February 20, 2025 • 30 mins
Understanding how our nutritional needs change as we age is crucial for maintaining health and vitality later in life. This episode discusses key nutrients essential for aging well, including protein, calcium, vitamin D, omega-3s, and fiber, while providing actionable tips for better meal planning and addressing the challenges faced by the elderly population regarding nutrition.
• Importance of nutrition for longevity and well-being
• Focus on protein for muscle mass preservation
• Roles of calcium and vitamin D in bone health
• Benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for brain and heart
• Importance of fiber for digestive health
• Hydration challenges in elderly populations
• Strategies to overcome common barriers to healthy eating
• Meal examples and easy recipes for nutrient-dense meals
• Value of physical activity in supporting healthy aging
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey, hey, welcome back to another episode in the
Simple Nutrition InsightsPodcast.
I am your host, lili Lacampos,registered dietitian, and today
we're talking about a topic thataffects all of us healthy aging
.
As we get older, ournutritional needs change and
getting the right nutrients canmake all the difference in
maintaining energy, preventingchronic diseases and improving
(00:25):
overall well-being.
Whether you're an older adultyourself or you're caring for a
loved one, this episode ispacked with actionable tips to
help you, to help make everymeal count.
So let's dive in Now.
The reason why I decided to dothis episode it's because, or on
this topic, it's because lastweek I did a presentation in
(00:49):
Spanish for the Mexicanconsulate about this topic
specifically, and so you knowit's.
The information is so valuablethat I said I should do that.
I should do a podcast inEnglish, right, about this topic
in specific, because oftentimeswe don't really think about,
especially if we are younger,right or middle age.
(01:11):
We don't really think aboutnutrition as we get older, right
In that older age or forelderly, and it is so important
to start now.
We should have startedyesterday in terms of taking
care of our health Now.
The topic specifically,obviously, is about key
(01:31):
nutrients, but more so aboutbone density and muscle mass
preservation, because, as youare going to learn today, as we
get older we start to lose bonedensity and we start to lose
muscle mass, and that is hugebecause it's an indicator for
mortality.
And so, if you didn't know that, please pay attention.
(01:53):
And if you're not elderly,still pay attention, because
we're heading that way right,and I'm sure you know someone
that is elderly, a parent, agrandparent, whatever.
The information today isbeneficial for anybody
essentially.
So it's important to understandthat as we age, our metabolism
(02:13):
slows down, our bodies absorbnutrients differently and our
risk for conditions likeosteoporosis, heart disease and
cognitive decline increases.
That's why focusing on keynutrients is so important.
I have an elderly client thatshe's doing such an amazing job.
Actually, I have two elderlyclients that are doing such an
(02:33):
amazing job at really takingcare of themselves even at their
age they're over 85, but byjust making changes in their
nutrition, they are seeingbetter energy, better cognition,
mobility, right, and that ishuge right, because I used to
(02:54):
work in a long-term carefacility.
The main reason why someonedeclines significantly is not
being able to be mobile, right,not being able to move, because
they lose a significant amountof muscle mass and again, that
is a risk for mortality.
Moving nutrition it all plays ahuge role.
Now the challenge as we getolder, right Oftentimes is the
(03:16):
reducing appetite, changes indigestion and difficulty chewing
certain foods.
That's why we need to beintentional about food choices
to get the most nutrition inevery bite.
So let's break down the mostimportant nutrients for aging
well and where to find them.
Now I don't want you to justfocus on these nutrients right,
as I talk in pretty much all ofmy episodes.
(03:37):
The importance is to havebalance right and making sure
that we're targeting all thefive food groups every single
day in some kind of way.
If it's not in our main mealswith our snacks, right.
If we don't eat vegetables withour main meals, adding them
with our snacks, there aredifferent opportunities to have
(03:58):
a really, really nutrient-densemeal or snack throughout the day
.
The less that we eat I want youto also really understand this
that the less that we eat, Iwant you to also really
understand this that the lessthat you eat right, the less the
opportunity you have to reallymaximize your nutrition right.
If you only eat once a day, youare going to become deficient
in a lot of nutrients, becauseit's so difficult to really
(04:22):
really optimize and maximizeyour nutrition in just one meal.
So really really think aboutthat too.
So the first one and it's notin order of importance, it's
just the way that I'm going totalk about them, but this one is
a huge one Protein.
Protein prevents muscle loss.
As we age, we naturally losemuscle, which can lead to
(04:45):
weakness, falls and slowerrecovery from illness.
That's why protein is essential.
Now, if we already have chronicconditions right, diabetes,
heart disease, any other chroniccondition our need for protein
is even more essential.
The only change here is, if youhave chronic kidney disease
(05:06):
right, where the protein is wehave to be more conservative
about that.
And if that is the case, pleaseconsult with a dietician,
because sometimes there's a lotof misinformation out there and
you want to make sure that youmaintain your kidneys where you
know hopefully, where they needto be.
But if you already have chronickidney disease, that it doesn't
continue to advance at a rapidrate.
(05:28):
So some great sources forprotein are lean meats.
Now here's also a key right.
If you have heart disease orelevated cholesterol, you have
to choose leaner pieces of meat,more plant sources, right to
help you with your cholesterol.
But lean meats, poultry, fish,eggs and dairy.
If you do more a vegetarian orplant-based diet lots of beans
(05:50):
and lentils, tofu and nuts arealso going to give you great
sources of protein.
Aim for at least about 20 to 30grams of protein per meal.
If you have trouble eatinglarge portions, try high protein
snacks like Greek yogurt or ahandful of almonds or any other
nuts or seeds.
Divide them up between meals.
Eat smaller meals, right, ifpossible.
(06:10):
Protein keeps us satiated andso sometimes, when we don't have
a lot of appetite eating, youknow that amount of protein can
keep us full for a longer periodof time.
But if we're skipping meals,right, and we're already losing
weight, it's better to break itup into smaller meals.
Now, 20 to 30 grams of proteinyou know, if you look at the
(06:33):
size of your palm right and thethickness of your palm or the
size of a deck of cards, that'sabout three ounces.
Which is going to give youabout it depends.
