much more common than you’d expect.
Many are the "late-onset" drinkers, people who do not begin to drink to excess until after they have reached the "golden years." This may start after a crisis, such as the lost of a spouse or after retirement. During these transitions, a person can become hooked in a very short time.
Changes in body composition and in metabolism rate allow alcohol to have a greater effect on the body than it did when a person was 45. If you know of an elder who may have an alcohol problem, encourage them to seek help. Older people are actually more successful in treating alcohol problems than their younger counterparts.
Breathe Easily
Indoor air pollution has been described by the EPA and Congress as America's #1 environmental health problem. Air pollutants can cause allergies, sick building syndrome, bacteria infections, and spread viruses to name a few.
It benefits our bodies to live in as non-toxic an evironment as we can. If you are troubled over your home air and water quality and what you are putting into your home environment as you do laundry and clean, you will want to check out the following:
• Air Filters (The World's Most Effective Air Purifier!) find out why
• "Green" Laundry Products
• Non-toxic Cleaners
• Water Filters (The World's Most Advanced) sleek 'n easy
|
|
Eating alone is one of the most common factors behind poor eating patterns.
|
Loretta turned 73 in August and is living in the small farmhouse that she and her husband bought when they were first married. It has been a full and happy life.
But with Loretta’s husband’s death last winter, things have changed.
Meals used to be exciting to prepare. They shared mealtimes with each other and often went to eat at the local cafe.
Loretta’s health is not as good as it was a few years ago. Her arthritis is bothering her more now that the weather is colder, and the furnace is kept low to save on fuel.
What should Loretta do to manage her meals to stay healthy?
| New living and social situations can lead to unhealthy patterns
Seventy-year-old John lives in a small city in a housing project. The land on which he had built a house and raised a family was sold.
The taxes were beyond what he could manage with the income from his Social Security.
Eating meals is not the same anymore. John never expected to do any of his own cooking, shopping or cleaning. It’s such a bother to do those things. That was Sadie’s job.
What would help John with daily meals? |
You CAN eat well!
Quick and Easy Options
Managing meals may not be easy, especially if you have never done it, or you are handicapped because of an illness. Be prepared for such circumstances.
Have a few meals in the freezer that you can pull out and zap in the microwave. There are many to choose from that are healthy and not very expensive. Check the labels. You will find that some are not only low in calories but are also low fat.
Add a salad with a low-fat dressing, beverage and a low-fat dessert.
Don’t be reluctant to eat out and eat healthily.
Many family-style restaurants, ethnic restaurants even fast food establishments offer excellent options for the older person who’s not interested in making meals at home.
It’s much more fun to eat when you have people to talk to. It’s possible to follow the Food Guide Pyramid even when eating out.
Be creative. Get together with three friends and prepare meals for each other once a week. The fourth week of the month, you can order take-out. You’ll benefit from sharing a special time with friends.
Problem Signs
Eating alone is one of the most common factors behind poor eating patterns.
Research shows that poor nutrition results from eating alone, taking multiple medications, smoking and poor dental health.
The most common nutritional problems among elderly are high fat and saturated fat diets, and low calorie meals.
A lack of variety in food choices results in a lack of nutrients essential to good health. In some countries, including the United States, food policy suggests eating a healthy variety of foods every day.
The Japanese government recommends people "eat 30 or more different kinds of foods per day."
Studies show that people who have a limited variety of foods die younger than those who regularly eat foods from the five major food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy.
Physical changes can also occur as you age. As lean body mass is lost, total water in the body decreases, body fat increases and bones may weaken.
To stop these changes, read further to find ways you can eat to stay healthy.
Too Much Fat?
Too much fat in your diet can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, some types of cancer and high blood pressure. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States.
Find ways reduce the total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet of elders you care for, especially if they have risk for these diseases.
Here are some questions you might ask them (and yourself):
- Have you had your blood cholesterol checked?
- If you smoke, can you stop?
- Can you increase complex
- carbohydrates in your diet?
- Do you eat at least five fruits
- and vegetables a day?
Shake the Salt Shaker Syndrome
No one can predict who will develop high blood pressure, another factor leading to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease and stroke.
Some salt in the diet is necessary for normal functioning of the body cells and fluid maintenance.
However, when people have too much salt in their diets, there is a greater chance of high blood pressure.
Much of the sodium (salt) in the diets of many Americans comes from snack foods and from salt added to food at the table.
Think of ways to reduce salt in your diet or the diet of elders you care for, especially if they are prone to high blood pressure. Here are some suggestions:
- Read labels at the store to check the sodium content of each serving.
- Cook things such as pasta, rice and hot cereal without adding salt.
- Cut down or leave out the salt you use in your favorite recipes.
- Substitute herbs and spices for the salt in recipes. Don’t salt your food unless it really needs it.
Since elders eat less, it is even more important that they choose foods wisely and eat foods that are nutrient-dense.
Special meals programs, such as Senior Meals, are also options.
Brittle Bones Can Be Strengthened
It’s never too late to improve the strength of your bones by eating calcium-rich foods and getting daily exercise.
The newest recommendation for daily calcium intake for people over age SO is 1200 mg.
When shopping for food, look for foods that are high in calcium naturally and select foods that have extra calcium added to them.
Research shows that proper nutrition and exercise can reduce the risk of osteoporosis by 50 percent or more.
Women are especially prone to this bone disease. Four out of the five victims of osteoporosis are women.
Strengthen your bones or those of an elder you care for with these simple steps:
Increase your intake of dairy products, including lowfat milk products, lowfat cheeses and yogurt.
Eat dark, green, leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and kale. They are good sources of calcium.
If you have trouble digesting milk, choose products with lactose added or add it yourself.
Select cultured milk products, such as yogurt and cheese, which have the milk lactose partially broken down so it is easier to digest.
Enjoy canned fish that includes the bones, such as salmon or sardines. They are good sources of calcium.
Calories Do Count
Another factor that adds to the risk of having chronic disease, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer, is being overweight. Many people are clinically overweight or obese.
The annual survey conducted by Maine Department of Human Services found that 27.1 percent of Maine adults were at a health risk due to weight. That is more than one out of every four adults in Maine.
As a person ages, their need for calories to maintain an adequate weight decreases. An older person is usually less active physically and needs fewer calories.
Since elders eat less, it is even more important that they choose foods wisely and eat foods that are nutrient-dense.
Some older people need to add weight; this may be as hard as losing weight. Here are some ideas to help elders lose or maintain weight:
Find ways to be more physically active - walk stretch, dance.
If you need to lose weight, change your diet to cut calories but choose foods with the vitamins and minerals you need.
Try fruits and vegetables new to you. Select calcium-rich, but low-fat, dairy products.
If you choose a diet, ask yourself if it’s too expensive. Is it a diet you can follow for a lifetime? Is it unrealistic? Does it limit the variety of foods that you can have?
Find ways you can eat out and still maintain a low-calorie diet. Choose restaurants with heart healthy menu selections. Try vegetarian dishes and broiled entrees instead of fried.
| |
