Eating Well

Whatever your age, you can start making positive   lifestyle changes today.

Eating well can help you stay healthy and independent -- and look and feel good -- in the years to come.

To check your understanding, you may take a short quiz and answer some questions on how much you know about senior nutrition:

1. Nutrient-dense foods are foods that are:

A. Low in nutrients and high in calories.

B. High in nutrients and low in calories

C. High in nutrient and high in calories.

Answer: B

How much do you know about senior nutrition?

Eating a healthful diet is essential for people of every age. But as an aging senior, doing so is especially important to help both  physical and mental health. To assess how much you know about good nutrition, mark the following statements true or false.


1.    You need the same amount of food and calories now as you did when you were younger.


True or False?


Answer: False. As an older adult, you may not need as many calories as you did when you were younger. But you still need just as many of the nutrients that healthful food provides.

Importance  of Good Nutrition As We Age

To eat well, it's best to choose a mix of nutrient-dense foods every day. Nutrient-dense foods are foods that are high in nutrients but low in calories. Look for foods that contain vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats.


•    Plan your meals and snacks around fruits and vegetables.


Eat a variety of colors and types of vegetables every day. Broccoli, spinach and other dark leafy greens are good choices. You might also choose orange vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or winter squash.
Fruits and vegetables provide important vitamins and minerals to keep your body healthy. Most of these foods have little fat and no cholesterol. Fruits, vegetables and grains are also a source of fiber. Eating more fiber may help with digestion and constipation and may lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

Eating Well As We Grow Older

Numerous benefits of a healthy diet and proper nutrition include: increased mental acuteness; resistance to illness and disease; higher energy levels; a more robust immune system; faster recuperation times, and; better management of chronic health problems.

As we age, our relationship to food changes along with our bodies. When we're younger, we might grab fast food on the run and not think twice about it. In later life, however, eating well can be the key to staying mentally sharp, emotionally balanced and energetic, with a strong immune system and a positive outlook.

 

Eating obstacles for seniors

Obstacles to proper diet, including emotional, lifestyle and physical factors, crop up as we age.

Lifestyle changes. Newly single seniors may not know how to cook or may not feel like cooking for one. People on limited budgets might have trouble affording a balanced, healthy diet. See the resources below for suggestions on cooking for one and easy, healthy menu selections.