10 HEALTHY EATING TIPS
Healthy foods will always be a great choice, regardless of how old you are. It is clear that for each phase of life our body needs different amounts of nutrients because our body changes as we age.
See these 10 tips for maintaining a healthy diet, based on the recommendations of the United States Department of Health 1 :
Get organized, plan healthy meals. There are sensible and flexible ways to choose and prepare tasty and healthy meals. Consult a trained professional to help you with information such as how much to eat and which foods to choose.
Diversify the components of your meal. Include varieties of colourful vegetables and vegetables in your meals. These foods are sources of nutrients and dietary fibre.
Use spices to season food. Changes in taste, such as loss of sensation, occur during ageing. You may start to smell and taste food differently. An alternative is to add different spices and seasonings in your preparations, leaving them with a flavour that you like the most.
Make your meal a social event. When we eat with family or friends the moment becomes special, so how about inviting them to dinner during the week or lunch on Saturday?
Be careful not to consume potentially contaminated food. Pay attention to the expiration dates of the food and do not take any chances, throw away foods that are no longer safe to consume, as they may be contaminated by microorganisms. Eating contaminated food can worsen a person’s health, especially when they are most weakened.
Know how much you eat. It is important to know the recommended amount of food to be consumed so that it is possible to distribute the amount over meals throughout the day! This is sometimes more difficult to recognize when eating outside the home, so watch out!
Drink plenty of fluids during the day. With age we can lose the sensitivity of feeling thirsty, so always drink water and juices! If possible, limit the use of sugar.
Read the labels. Food labels contain important information such as the amount of fat, sodium, sugars and calories.
Eat foods that don’t hurt your gums. One problem that can affect many people with ageing is dental problems. Therefore, chewing harder food can be difficult, but it is important to keep ingesting nutrients needed by the body. Then eat softer foods, such as boiled ones.
Ask your doctor about vitamin supplements. It is important to have a medical and/or nutritional follow-up in order not to ingest vitamins and minerals indiscriminately, and to use them according to the need for these nutrients.
Ingesting all the nutrients we need in the right amount does not have to be complicated. You create a healthy eating pattern, making good choices every day in relation to the food and drinks you consume. So be sure to consult your doctor and/or nutritionist. These professionals are trained and will help you to have an adequate diet for your needs.