Some studies have estimated that as many as 55 percent of elderly patients admitted to hospitals suffer from malnutrition. With the elderly population expanding dramatically, and the over-85 segment growing the fastest, nutritional intake promises to take an ever more prominent place in projections for the health of our aging society.
This article will focus on how to maintain a balanced, simple-to-follow diet that will minimize your risk of disease and malnutrition.
A Mature Food Pyramid
Many people are familiar with the Food Guide Pyramid for healthy eating released by the United States Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services in 1992. But in 1999, scientists at the USDA's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston released a pyramid specially designed to meet the nutritional needs of people over seventy.
Water
This new pyramid is based on eight 8-oz. glasses of water or other nonalcoholic, caffeine-free beverages per day. We already discussed the benefits of sufficient water.
Fiber rich carbs
The next level of the pyramid suggests that an elderly person's diet include six or more servings a day of fiber-rich bread, cereal, rice, or pasta. Fiber is important in the prevention of constipation and to help lower cholesterol. It also protects against colon cancer, and helps maintain a normal blood sugar level. Fiber should be gradually increased in the diet, in order to avoid cramps and gas, up to a level of 20-35 grams daily. Remember to drink enough water! Here are some tips to help increase fiber:
- Read labels, and look for "100% whole wheat or grain". If it says "brown flour" it's not whole grain.
- Combine fiber rich foods such as a high fiber cereal and a banana.
- Eat the skins from fruits and vegetables such as apples and baked potatoes.
Fruits and vegetables
The next level recommends three or more servings of vegetables and two or more servings of fruit. They should be consumed in their "food form", not simply as juice, as the actual fruit is rich in fiber. The fruits and vegetables with the richest colors (dark green, orange, yellow, and red) have the greatest quantities of nutrients. Vegetables in the cabbage family, including broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and mustard greens, are high in cancer-fighting nutrients.
