10 August 2016
Healthy Diet Tips For Elderly People
For older people, as with younger adults, your diet should follow the principles of a healthy balanced diet. Eating a balanced diet; combined with some kind of daily physical activity and drinking plenty of fluids each day, is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle and your overall health. It can also help with maintaining a healthy bladder and bowel to help alleviate some incontinence issues. The principles of a healthy balanced diet:
An increase in starchy, fibre-providing foods and a reduction in fatty and sugary foods is likely to be beneficial, particularly if individuals are overweight.
However, a low-fat, high-fibre diet is not appropriate for all elderly people, especially those with repeated infections, generally poor health or a poor appetite. As discussed above, it is important that older people choose a nutrient rich diet, high in foods providing protein, vitamins and minerals such as milk and dairy products, meat, eggs, fish, bread, cereals, and fruit and vegetables.
A varied diet will also help to ensure adequate nutritional intake.
Dairy products such as milk provide an excellent way to provide a nutrient rich snack along with fluid in individuals who are struggling to meet their requirements.
The senses of taste and smell decline with age, which can make food seem less appertising. Using different colours and shapes in cooking can stimulate the senses and add to eating enjoyment. The addition of herbs and spices can also make food more interesting.
Finally don’t forget to drink fluids regularly throughout the day and we recommend about five 8-ounce glasses of water per day is a good bench mark to make sure you remain hydrated..
To see the full article on healthy diet tips for older people please visit the Dairy Council website.
Best Wishes
Incontinence UK Team
www.incontinenceuk.co.uk
