The Importance of Diet for the Physical and Mental Fitness of Older Adults

NHS studies have highlighted that, in the UK, adults aged 65 and over spend an average of 10 hours a day either sitting or lying down. This tendency to be inactive can lead to a higher risk of:

• Accidental falls
• Heart disease
• Obesity
• Early death

If you are advanced in years, it is particularly important that you try to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. If you don’t, you may struggle to enjoy even the simplest pleasures of life, such as:

• Engaging in leisure activities
• Visiting the shops
• Meeting with friends
• Playing with your grandchildren

You may also begin to experience aches and pains and have less energy to do anything about it.

Why is exercise essential for older adults?

Exercise and physical activities can help you avoid or at least delay the onset of a variety of diseases, including depression and dementia. Although the body’s natural functioning tends to decline as you get older, you can prevent this by exercising on a regular basis.

What physical activities are suitable?

The term ‘physical activity’ can incorporate anything from taking a walk to engaging in more rigorous sports. For it to be worthwhile, you should try and do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, and it should be something that will take at least 10 minutes.

Here are some activities you can try:

• Brisk walking
• Water aerobics
• Cycling
• Organised sports, such as basketball or tennis

However, daily chores such as housework and shopping are not included in your 150 minutes per week; although these everyday tasks do break your sedentary routine, they will not be sufficient to raise your heart rate. Once you are comfortable with your 150-minute moderate exercise, you may wish to add some muscle-building activities such as:

• Weight training
• Ab workouts
• Lunges

Start exercising

It is important that you choose an exercise or activity that you enjoy as this will encourage you to keep going. Besides the 150 minutes of moderate activity, it is also a good idea to add a 75-minute intense workout. It doesn’t matter if you have been inactive for some time, you should be able to gradually increase your workout to the required levels.

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The benefits of a healthy diet

In addition to keeping yourself physically active, you also need to eat well. Proper nutrition can improve both your energy levels and mental alertness.

In fact, there are several benefits to eating healthily.

1.     It will help you live longer and make you stronger

With good nutrition, you can:

• Boost your immunity
• Reduce your risk of being affected by illness or diseases such as heart stroke and diabetes
• Maintain your ideal weight

Moreover, a combination of physical activity and the correct nutrition can have both immediate and long-term health benefits, including being able to live independently for longer.

2.     It will help sharpen your mental focus

According to this article, eating healthy food, such as fruit, vegetables, fish and nuts, can improve your mental well-being. It can also reduce the risk of you being affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, if you start ingesting green tea and other antioxidants, you can improve your memory and mental alertness.

3.     You will feel better

Nutritious meals and a healthy diet will do more than make you look good. You will also experience a boost to your:

• Energy levels
• Mood
• Self-esteem
• Feelings of happiness

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How to follow a healthy diet

Natural foodstuffs are the ideal option and it’s best to avoid processed food if at all possible. Remember, no two people are the same so naturally our bodies respond to the food we eat in different ways. It depends on genetics and other factors. You also need to be patient as it can take some time to find the diet which is most suitable for your health needs. Here are some tips to take on board.

1.     Eat your fruit and vegetables

Make sure you have two to three servings of fruit and vegetables every day. If you’re not such a fan of vegetables, you can make them more appetising by:

• Adding colours (e.g., use carrots or butternut squash)
• Drizzling them with olive oil
• Sprinkling on some goat cheese
• Frying them in garlic or chilli

2.     Choose ‘good fats’

Good fats are essential for a healthy body. They can also enhance your mood and brain function. For instance, Omega 3 can help protect you from several diseases.

3.     Choose more natural protein sources

Proteins can enhance your:

• Mood
• Resistance to anxiety, depression and stress

However, it is not advisable to get your protein from processed food such as bacon as this can increase your risk of heart disease and other health problems. Fortunately, you can obtain more than enough natural protein from sources such as:

• Beans
• Peas
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Fish
• Eggs
• Red meat

4.     Eat more fibre and be wary of carbohydrates

Everyone needs fibre in their diet. If you are over the age of 50, you need to eat around 25 to 30 grams of fibre every day. When it comes to carbohydrates, it’s better to obtain them from whole grains rather than white flour or other refined carbs.

What physical and lifestyle factors can affect your diet?

As you age, you will experience a number of physical changes to your body as well as adjustments to your lifestyle.

1.     Your digestive system may become less efficient

As you get older, it can become difficult to digest and process the necessary minerals and vitamins to maintain your mental alertness. You should try and increase your fibre intake and, if necessary, consult a doctor for possible alternatives.

2.     Your metabolism and senses begin to slow down

They say that life begins at 40, which may be true, but it is also when your metabolism starts to slow down. It is also the time when you are likely to become less active. For this reason, it is vital that you maintain a healthy eating regimen and perform regular exercise in order to avoid any substantial weight gain.

You may also notice a loss of sensitivity to salty and bitter foods. This may tempt you to add more salt to your diet, but this is not good for your health. Fortunately, there are alternative ways of adding flavour to your meals; for example, you may like to try different herbs and spices.

3.     Eating on a limited budget

Eating healthily does not need to cost the earth. If you plan properly and remove processed and junk foods from your diet, this should provide you with a bigger budget to buy better and healthier food.

Conclusion

As you grow older, it becomes more and more difficult – both physically and mentally – to do the things you would normally do. Fortunately, there are ways that will help you remain healthy for many more years to come. Exercise and a proper diet can keep your body healthy and your mind sharp. Even if you have a sedentary lifestyle, you can still make time to improve your fitness … all you need is an hour and a half of moderate physical exercise every week. Moreover, it is also recommended that you focus your mind on healthy and natural food and avoid processed food at all costs.