When you reach a certain age, it’s not just your body that changes. It’s also your eating habits. As we age, it becomes more difficult to digest our food properly and absorb nutrients from what we eat. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies that can affect our physical health and well-being as well as our mental health. Eating right can help you stay healthy as you stay in senior living home in Pennsburg, PA, so here are some tips on how to make that happen:
Eat A Variety Of Foods
As you age, your body’s ability to process food changes. You may have digestive problems or be more sensitive to certain foods than before. For this reason, it’s important to eat a variety of foods to avoid becoming malnourished or developing an allergy.
If you’re having trouble with digestion and need help choosing healthy options for yourself and your loved ones, talk with the care team at your senior living community about what they recommend. They’ll be able help guide you through making smart choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is important to your health, but knowing how much water you need can be hard. The Institute of Medicine commends that men consume about 3 liters (about 13 cups) and women 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of water per day. That’s about 8 ounces for every 20 pounds of body weight-so if you’re 150 pounds, that’s about 10 glasses per day!
If you need help remembering to drink enough water throughout the day, try packing a reusable water bottle with you wherever you go instead of buying single-use plastic bottles from vending machines or fast-food restaurants. You’ll save money in the long run and help the environment by reducing waste from disposable bottles!
Take Your Time Eating
Eating slowly is one of the best things you can do for your digestion. It allows your body to digest and absorb nutrients more efficiently, which helps keep blood sugar levels stable and reduces the risk of overeating. Chewing food helps break down the food into smaller pieces so it can be easily swallowed. It also makes the nutrients in your food more available for absorption by your body, which means there will be less waste when it comes to digestion.
If you’re eating alone at home, enjoy your meal in silence. If someone else is with you, talk about something other than a food-your day or an upcoming event to distract yourself from getting hungrier as time goes by.
If you have trouble swallowing, try cutting up your food into smaller pieces or using a fork to push it around in the mouth. This will help digestion and prevent choking hazards.
Accept Help And Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For It
As you age, your body will become less flexible and more fragile. Your ability to move around independently may decrease, which means that there are certain things that you need help with to do them safely and comfortably. For example:
- If your vision is poor, ask someone else to read labels on food packets or ingredients in a recipe while preparing meals at home (or hire a personal chef).
- If mobility issues make it difficult for you to get up and down from chairs without assistance or support-and, especially if there’s no one else around who can provide this support-consider hiring an aide who can assist with these tasks every day during mealtime hours (or hire an in-home care provider).
Conclusion
Eating habits can change as we age, so it’s important to talk to your doctor if you have any concerns. If you are living in a senior-friendly independent living community, ask the team members there for tips on how they recommend their residents eat. They may have some good ideas to help make eating more enjoyable and easier for everyone involved!