20 to 27, 20 to 30 grams ofprotein, and that's a good
amount of protein.
Now, this is just a rule ofthumb, this is just a general
(06:54):
recommendation.
Right, talking or working witha registered dietitian is going
to help you create a moreindividualized plan and you can
work with your dietitian tofigure out exactly how much
protein you need for your ownage, chronic condition.
If there's any physicalactivity whatever, it is right.
If you're already losing musclemass significantly, you might
(07:15):
need more.
But this is just a generalrecommendation to get started
and to have a visual.
The next one is calcium andvitamin D.
These are for strong bones.
Bone loss is a major issue forolder adults, increasing the
risk of fractures, so calciumand vitamin D work together to
keep bones strong.
(07:35):
Unfortunately, the majority ofthe population is deficient in
vitamin D, oftentimes even moreso in elderly, you know, if
they're already not goingoutside or there are other
chronic conditions, or if theyget sick often.
Vitamin D is also essential forimmunity, and so making sure
(07:56):
that you check your vitamin Dlevels at least once a year is
important and you work with youragain with your healthcare
provider, your dietitian, tofind ways to increase your
vitamin D.
But here are some great sourcesof calcium and vitamin D Dairy
milk, yogurt cheese, leafygreens like spinach and kale,
fortified plant-based milks,almond milk, soy milk, oat milk,
(08:20):
and now there's also Greekstyle yogurts that are
plant-based that are alsofortified, and oftentimes
they'll give you about 25percent of the daily value.
So let's say, if you drinkthree to four servings right, of
dairy or plant-based milks,you'll get about 75, probably to
100 percent of what you need.
(08:40):
And in between you, you want toadd.
Add your leafy greens.
You can also add fatty fishlike salmon to also provide some
of this vitamin D and calcium.
Now the goal is about 1,200milligrams of calcium and about
800 to 1,000 international unitsof vitamin D daily.
Now someone asked me can I takejust a supplement?
(09:02):
Now I want you to understandthat supplements are not a
replacement of your meals, right, because meals or foods are
going to give you more than justthe individual nutrients, right
, or individual vitamins orminerals you can get.
You know, for example, if youdo leafy greens, you can get
vitamin D I'm sorry vitamin A,vitamin C.
(09:23):
You can also get fiber.
If you do fatty fish likesalmon, you're going to get
omega-3s and proteins.
So it's important to firstfocus on your nutrition and, if
you continue to be deficient,talk to your doctor about what's
the best approach forsupplements and then work with
your dietician on that too.
Calcium is an interesting one,because if you already have
(09:46):
heart disease or issues withlike heartening, atherosclerosis
, heartening of the arteries,sometimes adding too much
calcium can also affect that.
So again, you want to talk toyour provider, talk to your
dietitian, to see if actually acalcium supplement is a good
idea for you.
Start with your nutrition firstand then think about
(10:07):
supplements later.
Omega-3 fatty acids they areessential for brain and heart
health.
Omega-3s help reduceinflammation, lower heart
disease risk and support brainfunction.
They also help with eye healthand immunity as well.
(10:28):
So some best sources ofomega-3s you can find a good
amount, a rich amount, in fattyfish like salmon, tuna, sardines
.
You can also find them in plantsources walnuts, flax seeds and
chia seeds, fortified eggs.
So the idea is to add thesetypes of fatty fish at least
twice a week, or add flax seedsand chia seeds, fortified eggs.
So the idea is to add thesetypes of fatty fish at least
twice a week, or add flax seedsto smoothies or a meal on a
(10:51):
daily basis.
Again, you know, if you reallystruggle with your omega-3s,
talk to your dietician, talk toyour healthcare provider about
adding an omega-3 supplement ifneeded.
About adding an omega-3supplement if needed.
Fiber Fiber is needed fordigestive health and blood sugar
control and cholesterolmanagement, specifically as we
(11:14):
get older.
You know digestive issues,including constipation, are
pretty common in older adults.
So fiber helps keep thingsmoving and regulates blood
sugars and manages ourcholesterol.
Some great sources, richsources of fiber are your whole
grains, oats, quinoa, wholewheat bread, brown rice, whole
(11:35):
grain pastas, fruits andvegetables, beans, lentils, nuts
, and so adding them on a dailybasis can really help us with
our digestive health.
It is important to graduallyincrease fiber intake and drink
plenty of water to preventbloating, because our bodies get
used to the way that we eat,regardless if it's healthy or
(11:57):
not so healthy, and so making achange sometimes can cause a
little bit of digestive issuesby increasing it slowly, right?
So, okay, I am going to startadding one fruit every single
day, right, and then next weekI'll add one cup of vegetables
at lunch, right, or somethinglike that, something that makes
sense for you to increase yourfiber progressively.
(12:20):
Vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 is essential forenergy and cognitive function.
As we age, our ability toabsorb B12 decreases, which can
lead to fatigue and memoryissues or vitamin B anemia.
Now, if you're taking antacidsright for heartburn, to reduce
acid reflux, as well as somemedications such as metformin,
(12:44):
it can affect vitamin B12.
And so making sure that youcheck your B12, just like when
checking your vitamin D at leastannually once a year to make
sure that you don't have a B12deficiency.
But you can find B12, vitaminB12, in animal products meat,
fish, eggs, dairy, also infortified cereals, and you can
also find it in nutritionalyeast.
(13:05):
It's a great source B12,.
You can also find it infortified milks, and so you are
able to get your B12 from foods.
Again, we're strategic about it, right.
If you think that you areadding all these foods and
you're still deficient, again,if you need supplementation,
your doctor and your dieticiancan help you with that.
(13:26):
Hydration Hydration is essentialspecifically as we get older,
because we kind of lose this notlose but our sense of thirst
decreases with age, and so manyolder adults don't drink enough
fluids, either because we don'tfeel thirsty, because we forget,
or it's cold.
I do see these often in thewintertime, especially across
(13:51):
the board with all my clients,more so with our elderly
population because, number one,they might not be eating as much
and now they're drinking lesswater and they might be drinking
more coffee, but that's alsonot helping with hydration, and
so they can end up severelydehydrated, have a kidney injury
(14:15):
and they'll have to be taken tothe hospital because they're
severely dehydrated.
