Epigraph: Physical decline due to old age does not mean that the elderly need less nutrition. On the contrary, a balanced diet is even more important for the elderly. So how should the elderly eat? What kind of nutritional supplements should they take?
Human aging is a natural law of life. Gerontology holds that 45 years old is the dividing period of life. Before the age of 45 is the period of development and maturity, after 45 begins to enter the early aging period, and after 65 truly enters the old age period. Once entering the old age period, various physiological functions gradually decline, with gray temples, deafness, poor eyesight, loose skin, muscle atrophy, more wrinkles, sore back, slow gait, declining resistance, frequent diseases, which is an inevitable process of life. There is absolutely no magic pill in the world that can make people live forever, but following the way of health preservation well and persevering can delay the arrival of aging and achieve the purpose of longevity.
Physical decline due to old age does not mean that the elderly need less nutrition. On the contrary, a balanced diet is even more important for the elderly. First, the elderly need to maintain an appropriate weight. Elderly people within the ideal weight range have the lowest incidence of various diseases. Due to the decrease in basal metabolic rate and significantly reduced physical activity, the daily energy needs of the elderly are lower than those of middle-aged people. The energy supply for the elderly is closely related to their weight. Overweight, especially obesity, makes one prone to hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Low weight, especially being underweight, leads to insufficient nutrition, low immunity, and susceptibility to chronic bronchitis, pulmonary heart disease, and other respiratory system diseases. Therefore, it's necessary to adjust calorie intake to maintain an ideal weight.
With the increase in age, many degenerative changes also gradually increase. In many countries and regions, heart disease is the "number one killer" threatening human life, and its cause is excessive fat accumulation in the body leading to blockage of the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart. So, how to prevent heart disease? The most painless and simple method is to eat less high-fat foods, especially animal fats (except fish and poultry); energy and salt intake should also be restricted; adequate protein should be provided; some vitamins and trace elements should be supplemented appropriately.
The elderly are prone to femoral neck fractures, one reason being osteoporosis. Therefore, calcium supplementation should be noted in the diet, with milk and dairy products being the best. Vegetables, beans, especially soybeans, as well as sesame paste, seeds, hair vegetable, kelp, and small shrimp, contain a lot of calcium. When oxidation occurs in living organisms, chemically active groups called free radicals are produced. They can cause lipid peroxidation of cell biological membranes, destroy biological membranes, leading to cell lesions, or even death. Free radicals are an important reason for the gradual aging of the human body and even the occurrence of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. However, food contains antioxidants, including vitamin A and carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, cysteine, etc., which can be selected from foods rich in these nutrients.
Longevity is everyone's good wish, following the way of health preservation is the road to success towards longevity. The most important thing is to have a good mood. If you have a good mood, everything will get better!