While it is essential for people of all ages to maintain a healthy diet routine and take care of what they are eating, it is essential for older people, in the ages of 50 and above, maintaining a severe balance of their diet ensures healthy-eating. Once the body reaches the age of 50, the organs, especially digestive organs, and digestive enzymes start getting weaker. Thus, to stay healthy, one must not stress their digestive organs with too much junk food at old ages.
Here are a few ways in which, you as an older person, can maintain the right diet which ensures maximum health:
Eat Foods Which Are Rich In Nutrients:
Nutrients are an eternal need of your body. As you grow older, your body will need fewer calories and more and more nutrients. The more you eat nutrient-rich food; you will have lesser chances of having old-age ailments, especially diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. Eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals, protein, and carbohydrates but contain the least amount of fat.
- Eat plenty of fruits, especially apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, pomegranate, papaya, and guava.
- You should develop a habit of eating plenty of vegetables like spinach, onions, cabbages, gourds, and carrots.
- You should avoid eating nuts or foods that contain too much fat, like almond, walnut, ice cream, sweets, candies, confectioneries, etc.
- Eat lentils and pulses as they are rich in protein.
- You should also eat soya beans as it contains the best quality vegetable protein.
Avoid Consumption Of Junk Food
Of course, it is really hard to stop enjoying delicious fried foods and confectioneries and lip-smacking street food. But regular consumption of junk food is a root cause of most old-age ailments. Maximum junk foods contain high levels of fats and calories, which cause a lot of complications in the body, such as diabetes and cholesterol. It is advised that you should keep your frequency of consumption of junk food to a bare minimum. Save the eating of junk food for occasions. It is indeed difficult to just let go of the habit but forcing yourself to stay away from such foods will eventually condition you against it.
Develop A Habit Of Consuming Chyawanprash
Chyawanprash is the best ayurvedic solution to maintain a healthy diet and body. Especially for older people, Chyawanprash has a lot of benefits:
- It helps in the development of immunity against viral or bacterial diseases.
- It helps in the smoothening of the digestive system of the body.
- It helps in smoothing the process of defecation.
- It acts as a health supplement, and its ayurvedic elements contain a lot of minerals needed by the body.
You must have chyawanprash during the morning, better to have it after consuming milk. It is highly recommended to have the Dabur Chyawanprash.
Consume Foods/Vegetables Rich In Fibre
Fiber is more often than not ignored by many while formulating a diet plan. You must understand that fiber is one of the most crucial nutrients needed by the body, especially for people in their old-ages. Fiber helps in peristalsis and ensures that the defecation of the body is smooth. Fiber helps to prevent constipation, which is a major issue in older people. It also prevents the chances of stomach ulcers and ensures that the intestines are fit and healthy.
Develop A Habit Of Drinking Plenty Of Water
Water is one of the basic needs of life. It is not an unknown fact that 70% of the human body is made up of water. Moreover, it is all the more important to stay hydrated because abundant water in the body enables the smooth functioning of all organs and the digestive system. It helps in better circulation of blood too. So, you should make sure that your daily diet chart contains at least 3-4 liters of water.
Some Amazing Veg Recipes For Older People To Maintain A Right Diet:
Here are the recipes to some delicious but healthy dishes that you must include in your diet to stay fit and healthy –
- Spinach Curry: It is a simple Indian dish made with spinach, onions, lentils, and spices. It is very easy to make. All it takes is chop spinach, make them into a paste, cook them along with lentils or legumes, and add onion for some flavoring and seasoning.
- Green Gram Curry (Moong Beans Curry): This is another easy but healthy dish you can make at home. Use as little oil as possible, preferably rice-bran oil, and use turmeric powder and garam masala powder for seasoning and flavoring; pour the well-soaked green gram into the curry mixture and stir well.
- Quinoa Pulao: If you ever feel like having something tasty, go for this easy to make and healthy pulao made with quinoa grain. Wash the quinoa grains properly and mix vegetables, rice bran oil, salt, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, and cardamoms and sauté the grains until they turn brown and the vegetables are brown too. You can have quinoa pulao for breakfast or lunch.
Conclusion:
Older people are vulnerable to many ailments, like cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, high sugar levels, and so on, which are a cause of serious concern. However, there is a way to avoid these ailments if one maintains a regular healthy diet. It is essential to drink plenty of water, eat a lot of vegetables and fruits rich in essential nutrients and avoid fatty foods and junk foods at all costs. A regular balanced, and healthy diet is key to a healthy life in old age.