And so it's important to remindour elderly right and even just
in general, to even have sipsof water.
But if it's cold and I do hearthis often I don't want to drink
cold water.
Even having soups, having tea,especially non-coffeinated tea,
(14:41):
throughout the day can help withjust staying hydrated.
And so, specifically with theelderly, they might forget to
drink water because they're notthirsty, but these are some
easier ways to do that.
If it's more so in thesummertime, popsicles are great.
There's a lot of vegetablesthat are high in water
watermelon, pineapple, orangesthat can also keep them hydrated
(15:04):
throughout the day.
So these are just a few rightof the nutrients that are
essential as we get older.
Of course, you know the wholeidea is to add the five food
groups on a daily basis, right?
Try to maximize our nutritionon a daily basis by adding all
these five food groups, whichare fruits, vegetables, whole
(15:27):
grains, proteins and highcalcium, high vitamin D foods,
including our healthy fats.
And so if we think about thesefood groups and every time we
sit down to eat a meal right, orwe assist our elderly folks to
serve their meal.
Looking, you know, visually.
Okay, how many food groups dowe have?
Do we have at least three foodgroups here, right?
(15:47):
If we don't, not a problem,when we have our snack right, we
can add the ones that we'remissing, or our next meal we can
try to add them to, and sothose are some of the ways that
we can implement these.
Another easy way to add themright is here are just some
really specific examples.
You don't have to follow these.
(16:08):
This is just to give you someideas.
But, for example, scrambledeggs with avocado on whole wheat
toast, or Greek yogurt withwalnuts and berries.
If you're wanting somethinglighter, you can also do.
Scrambled tofu, right, somechopped spinach, tomatoes, and
then avocado on whole wheattoast, or a whole grain tortilla
.
That's wonderful.
(16:29):
For lunch, grill salmon withquinoa and roasted vegetables,
or grill tofu with quinoa androasted vegetables, chicken soup
with beans and leafy greens, orlentil soup right, with leafy
greens and add it to them.
For dinner, stir fry tofu orstir fry any other kind of
protein source that you wantwith brown rice and steamed
(16:50):
broccoli, or any other vegetablethat you like.
If you're like I hate broccoli.
There's so many othervegetables out there that you
can try Lentil soup with a sideof whole wheat bread or naan or
roti or any other kind of legumesoup, bean soup or chili, if
you like.
If you want to add, it can makea turkey chili.
(17:12):
You can make tvp a chili, liketexture vegetable protein.
If you want a plum based dinnerfor snacks, you can have
almonds and bananas or cheesewith whole grain crackers or
hummus with carrots, carrotsticks or bell peppers right, a
whole variety of bell pepperswith hummus or guacamole.
(17:33):
So you don't have to complicatethings, especially if you're
cooking just for yourself andyou're like I don't want to make
this elaborate meal.
Right, that is just for myself.
First of all, we have to changethat mindset.
Right, like I just have to cookfor myself.
We have to change that mindsetright, like I just have to cook
(17:53):
for myself.
I do see this often more sowith my either retired empty
nesters either if it's a coupleor just a single parent that
they almost forget to cook forthemselves.
They used to cook, you know, alot for their families.
Now that they don't have afamily at home, it's really hard
for them to cook just forthemselves, but you matter as
well, right?
You should be able to also putthat effort on your own meals,
(18:16):
because that is going to helpyou with your health.
So keep it super simple, right.
If you want to make a chili andyou're like that's a lot, you
can freeze it and use it nextweek, right?
Or when you're short in time,so you can still do maybe these
elaborate meals, but you cansave them, right.
Or when you're short in time,so you can still do maybe these
elaborate meals, but you cansave them, right.
It's like you can have them forleftovers If you don't want to
(18:37):
cook so much.
Right, just keep it supersimple.
It doesn't have to becomplicated, but you can still
make these meals, you know,balanced.
You can add lots of nutrientsto them and basically add, you
know, so you can optimize everybite that you take of that meal
by making it this way.
Okay.
Overcoming common barriers inthe elderly population.
(18:59):
Yes, let's be real, eating wellas we age comes with challenges
.
So here's how to tackle some ofthose common barriers.
If our elderly have lowappetite, right of those common
barriers.
If elderly have low appetite,right, and that can be
significant if they've beenlosing weight, right, because
it's harder for them to gainweight.
(19:20):
And so, if that is the case,right, eating smaller meals,
frequent meals and includeprotein-rich snacks can help.
Adding a little bit of extrafats, you know, extra avocado,
or a little bit of extra fats,extra avocado or a little bit of
extra olive oil to helpstabilize the weight first, and
then we need to increase weight,adding more calories to those
(19:41):
meals.
Dental issues so either they'remissing teeth, they have
cavities, or even if they havedentures, and the dentures are
painful, right, or too big andthey're not able to eat, that
can be a huge challenge, right.
(20:01):
So, looking, be observant ifyou're taking care of somebody
or if it's yourself, you know,having pain when you're eating
is definitely not normal.
Having pain when you're eatingis definitely not normal, you
know.
Consulting with your doctor,going to the dentist to figure
out what the plan is.
But on the meantime, right,it's totally okay to have and
choose soft foods.
(20:22):
Now, if you were used to eatingwhole beans, mash the beans,
right, add a little bit of brothto make sure that they're nice
and there's more liquid on them.
Yogurt, smoothies, soups, right.
You can still get a lot ofnutrition with these meals and
it's still easy for you, right,without having to chew so much.
Oftentimes that's also a problemIf you're having, or if your
(20:46):
elderly is having, dental issues.
It's hard for them to chew apiece of meat right, and so
either shredding it really well,right, adding some broth to it
or chopping it to where they'reable to chew better, is helping
them.
Or doing like long cookingright, like a slow cooker, where
(21:07):
it's going to be softer If it'smore so, swallowing issues,
working with a speech therapistor getting a swallow evaluation,
because sometimes that couldalso be the case where they're
not able to swallow properly andso they're afraid of eating
right, because they don't wantto choke.
So paying attention to that aswell.
(21:28):
Limited mobility is another one.
