Five Ways To...
Five diet do's and don'ts for seniors
People today are living longer, but it’s not much fun if you suffer from conditions that hamper your quality of life. Nutrition plays an important role in preventing diet-related diseases. Here are five dietary tips geared specifically to seniors and those approaching their elder years.
Swap ingredients for healthier choices
Making your diet healthier can feel like a huge task, but incorporating small changes in your everyday routine is easy. Try out these simple swaps that will help you achieve a better balance.
Eat less salt
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. And if you already have high blood pressure, you are three times more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke than a person with normal blood pressure.
Eat more fibre
Most people don't eat enough fibre. You need fibre daily for a healthy digestion and to prevent constipation.
Be more active
For good health and to help you control and manage your weight, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on at least five days of the week. The more this fits in with your daily lifestyle, the more you will be able to keep it up.
Eat less saturated fat
Having too much saturated fat can raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and this can make you more at risk of heart disease. Men from South Asian communities are particularly at risk — they are advised to eat no more than 30 grams of saturated fat a day, and for women this figure is 20 grams.
Enjoy fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables are good sources of many vitamins, minerals and fibre. Although we should be aiming to eat at least five a day, most of us do not manage to achieve this.
Cut down on sugar
Most adults and children eat too much sugar. There’s no need to avoid it completely, but it does make sense to eat fewer sugary foods like sweets, chocolate, mithai, cakes, pastries, and biscuits for good health.
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