Top 10 Healthy eating tips for the old

 1. Enjoy your favorite food but do not indulge too much. Treat yourself occasionally on birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. Eat from all food groups such as carbohydrates, calcium, proteins etc. Having a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy foods, eggs, fish, beans, lentils, meat etc. in a balanced way all through the week is desirable.

    2. Beware and aware of salt. Too much is bad and try to add the right amount while cooking or eating. Adding spices, fresh or dried herbs etc. or a bit of vinegar/ lemon juice will make your meals interesting. Ready to use seasoning packets contain salt and read information about the salt content from the packet and select products with less salt content.

  3. Drink fluids-water, tea/ coffee/ squash to keep your body hydrated. Fruit juices or smoothies are good but they have sugar level and calories so not very good for hydration. Drink lots and lots of water.

    4. Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones. Sun is the biggest source of Vitamin D. So exposure to sun is good to an extent. But as you age, skin won’t produce Vitamin D and is better to take it as supplements once you are above 65. Food such as eggs, oily fish etc. also are good sources of Vitamin D.

  5. Eating fibre-rich foods is a must. Having oats for breakfast or cereals that are grainy brown, fruits, vegetables and salads give your body lots of fibre. Eat them in any form as raw or cooked in your dishes. Whole meal bread should be preferred so that you won’t suffer from problems such as constipation.

  6. Stock foods that are easy to prepare and with good shelf life. Keeping lists of your favorite foods is also helpful for you to tell others, especially when you feel sick. Keep a list of the nearby shops and contact numbers too if they have home delivery system.

7. Do not skip any meals. Having breakfast and light snacks later is desirable. Having just tea or coffee and biscuits alone is not a good option. If you do not prefer regular meals, eat small portions of food like eggs, toast etc. in regular intervals. 

8. A small portion of wine or alcohol is ok but a larger amount is a strict no-no as many unwanted problems in health will come to your life, uninvited.

  9. Supplements are good but do not eat just on tablets. Unless necessary, do not depend much on tablets alone. If you have problems such as poor appetite, one multivitamin supplement a day is ok. 

  10. Have a positive outlook and live happy. Eat healthy-do not under eat or over eat but in the balanced way.