So using pre-chopped vegetablesright, frozen fruits or meal
delivery services, if needed, ifyou're having already problems
with, like you know, not beingable to move as much or not
being able to stand for a longerperiod of time it could even be
for 10 minutes right, if thatis the case.
Buying ingredients that arepre-cooked is the case.
(21:51):
Buying ingredients that arepre-cooked, pre-chopped right,
they're ready to go.
It's also okay, right?
Or frozen fruits, frozenvegetables that you can you know
, either warm up really quickand it won't require as much
time.
There's also some meal deliveryplaces or services that are a
low cost or insurances can coverfor elderly, so looking into
(22:15):
that as well.
If you're on a fixed budget,which oftentimes that is the
case, right.
Sometimes buying in bulk mightbe more affordable, or using
canned or frozen foods Cannedfoods are great, right.
If you're concerned about theamount of salt, either rinsing
them a couple times, right.
Or if you're able to do nosodium added or light sodium,
(22:39):
then those are options, greatoptions as well.
So we talked about differentthings, right?
Specifically key nutrients forelderly or as we get older as
well.
But, but to wrap things up,remember that good nutrition is
one of the most powerful ways tosupport healthy aging.
Focus on getting enough protein, calcium, omega-3s, fiber and
(23:04):
staying well hydrated, and don'tforget to enjoy your meals as
well.
Now you might ask why is thisimportant, right?
Why do I care about that?
Here's why Because as we getolder, we start to lose our bone
density.
Bone is a living tissue thatresponds to stress and impact by
(23:25):
becoming stronger, but as weage, bone loss or osteopenia or
osteoporosis becomes a risk.
Making weight-bearing andresistant exercise is essential
to prevent fractures.
So I haven't talked aboutexercise, but it's another key
factor that with um to prevent,you know, either falling or just
(23:56):
overall, you know well-beingand so thinking about exercise
in a whole different way.
Right, not to be bulky, not to,you know, be toned or whatever,
but more so for aging, healthy,right After the age of 30, we
naturally lose three to 5% ofmuscle mass per decade, which is
(24:20):
called sarcopenia, now iscalled sarcopenia.
Now it's higher, you know, afterwe get old, after we turn 60,
65, right.
But if we just think about whatthat is I'm going to make that
calculation for you here 3 to 5%muscle mass.
So let's say we are 180 pounds,right, goodness, 180.
(24:41):
180, that's about.
So 3%, if we're 180 pounds,right, 3%, that's 5.4 pounds of
muscle mass.
Now, if we think about 5%,right, that's 9 pounds.
Now, you might think, in adecade, that's 10 years.
(25:07):
Why does that matter?
Right, it absolutely matters.
Because muscle is metabolicallyactive, right, and it's going
to help us with our metabolism.
But it's also going to help uswith the prevention of falling
or having stability or havingflexibility, and so losing
muscle mass, again, as Imentioned at the beginning is a
mortality risk.
So if you're over 30, right.
(25:28):
Or if you're getting to the ageof 30, you're going to be
losing some muscle mass, right?
Every 10 years, you can lose3.5 to 9 pounds right of muscle
mass.
You might think, well, I wantto lose weight.
There's a difference betweenlosing body fat and losing
weight, because you're alsolosing muscle mass, right, you
(25:49):
never want to lose your musclemass because, again, it's a
mortality risk, but it's alsogoing to affect your metabolism.
So I want you to make thedifferentiation.
Instead of saying I want to loseweight, focus on saying I want
to lose body fat but increase mymuscle mass, or maintain my
muscle mass, the amount ofmuscle mass that I have, right,
(26:10):
I want to maintain that yearafter year, specifically, as you
know, once you get to 30 andover.
I was thinking about thatbecause I'm 38.
And so I was like, oh my gosh,I don't want to lose, you know.
And so I was like, oh my gosh,I don't want to lose, you know,
5, 3.5 to 9 pounds by the time Iget to 40, right.
And so it's so important tothink about exercise right in
(26:34):
such a different way, notbecause you want to punish your
body, but more so because youwant to be able to help your
body age properly.
And so adding weight-bearingexercises like walking, jogging,
hiking, dancing, start climbingright If you feel safe about
that.
Or adding resistance trainingright, like lifting weights,
body weight exercises, or addingresistance bands they all can
(27:00):
help impact exercises right,like if you want to do aerobics,
right, as well as includingbalance and flexibility
exercises, yoga, tai chi,pilates they all can help our
bodies in so many ways and itdoesn't have to be like, oh, we
have to go to the gym, right?
Not if you don't want to, youcan.
(27:20):
You know, walking it's sounderrated right Like, you can
start by walking and that is atype of weight-bearing exercise.
Right, because you are movingyour body and it's helping you
in so many ways.
I have an elderly client I wantto say.
She's even more active than Iam.
So she wakes up in the morningand she does a three mile walk,
(27:46):
she goes for a 10 mile bike andthen she goes to the gym and
does weightlifting.
She's very active, and I thinkI've gave this example in
another episode, but she wastelling me a story when she went
bike riding with a friend andshe was going so fast that she
fell and I was so afraid.
I was like, oh my gosh, did youbreak anything?
(28:07):
And she's like you know.
Thankfully I didn't.
But the reason why is becauseshe has really really strong
bones, right, and because of allthe exercises that she does.
Now you don't have to be at thatlevel, right, but you can do
things to help your body tomaintain the bone density, to
maintain your muscle mass, toage gracefully, you'll still be
(28:31):
able to do daily things right.
Okay, let me pick up something,or let me reach for something,
right, or let me be able to movemy body to transfer myself
right, or to go to the restroomon my own.
We love our independence, right, and as we get older, we start
to lose that independence, andthat is heartbreaking, right,
(28:54):
and I'm sure I can't imagine forour elderly population how
stressful and how sad that isfor them.
And so why not do something now, right, to be able to maintain
our independence and be able todo our daily things with minimal
support?
Consider all these things,right.
If it's really overwhelming,you're not alone, right, you can
(29:15):
reach out to me, you cancontact a dietitian and start
working on these things right.
Start with the things that Imentioned so far, one thing at a
time, and, trust me, you'regoing to see a huge benefit.
