When it comes to health in retirement, one factor is essential — a balanced and nutritious diet.
Maintaining social connections, pursuing your passions, and focusing on personal growth all play a role in being healthy, active, and engaged throughout your golden years.
And nutrition is a fundamental cornerstone of that lifestyle and your overall health, which allows older adults to achieve and enjoy all that you want during retirement. Keep in mind that everyone is different, so be sure to consult with your doctor or nutritionist if you have any specific questions or concerns.
Read these chapters of our Guide to Nutrition for Older Adults — you’ll be doing yourself a big favor now — and for many years to come.
Healthy Eating for Seniors
As you get older, it’s more important than ever to eat healthy foods. Eating nutritious food can help you stay strong and healthy, and can even help prevent disease.
More specifically, a healthy diet can help keep your weight under control, lower your risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses, and make it easier to stay active.
What you eat affects how you feel, both physically and mentally. Eating healthy foods is one of the most important things you can do for your health at any age, and it’s especially important as you get older.
Especially when you consider the fact that, according to the CDC, 85% of older adults manage at least one chronic condition, and 60% have at least two.
But sometimes it can be hard to know what’s good for you and what’s not. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to healthy eating and nutrition for older adults. We break down the science behind metabolic changes that come with age and give practical advice on how to tackle them.
Chapter #1: Your Nutritional Needs Change
📕 Read about the five ways your nutritional needs change as you age and we’ll give you tips on how to adjust your diet accordingly.
When you’re young, it seems like you can eat whatever you want and not worry about it. But as you age, your nutritional needs change. Research on the impact of aging on nutrition suggests that it also changes our food choices and eating behaviors.
What are those specific changes, why do they happen, and how can you make sure you’re meeting your dietary requirements?
Chapter #2: Nutrition Guidelines Change As Well
📕 Read our article that covers all the nutrition guidelines older adults should follow to ensure you maintain your generation’s first place.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, older adults have the healthiest diets in America.
But before you start celebrating your generation, the nutritional habits of older adults still aren’t healthy. On a scale of 0-100, older adults have a score of 63, compared to the average of 57.
Since we already established that your nutritional needs change with age, it’s logical to conclude that nutritional guidelines do as well.
Chapter #3: There are Foods You Should Avoid
📕Read about the seven foods you should avoid as an older adult.
No one wants to spend their golden years struggling with poor health, so it’s important to be mindful of the foods you’re eating. Some foods can aggravate health problems, while others can be downright dangerous.
In fact, there are a few types of food that you’ll want to avoid altogether if you want to maintain your health and vitality as you age. Just check out the article in this section for the specific foods to avoid.
Chapter #4: Are You Struggling With Weight Loss?
📕Read our article if you’re struggling with weight loss and learn what to do about it.
It’s been said that weight loss is a simple equation: calories in versus calories out. And, for the most part, that’s true. But when it comes to losing weight, there are a lot of other factors at play – including your age.
Now that you’re older, every pound seems to be an uphill battle no matter what you do. Head to our article in this section to combat the weight struggle.
Chapter #5: Hormonal Imbalances Can Cause Weight Gain
📕 Read about the seven hormones that cause weight gain after 60 and discover natural remedies to hormonal imbalances.
Did you ever notice that as you get older, it becomes harder to keep the weight off? Even if you haven’t changed your diet or exercise routine, those pesky pounds seem to creep up on you over time. A lot of that has to do with hormones.
While hormones can’t be blamed entirely for weight gain as you age, they are definitely a contributing factor. Check out our article in this section to find out what can you do about it.
Eat Your Way to a Healthy Retirement Lifestyle
The journey to a healthy retirement lifestyle starts with the first step, and that’s eating well.
Maintaining healthy nutrition doesn’t and shouldn’t mean that you’re starving, dieting, or sacrificing. It’s about focusing on nutritious, wholesome ingredients that nurture your body and mind.
It’s easy to fall into the habit of choosing convenience over quality nutrition. But if you start treating good nutrition like an investment into your long-term health, you’ll reap the benefits before you know it.
Do you want to maintain your health and independence for as long as possible? The best way to live a long and healthy life is by taking care of your body now — start with what you put on your plate.
