As you get older, your body tends to deteriorate as well. Your sight and hearing may weaken, as will your immune system, opening you up to certain medical conditions. That said, you can protect your overall health over the next chapter of your life by consciously making smart and healthy eating choices.
At Clover Hill, we’re experts in healthy eating for seniors and other aspects of a flourishing and exciting lifestyle for mature adults. If you’re seeking a senior living community that will not only maintain your health but bolster it, our team would love to hear from you. Contact us today at 201-485-4000 for more information.
The Importance of Healthy Eating For Seniors
In most cases, it’s best to develop healthy habits when you’re younger, as it sets you up for success later in life. However, it is never too late to begin cultivating a healthy lifestyle. Creating good health habits can have long term benefits to your health, even if you have been prone to disease in the past. We offer several patterns of healthy eating for seniors.
1. Drink More Water
As a person gets older, they begin to lose their sense of thirst. To combat this challenge, many medical experts suggest that you drink more water throughout the day. Doing so allows you to stay hydrated, even if you don’t think you’re thirsty. Drinking water also offers a range of additional advantages, including:
- Assists in weight loss
- Maximizes your ability to perform physically
- Increases energy levels and cognitive function
- Relieves constipation
- Can address kidney stones
If you don’t want to drink only water, consider choosing fat-free milk or 100% juice to make sure you stay hydrated during the day.
2. Choose a Variety of Foods
When you’re trying to practice healthy eating for seniors at each meal, you should try to consume a variety of foods. Doing so will ensure that your body is getting all of the nutrients that it needs to function correctly. Each meal should include fruits and vegetables, a lean protein, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. If possible, you should also avoid eating salty foods, as these can lead to heart disease, as well as other physical issues.
3. Reduce Your Sugar Consumption
If you have diabetes, you may already be practicing this factor of healthy eating for seniors. Many of the sugary treats we enjoy include empty calories that don’t have any nutritional value. To reverse this practice, reduce these sugary treats, and instead try eating foods that are sweet and healthy, such as:
- Apples
- Peaches
- Sweet peppers
- Yams
- Grapes
4. Try To Avoid Unhealthy Fats
Contrary to popular belief, cutting out all fat from your diet isn’t your best option for healthy eating for seniors. Instead, it’s critical to stop eating trans and saturated fats, which raise your cholesterol. However, you can eat polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These fats help to protect your body from disease while also supporting your mental health and mood. Examples of these healthy fats include:
- Eggs
- Avocado
- Nuts
- Plant oils, such as coconut, olive, and avocado oils
- Fish
5. Talk to Your Doctor About Dietary Supplements
While cultivating healthy eating habits is an excellent way to get the nutrients your body needs, at times, it simply isn’t enough. If this is the case for you, you may want to talk to your doctor. They may suggest taking vitamin supplements to continue to ensure your overall health.
Contact Clover Hill
At Clover Hill, we take care of worrying about healthy eating for seniors. Our private culinary services will take care of your diet, and you can enjoy eating family-style in our beautiful dining room. Furthermore, we also offer a range of other benefits to our residents, including:
- Community amenities
- Medication management
- A.S.P.I.R.E for Life activities program
- Integrative assisted care
- Individualized care plans
For more information about how we can assist in healthy eating for seniors, or about our senior residential community, contact Clover Hill today at 201-485-4000.