Anything that we do towards ourhealth and well-being right is
going to be beneficial in oneway or another.
(29:36):
So that is it, my friend.
Stay safe, stay strong, staytuned for more episodes.
Please share this episode witha friend, with an elderly friend
, with your mom and dad, and Ihope to see you soon.
Take care.
Bye-bye for now.
Hey, hey, welcome back to another episode in the
Simple Nutrition InsightsPodcast.
I am your host, lili Lacampos,registered dietitian, and today
we're talking about a topic thataffects all of us healthy aging
.
As we get older, ournutritional needs change and
getting the right nutrients canmake all the difference in
maintaining energy, preventingchronic diseases and improving
(00:25):
overall well-being.
Whether you're an older adultyourself or you're caring for a
loved one, this episode ispacked with actionable tips to
help you, to help make everymeal count.
So let's dive in Now.
The reason why I decided to dothis episode it's because, or on
this topic, it's because lastweek I did a presentation in
(00:49):
Spanish for the Mexicanconsulate about this topic
specifically, and so you knowit's.
The information is so valuablethat I said I should do that.
I should do a podcast inEnglish, right, about this topic
in specific, because oftentimeswe don't really think about,
especially if we are younger,right or middle age.
(01:11):
We don't really think aboutnutrition as we get older, right
In that older age or forelderly, and it is so important
to start now.
We should have startedyesterday in terms of taking
care of our health Now.
The topic specifically,obviously, is about key
(01:31):
nutrients, but more so aboutbone density and muscle mass
preservation, because, as youare going to learn today, as we
get older we start to lose bonedensity and we start to lose
muscle mass, and that is hugebecause it's an indicator for
mortality.
And so, if you didn't know that, please pay attention.
(01:53):
And if you're not elderly,still pay attention, because
we're heading that way right,and I'm sure you know someone
that is elderly, a parent, agrandparent, whatever.
The information today isbeneficial for anybody
essentially.
So it's important to understandthat as we age, our metabolism
(02:13):
slows down, our bodies absorbnutrients differently and our
risk for conditions likeosteoporosis, heart disease and
cognitive decline increases.
That's why focusing on keynutrients is so important.
I have an elderly client thatshe's doing such an amazing job.
Actually, I have two elderlyclients that are doing such an
(02:33):
amazing job at really takingcare of themselves even at their
age they're over 85, but byjust making changes in their
nutrition, they are seeingbetter energy, better cognition,
mobility, right, and that ishuge right, because I used to
(02:54):
work in a long-term carefacility.
The main reason why someonedeclines significantly is not
being able to be mobile, right,not being able to move, because
they lose a significant amountof muscle mass and again, that
is a risk for mortality.
Moving nutrition it all plays ahuge role.
Now the challenge as we getolder, right Oftentimes is the
(03:16):
reducing appetite, changes indigestion and difficulty chewing
certain foods.
That's why we need to beintentional about food choices
to get the most nutrition inevery bite.
So let's break down the mostimportant nutrients for aging
well and where to find them.
Now I don't want you to justfocus on these nutrients right,
as I talk in pretty much all ofmy episodes.
(03:37):
The importance is to havebalance right and making sure
that we're targeting all thefive food groups every single
day in some kind of way.
If it's not in our main mealswith our snacks, right.
If we don't eat vegetables withour main meals, adding them
with our snacks, there aredifferent opportunities to have
(03:58):
a really, really nutrient-densemeal or snack throughout the day
.
The less that we eat I want youto also really understand this
that the less that we eat, Iwant you to also really
understand this that the lessthat you eat right, the less the
opportunity you have to reallymaximize your nutrition right.
If you only eat once a day, youare going to become deficient
in a lot of nutrients, becauseit's so difficult to really
(04:22):
really optimize and maximizeyour nutrition in just one meal.
So really really think aboutthat too.
So the first one and it's notin order of importance, it's
just the way that I'm going totalk about them, but this one is
a huge one Protein.
Protein prevents muscle loss.
As we age, we naturally losemuscle, which can lead to
(04:45):
weakness, falls and slowerrecovery from illness.
That's why protein is essential.
Now, if we already have chronicconditions right, diabetes,
heart disease, any other chroniccondition our need for protein
is even more essential.
The only change here is, if youhave chronic kidney disease
(05:06):
right, where the protein is wehave to be more conservative
about that.
And if that is the case, pleaseconsult with a dietician,
because sometimes there's a lotof misinformation out there and
you want to make sure that youmaintain your kidneys where you
know hopefully, where they needto be.
But if you already have chronickidney disease, that it doesn't
continue to advance at a rapidrate.
(05:28):
So some great sources forprotein are lean meats.
Now here's also a key right.
If you have heart disease orelevated cholesterol, you have
to choose leaner pieces of meat,more plant sources, right to
help you with your cholesterol.
But lean meats, poultry, fish,eggs and dairy.
If you do more a vegetarian orplant-based diet lots of beans
(05:50):
and lentils, tofu and nuts arealso going to give you great
sources of protein.
Aim for at least about 20 to 30grams of protein per meal.
If you have trouble eatinglarge portions, try high protein
snacks like Greek yogurt or ahandful of almonds or any other
nuts or seeds.
Divide them up between meals.
Eat smaller meals, right, ifpossible.
(06:10):
Protein keeps us satiated andso sometimes, when we don't have
a lot of appetite eating, youknow that amount of protein can
keep us full for a longer periodof time.
But if we're skipping meals,right, and we're already losing
weight, it's better to break itup into smaller meals.
Now, 20 to 30 grams of proteinyou know, if you look at the
(06:33):
size of your palm right and thethickness of your palm or the
size of a deck of cards, that'sabout three ounces.
Which is going to give youabout it depends.
20 to 27, 20 to 30 grams ofprotein, and that's a good
amount of protein.
Now, this is just a rule ofthumb, this is just a general
(06:54):
recommendation.
Right, talking or working witha registered dietitian is going
to help you create a moreindividualized plan and you can
work with your dietitian tofigure out exactly how much
protein you need for your ownage, chronic condition.
If there's any physicalactivity whatever, it is right.
