Ensuring Good Nutrition For Seniors In Winter 

January 2, 2022 0 Comment Category: Senior Health

Whether you have been waiting for the summer months to end or are dreading the end of planting season, the winter cold is unavoidable. Getting flu shots, washing hands and plenty of holiday cheer can help you stay happy and healthy in the winter season. Ensuring proper nutrition is important for all of us, especially seniors. Therefore, fill up your body with nutritious food this winter to stay healthy. The winter nutrition tips for seniors shared below will help elderly adults enjoy the holidays, and avoid trips to doctor offices. 

 

What To Eat To Ensure Health? 

As per the experts in senior care and senior living, some nutritional requirements remain the same all year round. You need to have a lot of fiber and protein to remain healthy. Food items like nuts, lentils, fish, and eggs are very good sources of protein that can ensure muscle and brain health. To ensure proper fiber intake, you can comprehend vegetables and fruits in your diet. The strategies that are shared below can help you target some of the common winter health issues.

 

• Increase Intake Of Vitamin D: We all know that sunlight is a very good source of vitamin D, meaning that you can be deficient in the vitamin during the winter months. This vitamin plays an important role in calcium metabolism in our body and the deficiency of the same can lead to decreased bone density and fractures. To ensure proper vitamin D intake, you can include dairy products in your winter diet. 

 

• Ensure Fiber Intake: You can add a smoothie to your meals to have antioxidants and fiber. Mixing frozen berries, avocados, and bananas to make a smoothie can give you a quick shot of antioxidants and fibers. To have a bit of extra protein, adding peanut butter to your favorite smoothie is also an option. 

 

• Have Elderberry Tea Or Syrup To Boost Immunity: Some of the studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that elderberry supplements can reduce the risk of some of the common winter health issues like flu. 

 

• Eat Warm Stews And Soups: Eating warm food items can help seniors fight winter chilliness. Chicken soup, lentil soup, etc can help you keep your body warm and also ensure protein intake. 

 

What Food To Avoid? 

Considering food items as good or bad might bring trouble and so you can focus on moderation, rather than completely avoiding some food items, labeling them ‘unhealthy.’ As per senior care experts, some of the items you need to be mindful of are:

 

• Sugar: Having an occasional sweet treat is not an issue. However, having snacks high in sugar can shoot glucose levels in your blood and can result in obesity. 

 

• Sodium: Too much sodium can make healthy food items like cooked veggies bad for your heart. There are many pre-packaged and processed food items that possess high sodium levels. Make sure to avoid these food items to ensure heart health. 

 

• Fried Foods: Having a fried treat occasionally might not hurt your health. However, healthy foods can become less healthy when they are fried in fatty oils. Seniors suffering from liver issues like gall stones should avoid fried foods at all costs. 

 

Ensure Hydration

You may not forget to hydrate yourself in the summer heat. Nonetheless, it is important to ensure hydration in the winter months too. You can also include green juices in your hydration plan for even more nutritional value.  

 

These tips can help ensure proper winter nutrition for seniors. You may also consider moving into a senior living community in your locality if you are not okay with your current living situation. Choosing the right senior care facility can ensure effortless nutrition for you.