Features Of The Third Age. Nutrition For The Elderly

Nutrition for the elderly should be both healthy and tasty. According to the United Nations, older persons are those over 60 years of age.

 

Nutrition for the elderly should be both healthy and tasty.

According to the United Nations, older persons are those over 60 years of age. Their number in our country, as well as throughout the world, is constantly growing. A sign of aging is an increased risk of developing chronic diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract.

There are numerous studies showing the possibility of preventing the development of these diseases through proper nutrition.

Don't Forget About Restrictions

Undoubtedly, every doctor who sees a patient knows that a large number of changes in the body are associated with age: a decrease in muscle mass and an increase in fat. In old age, both obesity and malnutrition can develop. The basal metabolic rate is reduced by 15-20%, lean body mass - by 2-3%. In this regard, the physiological need for energy from food decreases with age. And about this, their patients must be informed by their district or attending physician. On average, the caloric content of the daily diet every ten years of life in people after 40 years of age becomes 7% lower. So, if the energy value of the daily diet at the age of 30-40 is taken as 100%, then at the age of 61-70 it will be 80%, and after 70 years - about 70%. At the same time, the allowable physiological increase in body weight with age is no more than 8% of the ideal. Therefore, most people of mature age should somewhat limit themselves in nutrition and carefully monitor body weight - adhere to a caloric intake of 1800-2200 kcal. The optimal ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates should be 12-15%, 25-30% and 55% in terms of calories. At the same time, the need for such minerals as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and vitamins A, D, E, B12 remains quite high.

The norm of protein intake per 1 kg of body weight is 1.0-1.3 g per day. Of animal proteins, preference should be given to fish and milk. Meat, and to a lesser extent fish, are rich in purine bases, which are the cause of gout. It is preferable to cook meat, fish and poultry dishes in boiled form and choose low-fat varieties. When boiling meat, poultry, fish, purine bases pass into the broth, so it is undesirable to use this broth. Of the first courses, preference should be given to vegetarian soups (cereal, milk, vegetable and fruit), meat and fish broths are allowed no more than 23 times a week.

In recent years, there has been more and more discussion about egg consumption rates. But doctors should know for sure that an elderly person can afford 2-3 eggs a week - preferably soft-boiled or in the form of an omelet. It is advisable to arrange fast days 12 times a week, and the rest of the time to limit yourself to a single use of meat dishes in the diet (80-100 g in finished form).

STOP FAT

Scientists have found that up to 1/3 of the protein should be introduced into the diet through dairy products, which will provide enough calcium needed to prevent osteoporosis. This is, first of all, fat-free cottage cheese (daily 100 g), cheeses 10-30 g. Cheese is a supplier of calcium, but contains a lot of fat, cholesterol and salt. It is better to choose low-fat, non-sharp and unsalted varieties of cheese. With good tolerance, milk should be present in the diet of an elderly person in the amount of 300-400 g per day. The age-related decrease in the activity of digestive enzymes increases the likelihood of poor tolerance to fresh milk, which improves when boiled or added in small amounts to tea, coffee. Fermented milk products are especially useful - kefir, curdled milk, acidophilus. The positive effect of these products is associated with the presence of lactic acid bacillus, which maintains the normal composition of the intestinal microflora, which prevents the development of putrefactive processes in the intestine and improves the antitoxic function of the liver. It is recommended to consume 200 g of kefir daily, preferably in the evening before going to bed. In order to eliminate constipation, you can add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vegetable oil, stirring well. It is extremely beneficial to consume dairy products fortified with probiotics (they usually have the prefix "bio"). Probiotics are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are very often enriched with lactic acid products. The best conditions for the existence of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract are created by prebiotics, which include dietary fiber. which prevents the development of putrefactive processes in the intestines and improves the antitoxic function of the liver. It is recommended to consume 200 g of kefir daily, preferably in the evening before going to bed. In order to eliminate constipation, you can add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vegetable oil, stirring well. It is extremely beneficial to consume dairy products fortified with probiotics (they usually have the prefix "bio"). Probiotics are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are very often enriched with lactic acid products. The best conditions for the existence of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract are created by prebiotics, which include dietary fiber. which prevents the development of putrefactive processes in the intestines and improves the antitoxic function of the liver. It is recommended to consume 200 g of kefir daily, preferably in the evening before going to bed. In order to eliminate constipation, you can add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vegetable oil, stirring well. It is extremely beneficial to consume dairy products fortified with probiotics (they usually have the prefix "bio"). Probiotics are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are very often enriched with lactic acid products. The best conditions for the existence of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract are created by prebiotics, which include dietary fiber. a spoonful of vegetable oil, stirring well. It is extremely beneficial to consume dairy products fortified with probiotics (they usually have the prefix "bio"). Probiotics are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are very often enriched with lactic acid products. The best conditions for the existence of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract are created by prebiotics, which include dietary fiber. a spoonful of vegetable oil, stirring well. It is extremely beneficial to consume dairy products fortified with probiotics (they usually have the prefix "bio"). Probiotics are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are very often enriched with lactic acid products. The best conditions for the existence of probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract are created by prebiotics, which include dietary fiber.

