Eating Healthy as a Senior

“Getting old is not for sissies,” a 95 year old Grandmother declared, as her daughter wheeled her to the picnic pavilion. The family was gathered for a mini reunion and to celebrate a beautiful Iowa summer day. Her body was failing but mentally she was sharp and ready to join in the fun. A lifetime of eating fresh live foods probably accounted for an acute mind. Consuming live food from birth should be the rule. Nevertheless, switching to healthy food at any age rather than not at all is best. Live food is not such a strange expression.

Living food includes fruits and vegetables and the recommended amounts are five fruits and five vegetables per day. For maximum nutrition, seniors need fresh food. Appetite loss with aging is common for many reasons. Diets packed with empty calories are not good for seniors. They need wholesome, nutrition rich foods. Nuts are alive with essential nutrients and oils. Walnuts are probably one of the best nuts to eat. Walnuts are an excellent source of Omega-3-fatty acids, which are important for coronary health. Whole grains are living food for life if not over processed. Coldwater fatty fish like salmon, lean meats and skim milk are also live foods needed in a senior diet.

For a live breakfast, wholegrain cereal with skim milk and two fruits works well. Lunch consisting of multi living mixed green salad, tomatoes, nuts, eggs, tuna and or chicken is a great mid-day meal. Include some whole grain crackers and a dressing of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and vinegar, and mixed melon for dessert. Then, dinner that includes fish or lean meat, more vegetables, and a dessert of fruit caps off a nutritional day. No processed food is the nutritional key for seniors and all of us.