If you're already losing musclemass significantly, you might
(07:15):
need more.
But this is just a generalrecommendation to get started
and to have a visual.
The next one is calcium andvitamin D.
These are for strong bones.
Bone loss is a major issue forolder adults, increasing the
risk of fractures, so calciumand vitamin D work together to
keep bones strong.
(07:35):
Unfortunately, the majority ofthe population is deficient in
vitamin D, oftentimes even moreso in elderly, you know, if
they're already not goingoutside or there are other
chronic conditions, or if theyget sick often.
Vitamin D is also essential forimmunity, and so making sure
(07:56):
that you check your vitamin Dlevels at least once a year is
important and you work with youragain with your healthcare
provider, your dietitian, tofind ways to increase your
vitamin D.
But here are some great sourcesof calcium and vitamin D Dairy
milk, yogurt cheese, leafygreens like spinach and kale,
fortified plant-based milks,almond milk, soy milk, oat milk,
(08:20):
and now there's also Greekstyle yogurts that are
plant-based that are alsofortified, and oftentimes
they'll give you about 25percent of the daily value.
So let's say, if you drinkthree to four servings right, of
dairy or plant-based milks,you'll get about 75, probably to
100 percent of what you need.
(08:40):
And in between you, you want toadd.
Add your leafy greens.
You can also add fatty fishlike salmon to also provide some
of this vitamin D and calcium.
Now the goal is about 1,200milligrams of calcium and about
800 to 1,000 international unitsof vitamin D daily.
Now someone asked me can I takejust a supplement?
(09:02):
Now I want you to understandthat supplements are not a
replacement of your meals, right, because meals or foods are
going to give you more than justthe individual nutrients, right
, or individual vitamins orminerals you can get.
You know, for example, if youdo leafy greens, you can get
vitamin D I'm sorry vitamin A,vitamin C.
(09:23):
You can also get fiber.
If you do fatty fish likesalmon, you're going to get
omega-3s and proteins.
So it's important to firstfocus on your nutrition and, if
you continue to be deficient,talk to your doctor about what's
the best approach forsupplements and then work with
your dietician on that too.
Calcium is an interesting one,because if you already have
(09:46):
heart disease or issues withlike heartening, atherosclerosis
, heartening of the arteries,sometimes adding too much
calcium can also affect that.
So again, you want to talk toyour provider, talk to your
dietitian, to see if actually acalcium supplement is a good
idea for you.
Start with your nutrition firstand then think about
(10:07):
supplements later.
Omega-3 fatty acids they areessential for brain and heart
health.
Omega-3s help reduceinflammation, lower heart
disease risk and support brainfunction.
They also help with eye healthand immunity as well.
(10:28):
So some best sources ofomega-3s you can find a good
amount, a rich amount, in fattyfish like salmon, tuna, sardines
.
You can also find them in plantsources walnuts, flax seeds and
chia seeds, fortified eggs.
So the idea is to add thesetypes of fatty fish at least
twice a week, or add flax seedsand chia seeds, fortified eggs.
So the idea is to add thesetypes of fatty fish at least
twice a week, or add flax seedsto smoothies or a meal on a
(10:51):
daily basis.
Again, you know, if you reallystruggle with your omega-3s,
talk to your dietician, talk toyour healthcare provider about
adding an omega-3 supplement ifneeded.
About adding an omega-3supplement if needed.
Fiber Fiber is needed fordigestive health and blood sugar
control and cholesterolmanagement, specifically as we
(11:14):
get older.
You know digestive issues,including constipation, are
pretty common in older adults.
So fiber helps keep thingsmoving and regulates blood
sugars and manages ourcholesterol.
Some great sources, richsources of fiber are your whole
grains, oats, quinoa, wholewheat bread, brown rice, whole
(11:35):
grain pastas, fruits andvegetables, beans, lentils, nuts
, and so adding them on a dailybasis can really help us with
our digestive health.
It is important to graduallyincrease fiber intake and drink
plenty of water to preventbloating, because our bodies get
used to the way that we eat,regardless if it's healthy or
(11:57):
not so healthy, and so making achange sometimes can cause a
little bit of digestive issuesby increasing it slowly, right?
So, okay, I am going to startadding one fruit every single
day, right, and then next weekI'll add one cup of vegetables
at lunch, right, or somethinglike that, something that makes
sense for you to increase yourfiber progressively.
(12:20):
Vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 is essential forenergy and cognitive function.
As we age, our ability toabsorb B12 decreases, which can
lead to fatigue and memoryissues or vitamin B anemia.
Now, if you're taking antacidsright for heartburn, to reduce
acid reflux, as well as somemedications such as metformin,
(12:44):
it can affect vitamin B12.
And so making sure that youcheck your B12, just like when
checking your vitamin D at leastannually once a year to make
sure that you don't have a B12deficiency.
But you can find B12, vitaminB12, in animal products meat,
fish, eggs, dairy, also infortified cereals, and you can
also find it in nutritionalyeast.
(13:05):
It's a great source B12,.
You can also find it infortified milks, and so you are
able to get your B12 from foods.
Again, we're strategic about it, right.
If you think that you areadding all these foods and
you're still deficient, again,if you need supplementation,
your doctor and your dieticiancan help you with that.
(13:26):
Hydration Hydration is essentialspecifically as we get older,
because we kind of lose this notlose but our sense of thirst
decreases with age, and so manyolder adults don't drink enough
fluids, either because we don'tfeel thirsty, because we forget,
or it's cold.
I do see these often in thewintertime, especially across
(13:51):
the board with all my clients,more so with our elderly
population because, number one,they might not be eating as much
and now they're drinking lesswater and they might be drinking
more coffee, but that's alsonot helping with hydration, and
so they can end up severelydehydrated, have a kidney injury
(14:15):
and they'll have to be taken tothe hospital because they're
severely dehydrated.
And so it's important to remindour elderly right and even just
in general, to even have sipsof water.
But if it's cold and I do hearthis often I don't want to drink
cold water.
Even having soups, having tea,especially non-coffeinated tea,
(14:41):
throughout the day can help withjust staying hydrated.
