Good Nutrition Makes Sense

Cheryl Mashore LVN, CNWC
Director, Health Education

For adults over 50, the benefits of healthy eating include resistance to illness and disease, higher energy levels, increased mental function, better management of chronic health problems and faster recovery times. As we age, eating well can also be the key to a positive outlook and staying emotionally balanced. Healthy eating isn’t about dieting and sacrifice. Whatever your age, eating well should be all about fresh, colorful food, creativity in the kitchen, and enjoying your meals.

Make the old adage you are what you eat your motto! When you choose a variety of colorful veggies and fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins you’ll feel vibrant and healthy, inside and out.

• Feel Better - Wholesome meals give you more energy and help you look better, resulting in a self-esteem boost. It’s all connected—when your body feels good you feel happier inside and out.
• Sharpen the mind - Key nutrients are essential for the brain to do its job. People who eat a selection of brightly colored fruit, leafy veggies, and fish and nuts packed with omega-3 fatty acids can improve focus and decrease their risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Live longer and stronger - Good nutrition keeps muscles, bones, organs, and other body parts strong for the long haul. Eating vitamin-rich food boosts immunity and fights illness. A proper diet can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, bone loss, cancer, and anemia. Also, eating sensibly means consuming fewer calories and more nutrient-dense foods, keeping weight in check.

Focus on whole fruits instead of juices for more fiber and vitamins, aim for 1½ to 2 servings or more each day. Break the apple and banana rut and go for color-rich berries or melons.

Color is your credo in the vegetable category. Choose antioxidant-rich dark, leafy greens, such as broccoli, spinach and kale as well as yellow and orange vegetables, such as yams, carrots, and squash. Try for 2 to 2½ cups of veggies every day.

Maintaining bone health as you age depends on getting enough calcium to prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures. Older adults need 1,200 mg of calcium a day through servings of milk, yogurt, or cheese. Non-dairy sources include tofu, broccoli, almonds, and kale.

Be smart with your carbs, choose whole grains over processed white flour for more nutrients and more fiber. If you’re not sure, look for pasta, breads, and cereals that list “whole” in the ingredient list. Older adults need 6-7 ounces of grains each day (one ounce is about 1 slice of whole grain bread).

Healthy adults over 50 need about 1 to 1.5 grams per kilogram (2.2 pounds = 1 kilogram) of bodyweight. Divide your protein choices equally among meals. Eating enough high-quality protein can boost your resistance to stress, anxiety and depression, improve your mood, and even help you think clearly. It may also help you maintain physical function and reduce muscle loss, especially if you add strength training at least twice a week. To include more high-quality protein in your diet, replace fatty red meat and processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, and salami, with fish, lean beef, skinless chicken and turkey, eggs, nuts and seeds. By choosing healthier protein choices, you can reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, or other diseases.

After 50, your stomach produces less gastric acid making it difficult to absorb vitamin B-12 which is needed to help keep blood and nerves vital. Get the recommended daily intake (2.4 mcg) of B12 from fortified foods or a vitamin supplement.

Vitamin D intake is essential for absorbing calcium and boosting muscles. We get most of our vitamin D through sun exposure and certain foods (fatty fish, egg yolk, and fortified milk). With age, our skin is less efficient at synthesizing vitamin D, so consult your doctor about supplementing your diet with fortified foods or a multivitamin, especially if you’re obese or have limited sun exposure.

Eating foods high in fiber can do so much more than keep you regular. It can lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, improve the health of your skin, help you lose weight, and boost your immune system and overall health. As you age, your digestion becomes less efficient, so it’s important to include enough fiber in your diet. Women over 50 should aim to eat at least 21 grams of fiber per day, men over 50 at least 30 grams a day. In general, the more natural and unprocessed the food, the higher it is in fiber.

Great sources of fiber include whole grains, wheat cereals, barley, oatmeal, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruits—another reason to add more vegetables and fruits to your diet.

By switching your breakfast cereal from Corn Flakes to Bran Flakes can add about 6 extra grams of fiber to your diet. If you’re not a fan of high-fiber cereals, try adding a couple of tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran and fresh or dried fruit to your favorite cereal. Choose whole fruits instead of fruit juice; you’ll get more fiber and fewer calories. An 8 oz. glass of orange juice has almost no fiber and about 110 calories, while one medium fresh orange contains about 3g of fiber and only 60 calories. Peeling can reduce the amount of fiber in fruit, so try to eat the peel of apples and pears.

For breakfast eat high-fiber breads and cereals, colorful fruit, and protein to fill you with energy for the day. How about yogurt with muesli and berries, a veggie-packed omelet, peanut-butter on whole grain toast with a citrus salad, or old-fashioned oatmeal made with dried cherries, walnuts, and honey.

Keep your body fueled for the afternoon with a healthy lunch. Include a variety of whole-grain breads, lean protein, and fiber. A veggie quesadilla on a whole-wheat tortilla, veggie stew with whole-wheat noodles, or a quinoa salad with roasted peppers and mozzarella cheese are all great options.

End the day on a wholesome note. Try warm salads of roasted veggies and a side of crusty brown bread and cheese, grilled salmon with spicy salsa, or whole-wheat pasta with asparagus and shrimp. Opt for sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes and grilled meat instead of fried.

Don’t forget about snacks, they can be part of a healthy diet if you choose wisely. Good choices include high-fiber snacks with a little protein. Choose almonds and raisins instead of chips - fruit and low fat cheese or nuts instead of sweets. Other smart snacks include cottage cheese, yogurt, apples and peanut butter, and veggies and hummus.

It doesn’t have to be difficult to swap old eating habits for a tasty, well-balanced eating plan. Start by changing one meal at a time, you will feel better, be healthier and have the energy to enjoy your Life...

High Desert Medical Group offers a variety of workshops and classes that can help you reach your health goals. For more information contact our Health Education Department at 661-951-3375 or hdmghealtheducation@hdmg.net.