Nutritional Guidelines for elders

Nutritional help to elders with best tips

Eating right is a fundamental part of overall wellness. National guidelines recommend eating natural foods, focusing your diet on fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Focus on eating a well-balanced diet that focuses on eating more natural food. In addition, seniors should consume fewer calories because of lower caloric output and slower metabolism, and more antioxidants to fight off age-related disease. A healthy diet should now include: protein, carbohydrates, fiber, fats and fluids.

Protein:

Helps maintain and repair muscles, nails and skin. It is also an important nutrient in recovery from injuries. You can get protein from poultry, meat, fish, lentils, nuts, seeds, eggs and cheese. You can also get it from dark green vegetables.

Carbohydrates:

Help internal organs function properly and help maintain energy levels. You can get carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and whole grains.

Fiber:

Helps maintain the dietary track, and is proven to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and maintain blood sugar. You can get fiber from whole grain products, fruits, vegetables and beans.

Healthy Fats:

Healthy fats help maintain energy levels and protect cells. Healthy fats can be found in some fish, oils, nuts, and food fortified with omega-3 fatty acids.

Fluids:

Staying hydrated is the only way the rest of the nutrients can do their jobs. Fluids also help maintain a proper body temperature. Water is the best fluid for your body, but you can also get nutrients and antioxidants from green tea and fruit/vegetable juices.

Healthy eating into your usual meal choices

Healthy Eating Food Choices

There are some easy ways in which you can introduce healthy eating into your usual meal choices. Some tips for increasing the intake of healthy, fiber-rich foods are given in the box opposite.

• Baked potatoes with healthy fillings like tuna, cottage cheese, and baked beans make a good quick meal.

• Try pitta bread as a change from ordinary bread, and fill it with lots of salad vegetables.  If you need extra calories, add a salad dressing.

• Slice fruit (e.g., bananas, peaches, apples or pears) onto a high-fiber breakfast cereal.

• Choose to have salad as an accompaniment to main meals.

• Add extra fruit to desserts.

• Add more vegetables into dishes as you cook them e.g., into curries, lasagna, chilli, etc.

• Try making homemade soups using a stock cube and plenty of vegetables.

• Remember that frozen vegetables have a similar nutrient content to fresh vegetables.

• If you want to lessen the protein, and raise the fiber content of your diet, use smaller portions of meat, chicken or fish and fill your plate with potatoes, rice, pasta and vegetables, or try stir frying less meat or chicken with more vegetables.

• Try cooking fish in different ways e.g., micro waved or poached in lemon juice, tinned tomatoes or milk.

Tips for managing constipation using your diet

Tips for Managing Constipation

Constipation is a common problem with PD, because the condition reduces the action of muscles in the bowel. However, it is one problem that can be easily managed – and remember that the bowels only need to be emptied 3 or 4 times a week. If relief can be achieved with a natural diet, then that is the ideal and most healthy way. If constipation becomes a more serious problem, then your doctor will be able to recommend some medication.

Some of the tips for managing constipation using your diet:

• Eat a diet high in fiber, although not unnaturally so as this can cause other problems such as bloating. High fiber foods include:

– Wholegrain bread and cereal

– Raw fruit (with or without skin, although skin contains more fiber) and dried fruit

– Fruit juice, especially prune, pear, or peach

– Leafy vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and celery

– Lentils and split peas

– Bran (can be added to cereal or casseroles).

• Drink plenty of water (8–10 glasses a day).

• Hot drinks act as laxatives, although avoid too much tea and coffee, as they cause the body to lose water.

• If possible, take regular exercise such as a daily walk.

• Take your meals at the same time every day.

Tips for Healthy Holiday Parties

Healthy Holiday Party Tips

As the holidays approach, parties become numerous, and with each party comes the challenge of keeping your commitment to healthful eating.

If you are hosting a gathering this holiday season you can reduce fat and calories without sacrificing taste by swapping out a few ingredients in your favorite recipes.

Using two egg whites in place of one egg can reduce the cholesterol and produce the same tasty result.

Use low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth in your mashed potatoes to add flavor and cut back on added butter or margarine.

