No matter what age you are, healthy eating and good nutrition are always important. Eating right is the way that your body gets vital nutrients, the minerals and vitamins that we need to function, grow, and maintain optimal health. But as we age, our bodies and our lives change around us, so too does what we need to eat to stay healthy.
Far too many people fail to realize and appreciate the size of the role that nutrition plays in ensuring long term health and happiness. And while many people have a vague idea or a general sense of what healthy means, knowing exactly what it means, and also putting it into practice are two different things.
We all have the basic knowledge that the right balance of calories is the key factor in maintaining a healthy body weight throughout our lives. But many people may be unaware that older adults generally need fewer calories than they did when they were younger, due to changes like a reduced metabolism, lower physical activity levels, and age related loss of muscle mass. But while you may need fewer calories, you still require the same amounts of nutrients, if not more. Nutrients are crucial for energy, weight control, and giving your body the building blocks it needs to keep the various systems and components of your body like your organs and skeleton healthy and strong. Nutrients can also help to prevent some diseases, like osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and more.
Because in older age, we need a reduced amount of calories, it becomes more important than ever to cut back on empty calories like sodas, chips, candy, and alcohol. Instead, our focus when eating should be on foods that are lighter in calories, but denser in nutrients. Foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice, fat free or low fat milk and cheese, and seafood, lean meats, poultry and eggs, as well as beans, nuts, and seeds, should be incorporated into our diets.
And despite needing fewer calories, older adults actually have higher requirements for protein than younger adults do, especially if dealing with chronic illnesses. Our bodies progressively lose muscle mass, strength, and function over time, which can begin as early as in our 30s. And getting older means that our bodies don’t process protein as efficiently. What this means is that as we age, we need to up the amount of protein in our diets to support and preserve our muscle mass.
Muscle loss and weakness that can result from inadequate nutrition can lead to falls. Every year, a quarter of seniors experience a fall, which can have serious mental and physical health consequences. Preventing falls is a multifaceted but incredibly important part of maintaining overall health and wellness as we age. Additionally, studies have suggested that older adults who consume more protein are more capable of performing the daily activities of living, for longer. Preserving muscle mass makes things like getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, and more easier.