Old age can be a time of slowing down, if only to better smell the roses. What you might not know: Fitness and nutrition habits developed across your lifetime play a big role in how you navigate those years. From bones to hydration to eating a balanced diet, your early-life behavior can set you up for a healthier old age.
But let’s say you didn’t do that. There are still lots of ways nutrition can improve your experience of aging, and your dietitian and medical team can help.
It Starts Early
Starting around 30, muscle and lean body mass decline, fat mass increases and metabolism slows. Thirst response decreases, and our immune system becomes less sharp. Dentition — the condition of your teeth — may be poor. All of which affects your nutritional needs and intake.
Although maintaining movement is essential at every age, some over 60 may need fewer calories because of a less-active lifestyle. That can impact protein intake, leading to muscle atrophy. If it’s hard to chew or swallow a steak — and even harder to afford one — it’s easy to miss out on things like vitamin B6, important to the nervous and immune systems. Affordable sources: poultry, beans and legumes. Omega-3 fatty acids also can be low in older adults, affecting diseases of inflammation like arthritis. It’s found in seafood including canned sardines, a versatile, inexpensive protein source.
Bone health is another example: We reach our maximum bone mass between 25 and 30 — think of that as your bone savings account. If you haven’t stored up enough calcium and vitamin D by then, your body will leach what it needs from your bones, putting you at risk of osteoporosis, hip and back pain or fractures. Our ability to process vitamin D also declines with age, especially in folks who are obese or have a chronic disease like diabetes. That’s why it’s important to be sure you’re eating things like low-fat dairy and calcium-fortified foods like cereal and orange juice. Consult your medical team on whether supplements or injections might benefit you.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Being less likely to notice thirst is just one cause of dehydration. Medications also can affect those cues. Sometimes restricted intake is purposeful, if you are worried about mobility or having an accident. If you have prostate issues or take a medication that makes you urinate, you may try to limit bathroom trips.
One peril of too little fluid is constipation. Our GI tract also slows; it needs water and fiber to keep everything running smoothly. Dehydration also can lead to urinary tract infections. No big deal for younger patients, a UTI can be much more serious for the elderly, leading to confusion and other symptoms that look like stroke or dementia. It’s a major reason older patients are admitted to hospitals.
Why does hydration matter so much later in life? Aside from muscle cramps, poor nerve function and dry skin, dehydration can lead to wooziness and falls, causing fractures and sometimes death.
What You Can Do About It
There are many tools and strategies available to older adults to improve nutrition. One of the most important comes from myplate.gov, which has a special section dedicated to people over 60; you can have the info streamed direct to your smart speaker.
Along with aiming for a diet high in nutrients but lower in calories than when you were younger, consider:
- Getting an annual physical, or more frequent evaluation if needed
- Taking a multivitamin — consider it your daily insurance policy
- Having regular bloodwork, especially if you have signs of deficiency
- Setting reminders on your phone to keep you on target with nutrition and hydration
- Getting all your meds at the same pharmacy, so the pharmacist can see duplication or conflicts
- Telling your doctor about everything you take — over-the-counter, herbal, anything you consume — because many substances can conflict with prescribed medicines
How To Help Someone Else
If you’re a child or caregiver of an older adult, first get a vibe for what they are dealing with, which might vary greatly from the new retiree to those who are homebound. Can they shop for themselves? Help with using a computer for digital coupons, circulars and shopping lists. For those less mobile, offer to set up home delivery of groceries. Most supermarkets have complete meals in their deli sections that you simply reheat (just look out for unwanted sodium or fat), or order a meal or two a week from a meal prep service. For those who need more help, explore programs like the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program or Meals on Wheels; local churches and food banks also sometimes offer special help for seniors.
Remember that we all age differently. What any older person needs is individual to them. Googling may lead to more questions than answers — working with a dietitian or medical team to identify specific problems and solutions is a great place to start.
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