Tips for Improving Your Health During the Golden Years

How many calories?

The elderly have gradually slowing metabolisms that can easily lead to weight gain if a person is not careful. In general, elderly women and men need slightly different caloric requirements based on how active they are. An active woman over 50 needs about 2000 calories per day. A semi-active woman needs about 1800 calories, and a non-active woman needs about 1600 calories per day. An active man over 50 needs about 2400-2800 calories per day, a semi-active man needs about 2200-2400 calories per day, and a non-active man needs about 2000 calories per day.

Diet

The foods you choose to eat can have a huge impact on your overall health. Not only can food help you avoid minor illnesses, but a good nutritional path can also help prevent other diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and other common health issues that commonly affect the elderly. Eat from a variety of food groups to maintain your optimal health throughout your golden years.

Fruits: The elderly should eat plenty of fresh fruits. Eat a variety of fruits in various colors and try to eat at least one to two servings of fruit a day.

Vegetables: Try to consume the darker vegetables that are rich in iron and other nutrients. Eating 2 to 2 ½ cups of vegetables a day will go a long way toward preserving your health.

Protein: It is an important part of your diet as you age. Most seniors need about half their bodyweight in grams of protein each day. For example, a 200 pound man needs about 100 grams of protein each day. Eat protein from a variety of sources, including meat, dairy, and nuts.

Calcium: It is an extremely important requirement as you age. Your natural calcium depletes and makes your bones weaker and more brittle. Try to eat at least 1,200 mg of calcium each day from sources like dairy, nuts, and dark green vegetables.

Grains: They are an important part of any diet, but it is easy to consume too much. Always choose whole grains over processed grain, and shoot for about 6 to 7 ounces each day.

Avoid high concentrations of salt and fat to eliminate unhealthy weight gain and sodium build-up, which can lead to health problems.

Exercise

Exercise is important to maintaining your overall health. Exercise is not only good for your body, but it is also good for your mind. You don’t have to expend a lot of energy on exercise. Moderate exercise three or four times a week will provide many of the benefits of exercise, such as health blood pressure, reduced weight, and improved mental clarity. Low-impact exercises like walking or swimming are perfect for seniors.

Get involved

The health of your body is not the only thing that keeps you in good shape as you age. It is also important to keep the mind active. Get involved in a few different group activities. Try volunteering at a local church or charity. Participate in game night with friends or family. Entertain yourself with mentally-challenging games, like Sodoku, crossword puzzles, or brain teasers. You can even get a pet to keep you company. These mental activities will help you avoid depression and loneliness as you age.

If you want to have a healthy life from start to finish, it is important to maintain your health through physical activities, exercise, and diet. These three things will help prevent many preventable diseases and health problems that often affect the elderly. If you start preparing your body in advance, you can delay or avoid these problem and live a healthy life well into your golden years.