And so, specifically with theelderly, they might forget to
drink water because they're notthirsty, but these are some
easier ways to do that.
If it's more so in thesummertime, popsicles are great.
There's a lot of vegetablesthat are high in water
watermelon, pineapple, orangesthat can also keep them hydrated
(15:04):
throughout the day.
So these are just a few rightof the nutrients that are
essential as we get older.
Of course, you know the wholeidea is to add the five food
groups on a daily basis, right?
Try to maximize our nutritionon a daily basis by adding all
these five food groups, whichare fruits, vegetables, whole
(15:27):
grains, proteins and highcalcium, high vitamin D foods,
including our healthy fats.
And so if we think about thesefood groups and every time we
sit down to eat a meal right, orwe assist our elderly folks to
serve their meal.
Looking, you know, visually.
Okay, how many food groups dowe have?
Do we have at least three foodgroups here, right?
(15:47):
If we don't, not a problem,when we have our snack right, we
can add the ones that we'remissing, or our next meal we can
try to add them to, and sothose are some of the ways that
we can implement these.
Another easy way to add themright is here are just some
really specific examples.
You don't have to follow these.
(16:08):
This is just to give you someideas.
But, for example, scrambledeggs with avocado on whole wheat
toast, or Greek yogurt withwalnuts and berries.
If you're wanting somethinglighter, you can also do.
Scrambled tofu, right, somechopped spinach, tomatoes, and
then avocado on whole wheattoast, or a whole grain tortilla
.
That's wonderful.
(16:29):
For lunch, grill salmon withquinoa and roasted vegetables,
or grill tofu with quinoa androasted vegetables, chicken soup
with beans and leafy greens, orlentil soup right, with leafy
greens and add it to them.
For dinner, stir fry tofu orstir fry any other kind of
protein source that you wantwith brown rice and steamed
(16:50):
broccoli, or any other vegetablethat you like.
If you're like I hate broccoli.
There's so many othervegetables out there that you
can try Lentil soup with a sideof whole wheat bread or naan or
roti or any other kind of legumesoup, bean soup or chili, if
you like.
If you want to add, it can makea turkey chili.
(17:12):
You can make tvp a chili, liketexture vegetable protein.
If you want a plum based dinnerfor snacks, you can have
almonds and bananas or cheesewith whole grain crackers or
hummus with carrots, carrotsticks or bell peppers right, a
whole variety of bell pepperswith hummus or guacamole.
(17:33):
So you don't have to complicatethings, especially if you're
cooking just for yourself andyou're like I don't want to make
this elaborate meal.
Right, that is just for myself.
First of all, we have to changethat mindset.
Right, like I just have to cookfor myself.
We have to change that mindsetright, like I just have to cook
(17:53):
for myself.
I do see this often more sowith my either retired empty
nesters either if it's a coupleor just a single parent that
they almost forget to cook forthemselves.
They used to cook, you know, alot for their families.
Now that they don't have afamily at home, it's really hard
for them to cook just forthemselves, but you matter as
well, right?
You should be able to also putthat effort on your own meals,
(18:16):
because that is going to helpyou with your health.
So keep it super simple, right.
If you want to make a chili andyou're like that's a lot, you
can freeze it and use it nextweek, right?
Or when you're short in time,so you can still do maybe these
elaborate meals, but you cansave them, right.
Or when you're short in time,so you can still do maybe these
elaborate meals, but you cansave them, right.
It's like you can have them forleftovers If you don't want to
(18:37):
cook so much.
Right, just keep it supersimple.
It doesn't have to becomplicated, but you can still
make these meals, you know,balanced.
You can add lots of nutrientsto them and basically add, you
know, so you can optimize everybite that you take of that meal
by making it this way.
Okay.
Overcoming common barriers inthe elderly population.
(18:59):
Yes, let's be real, eating wellas we age comes with challenges
.
So here's how to tackle some ofthose common barriers.
If our elderly have lowappetite, right of those common
barriers.
If elderly have low appetite,right, and that can be
significant if they've beenlosing weight, right, because
it's harder for them to gainweight.
(19:20):
And so, if that is the case,right, eating smaller meals,
frequent meals and includeprotein-rich snacks can help.
Adding a little bit of extrafats, you know, extra avocado,
or a little bit of extra fats,extra avocado or a little bit of
extra olive oil to helpstabilize the weight first, and
then we need to increase weight,adding more calories to those
(19:41):
meals.
Dental issues so either they'remissing teeth, they have
cavities, or even if they havedentures, and the dentures are
painful, right, or too big andthey're not able to eat, that
can be a huge challenge, right.
(20:01):
So, looking, be observant ifyou're taking care of somebody
or if it's yourself, you know,having pain when you're eating
is definitely not normal.
Having pain when you're eatingis definitely not normal, you
know.
Consulting with your doctor,going to the dentist to figure
out what the plan is.
But on the meantime, right,it's totally okay to have and
choose soft foods.
(20:22):
Now, if you were used to eatingwhole beans, mash the beans,
right, add a little bit of brothto make sure that they're nice
and there's more liquid on them.
Yogurt, smoothies, soups, right.
You can still get a lot ofnutrition with these meals and
it's still easy for you, right,without having to chew so much.
Oftentimes that's also a problemIf you're having, or if your
(20:46):
elderly is having, dental issues.
It's hard for them to chew apiece of meat right, and so
either shredding it really well,right, adding some broth to it
or chopping it to where they'reable to chew better, is helping
them.
Or doing like long cookingright, like a slow cooker, where
(21:07):
it's going to be softer If it'smore so, swallowing issues,
working with a speech therapistor getting a swallow evaluation,
because sometimes that couldalso be the case where they're
not able to swallow properly andso they're afraid of eating
right, because they don't wantto choke.
So paying attention to that aswell.
(21:28):
Limited mobility is another one.
So using pre-chopped vegetablesright, frozen fruits or meal
delivery services, if needed, ifyou're having already problems
with, like you know, not beingable to move as much or not
being able to stand for a longerperiod of time it could even be
for 10 minutes right, if thatis the case.
Buying ingredients that arepre-cooked is the case.
(21:51):
Buying ingredients that arepre-cooked, pre-chopped right,
they're ready to go.
