Articles
Variety is the price of older life
Energy requirements decrease with age but nutrient requirements often increase. Aim for variety in the diet and nutrient rich foods. Good eating habits combined with exercise can keep you healthy.
Reasons that it is more difficult to have an adequate intake of nutrients include:
Smaller appetite
Reduced sense of taste and smell
Difficulty in chewing and swallowing
Difficulty in digestion
Poor absorption
Include every day
BREADS, RICE, PASTA, NOODLES, CEREALS - 4 or more serves a day
Have 4 or more serves of breads and cereals, a day depending on your energy requirement. These provide energy, B vitamins and fibre. Choose wholegrain bread and cereals as these have extra fibre and will help prevent constipation.
A sample serve: 1 slice of bread or 1/2 cup cereal or 1/2 cup potato/rice/pasta
VEGETABLES - 4-5 serves a day
These provide energy, vitamin C, Beta Carotene, folate and fibre. It is important to have yellow, red and dark green leafy vegetables for antioxidants to protect the body against cancer and heart disease.
A sample serve: 75g or 1/2 cup cooked or raw vegetables
FRUIT - 2 serves a day
These provide energy, vitamins, Beta Carotene and fibre. It is important again to have a range of colours such as orange and red plus have sources of citrus for Vitamin C.
A sample serve: 1 medium apple/orange or 1/2 cup chopped fruit
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND SUBSTITUTES - 3 serves a day
These foods contain calcium and protein which maintain strong teeth and bones. This is particularly
important for women. If overweight, having diabetes or heart disease, it is important to choose low fat sources. Dairy products provide energy, calcium and protein.
A sample serve: 1 glass of milk or fortified soy milk, a small carton of yoghurt or a slice of cheese
MEAT, FISH, POULTRY, EGGS, NUTS, LEGUMES - 1 serve a day
These provide energy, protein and iron. Red meat a good source of iron and zinc. Animal protein is important for the vitamin B12. With age, absorption can be impaired and deficiencies can happen more readily.
Sample serve: 65-100g cooked meat, chicken, fish eg. 1/2 cup lean mince, 150- 200grams cooked legumes eg 1/2 -1 cup dried beans, lentils, chick peas, split peas or tofu
Goals for a Healthy Life Style
MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT Maintain a healthy weight by balancing regular activity with a sensible food intake. Ideally your waist should measure less than 100 cm for a man and 90 cm for a women. High waist measures are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension (blood pressure).
BE ACTIVE Exercise insures that the body keeps supple and helps to prevent osteoporosis. Exercise burns kilojoules which will help in weight control. Physical activity includes walking, cycling, swimming, bowls, tennis, gardening, housework or sport. " Use it or lose it" is a good motto as you get older.
FAT Watch quantities of fat in the diet, especially saturated fat, eg butter, fatty meats, pastry, cakes, biscuits and take-away food. Increasing the use of monounsaturated and small quantities of polyunsaturated oils in preference to others reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer as well as insuring that adequate essential fatty acids are consumed. Olive, canola and grapeseed oil are recommended.
FLUID We require 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Too much coffee, tea and alcohol will dehydrate the body. Drink more water. Fluid is important to hydrate the body, flush the kidneys and prevent constipation.
SALT (AND SODIUM) Use salt sparingly and limit salty foods especially if blood pressure is high. Eating more high salt foods causes fluid to be retained in the body and puts extra stress on kidneys and heart. Some take-away, ready prepared sauces and tinned food are high in salt. Where possible choose salt reduced varieties of soy sauce, baked beans, fish, etc. crackers. Try not to have more than 1 teaspoon of salt a day.
ALCOHOL Limit alcohol to 1 - 2 standard drinks for women and 3 - 4 per day for men. Have some alcohol free days.
CHECK LIST FOR GOOD EATING HABITS AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
HOW DOES YOUR DIET RATE You have a possible 150 positive points for good food, lifestyle and exercise.
Questions
1. Do you eat 3 meals a day?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
2. Do you have 4 or more serves from the bread and cereal group each day?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
3. Do you eat 3 serves of calcium rich foods a day?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
4. Do you have 2 fruit and 4 to 5 serves of vegetables a day?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
5. Do you eat 1 serve of protein foods a day ?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
6. Do you eat 2 serves of lean red meat a week?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
7. Do you eat 2 or more serves of fish a week?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
8. Are you careful of how much salt is added to cooking and at the table?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
9. Do you drink at least 6 glasses of water a day ?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
10. Do you limit animal fat but include small quantities of mono or polyunsaturated oil / margarine?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
11. Do you eat enough fibre and drink sufficient fluid to open your bowels every day?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
12. Do you eat slowly and chew your food well ?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
13. Do you limit your alcohol to one to two standard drinks a day?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
14. Do you have a waist measurement less than 90 cm for a women and less than 100 cm for a man?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
15. Are you physical active every day eg walking, gardening, or sport for 20 minutes?
10 Almost always
5 Sometimes
0 Never
TOTAL SCORE
140 to 150 Excellent
120 to 139 Good : well done, keep going
100 to 119 Fair : you would benefit from seeing a Dietitian
Less than 100 Poor : You really should seek urgent advice
Added to site on : Monday, 15 November 2004