Grow Old and Stay Healthy

Grow Old and Stay Healthy

Most people have roughly the same eating habits throughout their entire life. As long as you are active and healthy and have a balanced and varied diet, there is no reason to change this. However, if you suffer from certain illnesses, we recommend that you speak with a doctor or a nutritionist about how you can coordinate your meals with any special nutritional needs.

It is generally accepted that seniors need less energy than younger adults. The lower need for energy is connected with the fact that older people move less than before and their muscles use less energy. That is why fish is particularly good for seniors. It is an excellent source of protein with a low amount of carbohydrates and a high amount of healthy fats.

Starting at 60, you should increase your daily vitamin D intake, because vitamin D prevents osteoporosis. This is particularly important if you spend a lot of time inside, because then you lose out on your body’s vitamin D synthesis through sunlight. Fish like salmon and steelhead trout contain a lot of vitamin D.

Seniors also have a high need for vitamin B12 in order to prevent arteriosclerosis. Codfish and halibut are excellent sources of this.

Fatty fish like salmon, steelhead trout and mackerel also contain the special omega 3 fatty acid DHA, which can lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

A higher age also means a higher risk for developing memory problems. About one out of every ten people above 65 suffers from memory disorders. Recent studies suggest that regular fish consumption lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Furthermore, seniors with dementia appear to improve their memory after consuming fatty fish. An explanation for this is that about 50 percent of the human brain is made of up fat. About a third consists of omega 3 fatty acids. For patients with dementia illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease, the amount of omega 3 fatty acids in the brain is lower than by healthy patients. A diet that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids appears to contribute to improved brain functions. These fatty acids are particularly found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and halibut.

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