It's also okay, right?
Or frozen fruits, frozenvegetables that you can you know
, either warm up really quickand it won't require as much
time.
There's also some meal deliveryplaces or services that are a
low cost or insurances can coverfor elderly, so looking into
(22:15):
that as well.
If you're on a fixed budget,which oftentimes that is the
case, right.
Sometimes buying in bulk mightbe more affordable, or using
canned or frozen foods Cannedfoods are great, right.
If you're concerned about theamount of salt, either rinsing
them a couple times, right.
Or if you're able to do nosodium added or light sodium,
(22:39):
then those are options, greatoptions as well.
So we talked about differentthings, right?
Specifically key nutrients forelderly or as we get older as
well.
But, but to wrap things up,remember that good nutrition is
one of the most powerful ways tosupport healthy aging.
Focus on getting enough protein, calcium, omega-3s, fiber and
(23:04):
staying well hydrated, and don'tforget to enjoy your meals as
well.
Now you might ask why is thisimportant, right?
Why do I care about that?
Here's why Because as we getolder, we start to lose our bone
density.
Bone is a living tissue thatresponds to stress and impact by
(23:25):
becoming stronger, but as weage, bone loss or osteopenia or
osteoporosis becomes a risk.
Making weight-bearing andresistant exercise is essential
to prevent fractures.
So I haven't talked aboutexercise, but it's another key
factor that with um to prevent,you know, either falling or just
(23:56):
overall, you know well-beingand so thinking about exercise
in a whole different way.
Right, not to be bulky, not to,you know, be toned or whatever,
but more so for aging, healthy,right After the age of 30, we
naturally lose three to 5% ofmuscle mass per decade, which is
(24:20):
called sarcopenia, now iscalled sarcopenia.
Now it's higher, you know, afterwe get old, after we turn 60,
65, right.
But if we just think about whatthat is I'm going to make that
calculation for you here 3 to 5%muscle mass.
So let's say we are 180 pounds,right, goodness, 180.
(24:41):
180, that's about.
So 3%, if we're 180 pounds,right, 3%, that's 5.4 pounds of
muscle mass.
Now, if we think about 5%,right, that's 9 pounds.
Now, you might think, in adecade, that's 10 years.
(25:07):
Why does that matter?
Right, it absolutely matters.
Because muscle is metabolicallyactive, right, and it's going
to help us with our metabolism.
But it's also going to help uswith the prevention of falling
or having stability or havingflexibility, and so losing
muscle mass, again, as Imentioned at the beginning is a
mortality risk.
So if you're over 30, right.
(25:28):
Or if you're getting to the ageof 30, you're going to be
losing some muscle mass, right?
Every 10 years, you can lose3.5 to 9 pounds right of muscle
mass.
You might think, well, I wantto lose weight.
There's a difference betweenlosing body fat and losing
weight, because you're alsolosing muscle mass, right, you
(25:49):
never want to lose your musclemass because, again, it's a
mortality risk, but it's alsogoing to affect your metabolism.
So I want you to make thedifferentiation.
Instead of saying I want to loseweight, focus on saying I want
to lose body fat but increase mymuscle mass, or maintain my
muscle mass, the amount ofmuscle mass that I have, right,
(26:10):
I want to maintain that yearafter year, specifically, as you
know, once you get to 30 andover.
I was thinking about thatbecause I'm 38.
And so I was like, oh my gosh,I don't want to lose, you know.
And so I was like, oh my gosh,I don't want to lose, you know,
5, 3.5 to 9 pounds by the time Iget to 40, right.
And so it's so important tothink about exercise right in
(26:34):
such a different way, notbecause you want to punish your
body, but more so because youwant to be able to help your
body age properly.
And so adding weight-bearingexercises like walking, jogging,
hiking, dancing, start climbingright If you feel safe about
that.
Or adding resistance trainingright, like lifting weights,
body weight exercises, or addingresistance bands they all can
(27:00):
help impact exercises right,like if you want to do aerobics,
right, as well as includingbalance and flexibility
exercises, yoga, tai chi,pilates they all can help our
bodies in so many ways and itdoesn't have to be like, oh, we
have to go to the gym, right?
Not if you don't want to, youcan.
(27:20):
You know, walking it's sounderrated right Like, you can
start by walking and that is atype of weight-bearing exercise.
Right, because you are movingyour body and it's helping you
in so many ways.
I have an elderly client I wantto say.
She's even more active than Iam.
So she wakes up in the morningand she does a three mile walk,
(27:46):
she goes for a 10 mile bike andthen she goes to the gym and
does weightlifting.
She's very active, and I thinkI've gave this example in
another episode, but she wastelling me a story when she went
bike riding with a friend andshe was going so fast that she
fell and I was so afraid.
I was like, oh my gosh, did youbreak anything?
(28:07):
And she's like you know.
Thankfully I didn't.
But the reason why is becauseshe has really really strong
bones, right, and because of allthe exercises that she does.
Now you don't have to be at thatlevel, right, but you can do
things to help your body tomaintain the bone density, to
maintain your muscle mass, toage gracefully, you'll still be
(28:31):
able to do daily things right.
Okay, let me pick up something,or let me reach for something,
right, or let me be able to movemy body to transfer myself
right, or to go to the restroomon my own.
We love our independence, right, and as we get older, we start
to lose that independence, andthat is heartbreaking, right,
(28:54):
and I'm sure I can't imagine forour elderly population how
stressful and how sad that isfor them.
And so why not do something now, right, to be able to maintain
our independence and be able todo our daily things with minimal
support?
Consider all these things,right.
If it's really overwhelming,you're not alone, right, you can
(29:15):
reach out to me, you cancontact a dietitian and start
working on these things right.
Start with the things that Imentioned so far, one thing at a
time, and, trust me, you'regoing to see a huge benefit.
Anything that we do towards ourhealth and well-being right is
going to be beneficial in oneway or another.
(29:36):
So that is it, my friend.
Stay safe, stay strong, staytuned for more episodes.
Please share this episode witha friend, with an elderly friend
, with your mom and dad, and Ihope to see you soon.
Take care.
Bye-bye for now.
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