Healthy eating is essential at every age, but it becomes more so as you reach midlife and beyond. Eating healthy is the key to a positive outlook on life and staying emotionally calm. Healthy eating does not mean sacrificing or dieting. Instead, it is about enjoying delicious food, wholesome nutrients.
If you are looking for diet and nutrition advice in Toowoomba to improve how you live, think and feel, make sure you are ready to make the necessary changes in your lifestyle. Improving your diet can help you to:
• Feel better
• Sharpen your mind
• Live longer
A well-balanced diet
Eating a well-balanced diet remains essential in staying healthy as you get old. Not only does it help you keep a healthy weight, but it also keeps you energized. As a result, you get the nutrients you need, and the risks for developing common chronic diseases get reduced.
Eating foods rich in nutrients, vitamins, fibre, and minerals is a way to make sure you are healthy. Stay away from foods rich in processed sugars, salt, saturated and trans-fat.
As you age, your food habits, appetite and nutritional needs change in several different ways.
Calories
You may need fewer calories as you continue to age to maintain a healthy weight. With aging, joint problems start to occur; you feel less energetic. You may lose muscle mass, which causes your metabolism rate to lower. Thus, the needs for calories get lower.
Medial conditions
You are more likely to develop chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or osteoporosis as you get old. Your doctor may suggest possible changes to your lifestyle and diet to help prevent the risks of developing such health problems.
Appetite
A loss of appetite is common in older adults. Some people also experience loss of taste and smell as they age. This eventually leads them to eat less.
However, not consuming enough nutrients and calories means your organs and bones are not healthy. Not getting enough nutrients could cause malnutrition and severe health problems as you age.
Immune system
The immune system of your body gets weaker as you get older. This increases the odds of food poisoning and various health issues down the line. Hence, it is essential to take extra health precautions and take recommendations from doctors once you are above 45.
Eating enough fibre
Fibre is essential in your diet to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. So include fibre in every meal. Some good sources of fibre are nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, oats, beans and lentils.
Choosing healthier foods
If you rely on convenience foods, make sure that you choose the healthiest one. For instance, you may consider consuming low-sodium canned vegetables, instant oatmeal, bagged salad, low-sodium canned soup or stews, steamed bags of vegetables. Before buying, make sure that you check the labels on the packaged foods. Go for less added sugar, salt and saturated fat and more vitamins, fibre and minerals.
At Hooper Medical Centre, our diet and lifestyle experts are passionate about offering diet advice to help you maintain quality of life, free from potential health concerns. Visit our site to know more.
