Healthy Eating For People Over Sixty

Generally, people in over sixty have altered food tastes. Foods do not taste the same. They lose appetite and even their favorite foods do not fascinate them anymore. They tend to put on weight even if they barely eat. Metabolism rates decrease with age and people tend to put on fats. Increasing weight in sixties is a bad sign, as it can cause many health related hazards. A person in his/her sixties must follow a proper diet plan. Here are some tips on how you can maintain your weight and diet accordingly.

People usually do not work very hard in their sixties and therefore need less energy, but just enough to perform daily chores. Your diet must contain adequate amount of protein, calcium, carbohydrates and vitamins. Eat different varieties of food everyday, so that it does not get monotonous and you have different taste everyday. As you grow old, your bones tend to become weak and feeble. Your calcium level decreases and you are likely to suffer from osteoporosis. To avoid these sufferings, you should drink enough low-fat milk and eat fat free dairy products like cheese and butter. Make sure you do not gain fat.

Fruits and vegetables are a very important source of nutrition for persons of this age group, as they provide a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. Most fruits contain vitamins B and C. Vitamins and calcium prevent memory loss, and shivering. Protein in your diet must only be about 15-18%, and mostly got from non-vegetarian foods like fish, eggs, and meat.

Always keep your body hydrated with water and juices. Water helps in cleansing the body from its impurities. Eat fiber rich food like vegetables that provide proteins, too. More of fiber in the body means less of toxins. Fibre can be found in pulses and baked beans, prunes and apricots. Do not eat a lot of sweet or sugar based food because the empty calories present in them do not exactly provide energy, but increases weight. Consumption of excess salt may raise high blood pressure, therefore, control intakes of salt and sugar.

Since senior people do not exactly engage themselves in physical activity, regular exercise and a proper diet is a must. One has to increase metabolism rate, in order to remain fit and not put on excess weight. Old people often eat very less and cannot have three big meals. They must have small meals after regular intervals, which helps to increase their metabolism rate. Do not take any protein supplements or fats loss pills because they need vigorous workouts and are basically meant for people below 60.

Avoid canned or packed food items, as they contain preservatives, which are not healthy for persons of that age group. Some packaged food also contains hydrogenated fats that may cause a problem in your cardio-vascular system. Eat controlled amounts of food, but ensure they are nutrient rich, so that you live a long, healthy life.