Substitute applesauce for oil, margarine or butter in muffins and quick breads like banana bread. Try substituting a small amount at first, as the more you substitute the more the texture of the finished product changes.

For dips, sauces and pie toppings, use fat-free yogurt, sour cream and whipped topping.

Sliced almonds make a delicious, crunchy topping in place of fried onion rings.

Choose reduced-fat or low-fat cheeses for salads and casseroles.

Pack your shopping cart with plenty of fresh vegetables like sweet potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, carrots and green beans. Apples, cranberries and pears combine easily for a tasty salad, fruit crisp or topping for the turkey.

If you are a guest at a dinner party or other gathering, consider these tips to keep your night healthy, happy and safe:

If you plan on treating yourself later, start your day with a small meal that includes whole grains, fruit, low-fat or fat-free dairy and protein like eggs, ham or peanut butter.

Don't starve yourself beforehand. Rather, eat a small, lower-calorie meal or snack such as fruit or a bagel so you aren't tempted to overdo your calorie intake for the day.

Choose carefully between foods you definitely will eat, those you will sample and those you will skip.

Don't rush to eat. Socialize and settle into the festivities before you eat.

Move your socializing away from the buffet or appetizer trays. This will minimize the unconscious nibbling.

When it comes to drinking alcohol, start with a calorie-free, nonalcoholic beverage. Satisfy your thirst before having an alcoholic drink. Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks for men.

Keep in mind, even a single drink will affect your reflexes for several hours. If you plan to drink, keep your holidays merry for everyone by designating a driver who won’t be drinking.

The holidays are a great time for celebrating with friends and family over food and drinks. But with just a little preparation, you can keep off the extra holiday pounds and still enjoy all that the season has to offer.

Tips for Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating Tips

Make half your plate fruit and vegetables:

Keep it simple by filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables at meal time. The more colorful you make your plate; the more likely you are to get the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to be healthy. Remember that all forms count – fresh, frozen, canned (fruit in water or 100% juice), dried, or 100% juice.

Make half the grains you eat whole grains:

An easy way to eat more whole grains is to switch from a refined grain food to a whole- grain food. For example, eat whole-wheat bread instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice, and low-fat popcorn instead of snack chips. Read the ingredients list and choose products that list a whole-grain ingredient first. Look for things like: “whole wheat,” “brown rice,” “bulgur,” “buckwheat,” “oatmeal,” “rolled oats,” “quinoa,” or “wild rice.”

Choose fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk, yogurt, or cheese:

To help build your bones and keep them strong, dairy products should be a key part of your diet because they provide calcium, vitamin D, and many other nutrients your bones need.

Drink water instead of sugary drinks:

Regular soda and other sweet drinks such as fruit drinks and energy drinks are high in calories because they have a lot of added sugar. Instead, reach for a tall glass of water. Try adding a slice of lemon, lime or watermelon or a splash of 100% juice to your glass of water if you want some flavor.

Choose lean sources of protein:

Meat, poultry, seafood, dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the protein foods group. Select leaner cuts of ground beef (label says 90% lean or higher), turkey breast, or chicken breast. Grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or seafood instead of frying. Include beans or peas in main dishes such as chili, stews, casseroles, salads, tacos, enchiladas, and burritos.

Compare sodium in foods like soup and frozen meals and choose foods with less sodium:

Read the Nutrition Facts label to compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, canned vegetables, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with lower amounts. Look for “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” and “no salt added” on food packages.

Eat some seafood:

Seafood includes fish (such as salmon, tuna, and trout) and shellfish (such as crab, mussels, and oysters). Seafood has protein, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids (heart healthy fat). Adults should try to eat at least 8 ounces a week of a variety of seafood. Children can eat smaller amounts of seafood too.

Pay attention to portion size:

Check to see what the recommended portion sizes of foods you eat look like in the bowls, plates, and glasses you use at home. For example – check 3/4 cup cereal, 3 ounces cooked chicken, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup of juice. When dining out avoid “Super-sizing” your meal or buying “combo” meal deals that often includes large size menu items. Choose small size items instead or ask for a “take home” bag and wrap up half of your meal to take home before you even start to eat.