In addition to exercising regularly, it is important to foster healthy eating habits as you age. A healthy diet will keep you energized and active, help prevent or manage many medical conditions, and also fight against slowing metabolism and digestion. As you age, you may experience gradual loss of muscle mass and healthy bone and following the right diet can help you overcome these challenges. Healthy eating habits help older adults avoid or better handle chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Here are some strategies that can help you eat right and stay healthy as you grow older.
- Include healthy fats such as omega-3 fats in your diet to protect your body against disease and boost mood and brain function.
- Gradually reduce sugar intake. Substituting candy and desserts with naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or yams can reduce cravings and improve health.
- Avoid or minimize the intake of soda and sweetened coffee. This helps reduce sugar intake and balances your calorie count for the day.
- Eating more fiber is crucial as you age. Start off your day with a high-fiber, whole grain cereal. Whole grains, oatmeal, beans, nuts, wheat cereals, barley, and vegetables such as carrots, celery, and tomatoes are good sources of fiber.
- Keeping energy levels high and appetite hormones in check is important to avoid overeating. For that, eat every three or four hours rather than having three big meals.
- Adopt healthy cooking techniques to get the best out of your food. Steam, bake, and roast instead of frying.
- Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. This will help prevent urinary tract infection and constipation.
Don’t make big changes in your diet all of a sudden. Develop good eating habits slowly and enjoy yourself by trying out innovative recipes that are tasty as well as healthy.