As the digestive function of middle-aged and elderly people gradually weakens, it is more likely to cause indigestion , which will have a greater impact on health. So what should the middle-aged and elderly people pay attention to in their diet and health care?
According to the nutritional needs of middle-aged and elderly people, diet principles: balanced nutrition, eat more fruits and vegetables, drink more water, less oil, less sugar, less salt. Xiaobian summarizes the following 5 dietary principles for middle-aged and elderly people.
1. Small and frequent meals:
For the elderly, meals are soft and rotten. Due to the worsening ability of chewing and swallowing, the elderly cannot eat much in one meal. I would rather eat less than more, I would rather be hungry than full, and I need to eat slowly. Eating too much will exceed the digestive capacity of the gastrointestinal function, thereby affecting the digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract and causing indigestion.
Second, balanced nutrition:
to ensure the intake of various nutrients needed to maintain health.
■ Eat fruits, vegetables, fats, grains, meat, fish, beans, custard and milk every day, and make choices in a continuous cycle. Don't eat the same food every time.
■ Consume moderately high-calorie foods to maintain a relatively healthy weight.
■ In the diet of the elderly, protein supply is very important beans and soy products replace. peanut , walnut , almond and other nuts also contain high-quality protein) .
■ No partial eclipse, no overeating;
3. More fruits and vegetables:
To obtain fiber, minerals, vitamins, prevent constipation, and increase cholesterol excretion. If middle-aged and elderly people are often used to eating porridge or noodle soup , they can mix 1-2 kinds of vegetables and cook together each time to ensure at least 250 grams of vegetable intake per day.
In the selection of fruit varieties, it is best to choose fruits rich in vitamin C, such as orange , papaya , etc., because vitamin C can help the elderly better absorb iron and avoid anemia .
Fourth, drink plenty of water:
Helps the excretion of waste in the body, which is beneficial to prevent and improve constipation.
■ Drink at least 1500 to 2000 ml of water every day.
■ It is not suitable to drink strong tea , coffee, so as not to affect sleep and nutrient absorption.
■ Reduce the amount of water you drink before going to bed to avoid frequent urination and affect sleep quality.
5. Supplement B vitamins:
Sickness and medication will cause loss of B vitamins, so the elderly need to supplement B vitamins. Nuts and grains are rich in B vitamins. When preparing three meals for the elderly, it may be appropriate to add coarse grains and white rice to cook together to make porridge.
Six, less sugar, less oil and less salt:
■ Less sugar: The elderly often suffer from glucose intolerance. In addition to providing calories, sugar contains almost no other nutrients, which can easily lead to obesity.
■ Less salt: The sensitivity of taste and smell will gradually decrease, and the taste will become heavier and heavier, and too much table salt is closely related to the occurrence of hypertension.
■ Less oil: greasy food is not easy to digest for the elderly; and high fat intake is closely related to obesity, fatty liver, and other diseases.
For the reasonable arrangement of diet and diet quality, rich food to ensure adequate intake of nutrients they need, in order to promote the physical and mental health of the elderly and reduce diseases.
(the picture comes from the Internet, invaded and deleted...)
What are your thoughts and ideas on healthy eating for the elderly, you can tell me in the comment area
