All of us love to indulge ourselves with unhealthy foods at times, and on occasion, it cannot do a great deal of harm, but generally we need to follow a practical healthy diet. For those who have abused their bodies throughout, there is still time to take stock and change course. Creating the right eating habits is a very smart choice, no matter what your age may be.
If your eating habits have not been the best, make changes one by one, or day by day or week by week, taking it slowly so that you don`t get the feeling that you have been deprived. It may not be easy at first, but when you start feeling the benefits you will no doubt know that it is well worth the effort.
To begin with, ensure that you replace refined foods with whole grains, or at least half of the ones that you consume, gradually working towards only whole grains.
Vegetables and fruits should be varied as much as possible, selecting different colours wherever possible.
Fats should be limited, especially the solid fats. The saturated fats found in foods which are from animals should be limited. It is advisable to keep away from certain margarines which contain trans fats.
As we get older, we tend to enjoy that little `something sweet’ in the evening. Rather than submitting to that craving for chocolates and sweets, keep some dried fruit handy to nibble on and satisfy that craving for sugar.
Each individual has a different level of activity, and if one consumes more calories that the body can use, weight gain will be experienced.
A general guide to a healthy eating plan would be to have approximately three fruits a day remembering to go carefully on the dried fruit, which has lost some of its volume in the drying process. Two pieces of dried peach would be equivalent to a whole fresh peach.
Vegetables should be eaten raw when possible, or lightly cooked or steamed, approximately two to three cups per day.
Whole grains are preferred to refined ones and approximately 150 to 300 grams (5-10oz) would be an allowance for one day, one ounce or thirty grams being equivalent to a slice of bread, a cup of cereal or a half cup of cooked rice or pasta.
It is generally known that if you consume the required amount of proteins, it lessens the craving for sweets or chocolates. The daily requirement for proteins would be 150 – 200 grams (5 to 7 oz), preferably spread out over three meals, rather than consumed all at once. 30 grams or an oz of protein would be one egg, one tablespoon of peanut butter or a half cup of seeds or nuts.
Three cups of low fat or fat free milk is required, remembering that a cup of milk is equivalent to:
a cup of yoghurt , one to two ounces or 30 – 60 grams of cheese and
one cup of cottage cheese is the equivalent to half a cup of milk.
Always check with your doctor if he has suggested a particular diet regarding any health problems that you may have such as diabetes or heart disease, and he may advise you on the best possible way to handle any change in eating habits. For those suffering from Hypertension, there may be a slightly different approach to an eating plan, and one needs to discuss this with their doctor.
Junk foods such as chips, cool drinks and especially alcohol have no real food value, and it is advisable to keep away from them.
As one ages the desire for liquids can diminish, so one would have to make a conscious effort to drink enough water, in fact several glasses each day. Urine should be pale yellow in colour, and if it becomes bright or dark yellow, that is an indication to drink more liquids.
It is not a good idea to stop drinking liquids when having a problem with controlling your bladder. If this is the case, rather discuss it with your doctor, there may be a very simple way of rectifying it.
For those suffering with hypertension, sodium is needed by the body, but too much can cause blood pressure to rise. Eat plenty of fresh foods, most of which contain sodium. Prepared foods and canned foods contain added amounts of salt, so it is advisable not to indulge in these too often.
Always keep your food `safe’ by placing it in the refrigerator as soon as it cools down if you intend keeping any of it for the following day. This will keep the food good for another meal without becoming `stale’.
If finances are an issue, shop carefully and wisely. Check labels, and buy just enough for your present requirements, avoiding having to discard any foods that have exceeded the expiry date, or that have become too old and shrivelled to be of any food value.
Exercise as much as you can, taking a daily walk if that is all you can manage, and enjoy preparing foods that are healthy and nutritious.
Visit
Meals on Wheels which is a non-profit organisation that delivers meals to the elderly who cannot fend for themselves.
