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(Special Nutritional Needs
for the Later Years)
THE LAST ONE IS MARRIEU NOW. AND YOU KNOW,
IT'S MORE OF A LIFE-STYLE CHANGE FOR US
THAN WE THOUGHT.
Yes, hopefully, you'll find things more relaxing and pleasant. The hectic day-to-day bustle is gone. It's a time of much less activity. But just as your life style has changed, your eating style will have to change too.
How do you mean?
Balanced nutrition is still the name of the game, but it may be harder to eat or even bring home the variety of foods you need. These are times when dashing out and about is the exception -not the rule, and so your body needs less fuel.
True
This means that the building and repairing nutrients have to be kept up-to-snuff, but the amount of energy providers has to be kept in line with the amount of energy you burn.
Let's start at the beginning with
A QUICK REVIEW OF THE
BASIC FOUR FOOD GROUPS
and then talk about changes you should make.G ,ud ,de,,
The best way to balance nutritional intake is to eat the recommended number of servings from each of these Basic Four Food Groups. every day:
THE MILK GROUP
2 or more cups per day
THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES GROUP
4 or more servings a day
(Include a citrus fruit or other good source of vitamin C such as cantaloupe, strawberries or grapefruit every day and a dark-green or deep-yellow vegetable or fruit such as broccoli, spinach, carrots or apricots for vitamin A every other day.)
1 adult serving equals: 1 cup raw leafy vegetable
1 /2 cup fruit, juice or cooked vegetable 1 medium fruit
2 small fruits
THE CEREALS AND BREADS GROUP
4 or more servings a day
(enriched, restored, fortified or whole-grain) 1 adult serving equals:
1 slice of bread
1 /2 cup cooked cereal, noodles or rice 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal (about 1 cup) 2-3 medium crackers
1 small biscuit or muffin
THE MEAT GROUP
1 adult serving equals:
2-3 ounces of meat, fish or poultry 2 eggs
and as occasional substitutes: 4 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 cup cooked dried peas, beans or lentils
I ve alvv, /S. ned rny meals .. ~und
F r F d - ,up•
Good, keep it up. But let's look at some
THINGS YOU MAY
HAVE TO CHANGE:
Continue to eat three good meals a day.
Now that you've finally got the time for breakfast, take it. Breakfast should fulfill 1/4 or more of your total day's nutritional requirements. Switch the major meal of the day to the noon spot, and make the evening meal the light one. This is especially good if you have more activity in the afternoon than in the evening.
Remember, that lighter activity calls for lighter meals all the way around.
Try having part of your day's food as snacks between meals. This helps if you can't eat much at any one meal.
A small snack or glass of warm milk before bed may be just the thing for that good night's sleep. Maybe choose a few more fruits, vegetables and whole-grain breads and cereals than you've been eating. It helps keep the system regular.
Shall we talk about some of the
SPECIAL PROBLEMS SENIOR FOLK
MIGHT RUN INTO?
ES FOOD
w.
First, keep your teeth or dentures in good condition. This makes you feel and look better. But there still can be chewing problems. You might try some of the following:
Chop or grind foods which may be hard to chew. Shred raw vegetables.
Substitute fish, eggs or peanut butter for meat a little more often. Use cheese as a sauce on vegetables, omelets or toast.
E AP ET TE SI Pl St E E.
Try some of these to pep up tired appetites: Make a special effort to serve attractive meals. Use foods of varied colors, shapes and textures. Try an appetizer before dinner or supper.
Take a good walk in the fresh air every day. Serve some hot and some cold foods at every meal.
What about KEEPING WEIGHT DOWN? This is a big problem. That sudden unwelcome
bulge is probably due to less activity and the same old eating habits. Being overweight is bad for your looks and especially bad for your health. These hints will probably help:
• There is no quick magic way. Don't trust promising potions or crash diets. They may be dangerous and often have no lasting effects. The real way to lose weight is with sensible eating and sensible exercise.
• Stress more foods like: very lean, well-trimmed meats; plain frozen or canned vegetables; fresh, frozen or canned fruits; enriched or whole-grain cereals and breads; skim milk instead of whole milk and, of course, fewer sweets and goodies. But remember, balance is the important thing. Don't cut out food
categories - modify or eat less of them. • Just as important as what you eat is your daily
exercise. Consult your doctor, of course, but a simple thing like walking instead of driving the car can make a big difference.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO EAT ALONE.
That's unfortunate. A friend makes a meal so much more pleasant and interesting. A few more
invitations could help both host and guest.
An occasional trip to a restaurant also livens up eating.
But what about THE BUDGET?
Stay within the food budget by careful, planned shopping. Compare all prices and know what you want before you go to the store. That way you don't buy what you don't need. Look over the Basic Four Food Groups and choose the less expensive foods from time to time. Use leftovers creatively to add variety and interest to meals. For example, keep a container in the freezer for
extra portions of meats and vegetables for soup at a later date.
Balanced nutrition and eating correctly are important ways to make the later years all you want them to be. Use common sense and give
some thought to eating. Don't let meals
just happen.