Originally published on SimplyHealth247:
As our leading Natural Health Advisor, Grace Hall has 30 years experience of advising on the complementary medicine field. With over 30,000 clients, she advises on what really works and what doesn’t.
Clients from around the world, including top sportsmen and women and stars of stage and screen, seek her common sense advice and extensive knowledge.
“Often I will see people, who’s ability to stay well and to recover from health problems is being severely hampered by their lack of nutritious food. In modern day Britain we wouldn’t usually associate malnutrition with our senior citizens but many exist on what has been called the ‘Tea and Toast’ Diet.”
One of the most common mistakes, is thinking that one kind of diet will fit all. Many of the published dietary studies, were completed on middle aged participants and energy requirements change with age. As muscle mass decreases with age and the basic metabolic rate drops, the nutritional requirements change. The elderly should seek out more nutrient dense foods, ie look for protein and energy rich foods which supply the most nutrients in the smallest portions.
The over 75 years age sector should be particularly careful to maintain high nutritional standards. With increased age, the ability to absorb certain nutrients decreases. An example of this is vitamin B12 – the intrinsic factor naturally contained within the body that is needed for B12 absorption, decreases with age and this makes the assimilation of the vitamin much harder.
With poor nutrition, it is easy for the elderly to enter a downward spiral, where lack of nutrients leads to loss of muscle mass, a decrease in strength, impaired mobility, poor skin condition with slow recovery of conditions such as leg ulcers, less able to care for oneself and so it goes. One thing leads to another and another.
Case Study
Agnes*, 83 year old lady, who lived alone, was brought to me by her daughter who was concerned about her deteriorating health. She was under the care of her GP and was on medication for age-related medical conditions but she complained she felt so tired and weak.
Using bio-feedback testing, we identified a particularly acidic stomach being present. We tracked this back to the fact that she left long gaps between eating and when she did eat it would be something like rich tea biscuits, toast and jam or a yoghurt.
We made a food diary and established that she was eating far too little for her nutritional needs and also her food was too acidic.
With age, the villi of the stomach – the microscopic, finger-like columns that coat the stomach lining, change from free moving objects with a high surface area, to flattened, more bump like mounds. This flattening makes absorption of nutrients more difficult and for Agnes, this combined with an acid diet was proving detrimental to health.
Solutions
We planned a nutrient rich food plan that relied on tasty, easily digestible foods.
Some dishes were made in advance with enough for 2-3 portions and then safely reheated from the freezer. A fish pie and chicken casserole were her favourites.
Old fashioned recipes such as beef consomme (a light beef soup) were kept ready as a light snack.
Healthy, ready-made meals had a very useful place in a well balanced diet.
Certain supplements in a liquid form were recommended, with absorption much higher than tablet form supplements.
Results
Over a period of two months, Agnes’s health improved slowly and one of the most noticable changes was a brightening of her overall mood.
Having more energy simply made her feel better. Her dry skin had also improved which made her feel much more comfortable.
So when looking after your own diet or that of someone in the senior catagory, make sure you really are eating correctly for your nutritional needs. A little forward planning really makes all the difference.
Reasons for Poor Nutrition in Senior Citizens
Low Income – many cheaper foods are sold in large family sized packs
Living Alone – Too much effort to prepare food for one or two, tea and toast is easier
Lack of Manual Dexterity – Arthritis and low mobility makes preparing food and opening packets difficult
Oral and Dental Problems – Hard to chew foods make life difficult.
