Nutrition is important for seniors to maintain to improve the chance of not getting onset dementia. Nutrition for seniors is a hot topic lately and there are some good tips to follow to maintain good health and well-being. According to the BC Government website, only 44% of British Columbian seniors meet the minimum servings of vegetables and fruits per day, and those over 65 eat even less than this! Healthy eating and ensuring you have an ample amount of vitamins and nutrients can go a long way in the prevention of disease and health issues in the elder years. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are prime examples of diseases that affect our seniors that have been correlated with poor nutrition.
According to the article, “Nutrition and Dementia” by Alzheimer’s Disease International, London (February 2014), there is a link between nutrition and the quality of life. There is evidence of undernutrition and inadequate food intake among people with dementia.
What are some of the important steps you can take for a healthy path to help prevent the onset of this too common disease? A healthy diet can play an important role in relation to dementia.
1. Ensure you have an adequate intake of the B Complex vitamins. This can be found in supplements, whole grains, citrus fruits, avocado, spinach, fish, red meat and poultry.
2. Omega 3 is important particularity for the brain. This can be found in salmon, mackerel, herring, fresh tuna, sword fish and sardines.
3. Eat the Mediterranean Diet. This could reduce the risk of dementia with its effects on the vascular system, reducing cardiovascular disease.
4. Increase antioxidants. Antioxidants include vitamin C and E. Excellent foods of choice would be grapes, blueberries, red berries, nuts and dark green leafy vegetables.
5. Avoid weight loss. With undernutrition, sometimes comes weight loss. Weigh loss is associated with morbidly and mortality, and it also worsens the prognosis for several chronic diseases.
In conclusion, this is an important subject and there are many ways to help aid the nutritional wellness in seniors. Keep these 5 tips in mind when helping the senior you know stay healthy.