Health Tips

Caring for Your Seniors

Food Caring for Seniors

     Seniors, or those older than 60, have reduced bodily functions as their bodies age. Their teeth aren’t as strong as they used to be; it’s harder for them to chew, so they eat less and therefore, receive less proteins and not enough energy, while reduced iron and calcium absorption eventually leads to anemia and osteoporosis.

     The cells in their blood vessels are less flexible, yielding to atherosclerosis and heart conditions. Their intestines contract less; this, combined with a diet low in fiber and water, will then lead to constipation.

     That being said, it’s still possible to take care of your seniors and keep them in good health by choosing a careful diet for them.

     Because your seniors no longer need as much energy, they should consume less than 1200 calories per day, 50-60 grams of protein per day (about 2 tablespoons per meal). Excessive protein consumption would convert it into fat, resulting in obesity. They should choose easily digestible proteins such as fish. They can also eat an unlimited amount of egg whites but should limit egg yolks no more than 3 times a week.

     Avoid fatty foods such as anything containing vegetable or animal fat oils, lard, egg yolk, or butter. These foods can result in indigestion and weight gain. When preparing food, try to use oils high in linoleic acid (unsaturated fatty acid), limiting the amount to about 2 – 2.5 tablespoons and limit carbohydrates such as rice, flour, and sugar to no more than 3-4 cups a day. They can eat a lot of fruits but these fruits must be easy to chew and digest, as well as not excessively sweet like ripe mango, durian, longan, which should be eaten in moderation to prevent the onset of diabetes.

     Your senior should eat vegetables everyday in order to get the vitamins they need as well as fibers to prevent constipation. However, they should avoid raw vegetables (except for few kinds of lettuce) because of the extremely high fiber content which can easily cause indigestion. They should eat about ½ cup of beans per day, taking care to soften them first by boiling; however, beans should be eaten in moderation because they can also cause indigestion.

     Osteoporosis is extremely common for seniors, so to strengthen bones, they should take 800 mg of calcium per day, or about 4 tbsp of non-fat powdered milk mixed in 1 cup of water. Soy milk is also a healthy alternative for calcium.

     Seniors should drink about 1 ½ to 2 liters of water a day. Certainly, on days that are hotter and they lose a lot of water, they should be drinking more. Don’t forget to fortify the diet with 1 glass of fresh orange juice per day to get the 30 grams of vitamin C needed per day.

Nutrition and diet is pivotal to good health and happy living—that is, having the freedom to live life the way that you want. Combine this healthy living tip with a health insurance plan for your senior and you can be assured that illnesses that come with age also won’t cause any financial problems for other family members.