Balance Your Diet

In mythology, ambrosia was the food of the Greek gods that conferred everlasting beauty and youth. These days, there aren’t a lot of Greek gods around. But a modern version of ambrosia—the promise of a robust and healthy lifestyle in your later years—isn’t just a fable. It exists in the very foods you eat—that is, if you choose your foods wisely. “It’s very clear that a diet low in fat and cholesterol and high in fiber, fruits, and vegetables will reduce the incidence of heart disease and cancer and help an older person remain healthy,” says Nancy Betts, R.D., Ph.D., associate professor of nutritional science and dietetics at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Here are a few ways you can become a savvy senior connoisseur.
Meet Your Basic Nutritional Needs
Variety is not only the spice of life, it is probably the best way to meet your nutritional needs as you age, according to Chris Rosenbloom, R.D., Ph.D., professor of nutrition at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Since no single food provides everything you need, the best meal-planning tactic is to include a mix of dairy products, whole grains, vegetables, and protein. Following is what dietary experts suggest that people over 50 try to include in their daily menus.
• Milk or cheese: 2 servings (1 serving is 1 cup of milk or yogurt or 2 ounces of processed cheese)
• Cereals and breads: 6 to 11 servings (1 serving equals 1 ounce of dry cereal, a slice of bread, or ½ cup of cooked brown rice)
• Fruits: 2 to 4 servings (1 serving is a medium-size apple, orange, or banana)
• Vegetables: 3 to 5 servings (1 serving equals 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables, ½ cup of cooked vegetables, or ½ cup of raw chopped vegetables)
• protein: 2 to 3 servings of lean meat or poultry, eggs, nuts, or dried beans
• Water: 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses. Water is an important part of the diet that is often overlooked by seniors, Dr. Rosenbloom says. People over 50 frequently have a diminished sense of thirst and don’t realize they need water. Dehydration can develop gradually and is a serious problem. Drink a glass of water every couple of hours, especially after exertion.
Take Stock of Supplements
Getting enough of the more than 40 nutrients needed for good health can be more difficult as you age. Poor teeth or dentures can make chewing torturous. Shopping and cooking can be a challenge because of arthritis, walking problems, or a lack of transportation. Loneliness and depression can sharply diminish your appetite. But no matter what the cause, you still need adequate nutrients to lead an active lifestyle. For that reason, many seniors rely on vitamin and mineral supplements to make up for deficiencies in their diets. But some seniors take too many supplements, says Mark E. Williams, M.D., director of the program on aging at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and author of The American Geriatrics Society’s Complete Guide to Aging and Health. In one study, researchers found that 1 in 10 older men was consuming 10 times the recommended amounts of vitamins B-complex, C, D, and E. These researchers also found that 10 percent of women were getting 10 times
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