Vegetable proteins should make up half of the protein portion of the diet. They are mainly represented by cereals and legumes. However, if legumes are not well tolerated, then only green peas are usually added to the diet as a side dish.

PREMIUM CHAPTERS ▼

PORRIDGE - OUR FAVORITE FOOD (PREMIUM)

There is no such doctor who would not ask what kind of cereals you eat and which ones you like. It is the doctor who knows that buckwheat and oatmeal are the most useful of cereals. Adding milk to these cereals brings their amino acid composition closer to the optimal one. Rice is limited due to its fixative action. It is better to use rye bread, bread made from wholemeal flour and whole grains or with the addition of bran up to 300 g per day. These types of bread are more complete in the composition of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, promote bowel movement, improving its motor activity.

The amount of fat in the diet of the elderly should be moderate. Observing the anti-atherogenic orientation of the diet, it is necessary to limit foods containing cholesterol (liver, kidneys, brains, fatty meats, fish roe, egg yolks) and animal fats rich in saturated fatty acids (beef, lamb, pork, duck, goose, chicken, etc. .). Among animal fats, sour cream should take the main place for the elderly (preferably 10% fat). It is usually recommended to consume 1 tablespoon of sour cream per day (along with cooked food).

It is necessary to introduce into the diet 20-25 g of vegetable oil (sunflower, olive, corn, cottonseed, soybean, rapeseed, etc.) - a source of phospholipids, phytosterols, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the omega-6 and omega-3 families, which have a hypolipidemic effect. , antiplatelet, antiatherogenic and hypotensive, choleretic and laxative effect. It is useful to include in the diet and animal sources of omega-3 PUFAs - marine oily fish (mackerel, sardine, salmon, halibut, herring Ivasi) at 300-400 g per week in baked or canned form. Plant and animal sources of omega-3 PUFAs can enrich the diet of the elderly and in the form of dietary supplements containing fish oil or isolated long-chain fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic).

The anti-atherogenic orientation of the nutrition of the elderly includes the use of a sufficient amount of non-fish seafood (seaweed, squid, shrimp, etc.) containing iodine, heparin-like substances and favorably affecting lipid metabolism and hemostasis.

The amount of carbohydrates in the diet of the elderly is limited to 300 g per day, primarily due to sugar and sweets, to normalize the function of the pancreas, liver and biliary tract, and prevent the development of diabetes. Elderly people with normal body weight are recommended to consume 30-50 g of sugar (no more than 10% of the total calorie intake). Preference should be given to fruits and berries, honey, where sugar is represented mainly by fructose.

