One of the best ways to feel healthy and stay healthy in your golden years is to eat right. Eating a variety of foods from the various food groups is a great way to ensure that you are getting the nutrients you need as you age.
Here at Aspire, we care about your overall health. Because your diet is crucial to your overall wellness, we’ve compiled a list of tips for you to consider with regards to your diet.
- Make sure you eat enough fruits and vegetables. While eating fresh produce is always preferred, these can be frozen or canned as well. Eating dark leafy greens such as spinach or kale are a great source of iron. Other dark greens such as broccoli or orange vegetables such as sweet potatoes or carrots are also great sources of necessary nutrients.
- Protein is also an essential part of your diet. It includes meats, seafoods, nuts, beans, eggs, etc. Your body needs protein to build and repair tissues. It is an important part of keeping strong and healthy bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.
- Whole grains are an important part of many people’s diet. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, “Eat at least three ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta every day.” Whenever possible, make sure that these are composed of whole grains rather than processed grains that are filled with preservatives stripped from many of the nutritional benefits.
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans also recommends having three servings of low-fat or fat free dairy each day. This could include milk, yogurt, or cheese. This can benefit you because they are often fortified with Vitamin D which can help keep your bones healthy.
- Careful with fats. Make sure the fats you are eating are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. You don’t want to be eating a lot of saturated fats, trans fats, salt (sodium) or sugars. If possible, switch to oils rather than fats when preparing foods. Pure Olive Oil is a great choice and contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also been shown to be protective against heart disease.
By no means is this a comprehensive list, but we hope it’s given you some insight as to what food choices can help you maintain overall wellness. Make sure to consult with your doctor and stick to any dietary restrictions you may have.
