Senior to Senior: Senior Nutrition

Proper nutrition isn’t just about weight loss. As you age you need food, good food, to fuel your body. We all know that we “should” be eating better, but we don’t. When you reach 70, 80 or beyond it is hard to be enthused. It’s not surprising that malnutrition and poor health are flourishing. There are a lot of reasons: a limited income, difficulty getting to the store, chronic illness, medications interfering with taste, problems chewing, poor digestion and no appetite. What’s a person supposed to do? Look around the supermarket. Seniors are filling their carts with frozen dinners and dietary supplements. We mustn’t forget that Seniors love to eat out too, which tells us they still enjoy good food. Who doesn’t? What could be better than having a meal prepared by someone else, and enough leftovers for a second meal at home. Still, restaurant prices are going up and senior menus are shrinking; people can’t afford to eat out every day. That leaves frozen entrees. Can you live on them without endangering your health and wellbeing? Well, maybe…there’s no doubt that they have changed for the better over the years. Shop carefully, splurge on dinners that offer extra protein and other nutritional pluses. Read the labels and make your selections carefully. If you do indulge in prepared frozen meals regularly, be sure to add extra servings of fruit, vegetables, and whole grain breads. So, are you going to die tomorrow if you eat out too often or subsist on tv dinners? Experts say “no” but be sure to research variety as well as good taste. The main thing is don’t forget to eat and consider those nutritional supplements. They taste good and give you extra protein, vitamins, minerals, and the kind of calories that you need. A modest amount of exercise and a healthy diet will do more to keep you active and invigorated than all the drugs in the world. Remember the words of wisdom learned at your mothers’ knee? They still apply. “Drink your milk, eat your vegetables, and no dessert until you clean your plate.” Pretty solid advice.