It is extremely important for the elderly to include in their diet grains, vegetables and fruits, which are sources of dietary fiber and thus help to lower cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood, have a positive effect on blood coagulation, bile secretion and motor function of the gastrointestinal tract.

Vitamins and minerals deserve special attention. It is recommended to limit table salt to 5 g per day, exclude salted fish, cucumbers, mushrooms, cabbage from the diet, the abuse of which contributes to high blood pressure, fluid retention in the body, and difficulty in the work of the heart.

It is especially important for the elderly to consume vitamins, macro- and microelements, minor food components that favorably affect the activity of the antioxidant system, which plays an important role in preventing premature aging.

OXIDANT AGGRESSION (PREMIUM)

Currently, there are many theories of aging. The most popular and close to nutritional problems are the theories of oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and high-calorie nutrition.

There is ample evidence that antioxidant nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and a wide range of nonnutritive substances (or minor food constituents) in the normal diet can provide protection against oxidative stress and delay aging.

The most important are vitamins E, C and carotenoids (for example, beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body). These vitamins work together to remove activated oxygen species very effectively. Good sources of vitamin E are vegetable, nut and seed oils, sprouted wheat, vegetables, meat and fish, and vitamin C from fruits and vegetables. β-carotene and other carotenoids are present in orange vegetables and fruits, as well as in dark green vegetables (you need to consume at least 220 g per day).

Some of the minerals (zinc, copper, selenium) also have antioxidant activity, as they are part of antioxidant defense enzymes. Zinc contains meat, poultry, hard cheeses, nuts, shrimp; copper - liver, seafood, legumes, nuts, buckwheat and oatmeal; selenium - meat, fish, vegetables and fruits.

Minor components of food include lignins, flavonoids, isoflavones, indoles, phenolic acids, catechins, anthocyanins, etc., contained in plant products.

Based on the oxidative and inflammatory theories of aging, eminent scientists believe that this process can be slowed down at the cellular level by eating foods rich in antioxidants and nutrients with anti-inflammatory effects, which include cold sea fish (as a source of omega-3 PUFAs), colorful vegetables and fruits, grains (especially whole grains), oats, barley, legumes, yogurt (especially those containing live cultures), nuts.

Currently, even 10 "superfoods" are distinguished based on their anti-inflammatory properties: garlic, onions (bulb, leek, green, chives, shallots), barley, herbs (wheatgrass), buckwheat sprouts and grains, beans and lentils, hot peppers, nuts and seeds, Brussels sprouts, yogurt and kefir.

Thus, the basic principles of nutrition for the elderly are as follows.

Limiting the consumption of animal fat (fatty meats, poultry, fat of animals and birds, sausages, dairy products with a high percentage of fat content - butter, cream, sour cream) and cholesterol-containing products (offal, egg yolks, fish caviar).

Restriction of simple sugars (sweet, confectionery) to 10% in calories.

Restriction of table salt (up to 5 g per day).

Enrichment of the diet with vegetable and animal sources of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-6 and - 3 (vegetable oils - sunflower, olive, linseed, soybean, rapeseed; oily fish - mackerel, sardine, ivasi herring, halibut, salmon).

Product use:

- sour-milk with reduced fat content, enriched with pro- and prebiotics;

- rich in dietary fiber (raw and boiled vegetables, fruits, bran and whole grain bread);

- with a high content of magnesium and potassium salts (millet, rice, oatmeal, prunes, dried apricots, cabbage, carrots, beets, potatoes, nuts, milk, beef, bran or whole grain bread);

- sources of vitamins C and P (broth of wild rose, oranges, sweet red peppers, chokeberries, currants, parsley, dill, green onions, gooseberries),

- with a high content of B vitamins (wholemeal bread, legumes, cereals - buckwheat, oatmeal, millet, dairy products, fish).

 

 

 

Frequent, fractional meals (4-5 times a day), the predominant use of dishes prepared without adding fat (boiled, baked, stewed and steamed) using a microwave oven, air grill, Teflon-coated frying pan, etc.