Celebrating National Nutrition Month

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MediNurse Encourages Seniors to Maintain Healthy Lifestyles

 March is National Nutrition Month, creating the perfect opportunity for seniors to evaluate and understand their nutrition needs. Seniors have different nutritional needs than children and middle-aged adults. It’s important for seniors to understand what types of age-related changes may occur and plan accordingly to boost their nutritional health.

 A senior may experience body and nutritional changes, such as:

• The digestive system may change. Over time the body naturally produces less fluid, which is needed to process food. As a result, it becomes more difficult for the body to absorb important nutrients like folic acid and vitamin B12.

• Changes in appetite. Due to medication side effects, hunger and thirst can decrease.

• Emotional health may change.  Seniors who feel lonely or experience emotional changes may lose interest in eating, and lose weight.  Other individuals may have an opposite reaction, leading them to overeat and gain weight.

Putting a healthy eating plan in place may help with age-related changes. A healthy diet packed with crucial nutrients can help ward off common health problems like constipation, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Some healthy eating tips to keep in mind while preparing a healthy eating plan include:

• Stick to healthy fats and eliminate trans-fats. Fats found in seeds, nuts, avocados, fatty fish and vegetable oils are a better choice than trans- fats. Trans-fats are found in fried foods, pie crusts, margarine sticks, and shortening.

• Drink water. It is extremely important to stay hydrated. Focus on drinking more water, and on eating foods with a high water content unless instructed otherwise by a doctor.

• Opt for whole grains. Choose whole-grain cereals, and whole-wheat bread instead of white bread for a healthy heart.

• Eat protein. Lean proteins like beans, chicken and fish help power the body.

• Calcium is critical. Calcium or calcium supplements are critical for seniors in maintaining bone health. Seniors should check with their physician to determine the proper dosage.

• B12. As aging occurs, the ability to absorb vitamin B12 declines. Seniors should ask their physician to check their B12 levels. If the level is low, seniors should follow their physician’s advice regarding supplements and selecting foods high in B12.

The Plate System

This easy trick helps visually gauge each plate of food for nutrition balance. Pretend your plate is divided in half and then divide one of the halves into two equal sections.

Here is how it works:

• One-half plate = Non-starchy vegetables (e.g., spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, tomatoes, asparagus, romaine lettuce)

• One-fourth plate = One serving meat or other protein (e.g., egg or tofu)

• One- fourth plate = Bread/grain (e.g., bread, rice, tortillas, cereal) or starchy vegetables (e.g., potatoes, corn, beans, lentils)

Speak with your doctor or nurse practitioner to determine the best nutritional plan and guidelines for you. MediNurse can assist you in identifying appropriate resources to help. To learn more, please contact us at 314-781-2800 or visit www.medinurse.com.