All pdf BH Issue 33 Eng

HEALTH MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES
Good health is available for all ages
Good health is the ultimate goal for elderly people in
their retirement, which should be a time of enjoyable
rest and recreation.
At the New Life Healthy Aging Clinic we provide useful
advice for elderly healthcare. With the aim to maintain
good health for our patients, our four practices are simple
and easy to follow: attentive nutrition, regular exercise,
annual health check-up, and vaccination for immunity.
Attentive nutrition
Nutritional problems in the elderly are common and can
cause serious health problems such as weak, degenerative
muscles, low bone mass (osteoporosis and osteopenia),
anemia, weight loss, amnesia, and mood disorders.
In general, older persons should consume between 1,500
to 2,000 kilocalories a day, from all five food groups. We
recommend eating diverse types of foods, spread among
three meals and two snacks per day. Make sure to include
vegetables and fruits to increase fiber intake.
Suggested nutrients for the geriatric diet:
Protein: To maintain and strengthen muscle mass, prevent
muscle degeneration, and repair deteriorated tissue,
elderly people should regularly eat good quality protein.
Find it in lean meat, egg whites, skimmed milk, and
soybean products.
Carbohydrates: This nutrient provides energy to the body.
The older person should consume a sufficient amount
of carbohydrates in order to maintain a suitable body
weight. Choose complex carbohydrates such as brown
rice, whole wheat bread, and millet.
Fat: Older people need only a small amount of fat to
provide the body with enough essential fatty acids and
fat soluble vitamins. They should reduce or limit foods
high in fat such as fat from animals, butter, oil, coconut
milk, and concentrated cream.
Calcium: Older persons should consume at least 1,000
milligrams of calcium daily to prevent osteoporosis and
build bone density. Calcium rich foods are milk and
unsweetened dairy products, soybeans, bean flour sheets,
small fish with edible bones, and dark green and orange
colored vegetables.
Iron: This mineral helps prevent anemia and fatigue.
Foods high in iron include red meats such as lean pork
and beef, green vegetables, cabbage, cauliflower, green
beans, red beans, and black sesame seeds.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from
foods, prevent scurvy, and heal wounds more quickly.
High vitamin C foods are broccoli, potatoes, sweet peppers,
spinach, papayas, mangos, strawberries, guavas, and
oranges.
Potassium: Consume this to maintain normal blood
pressure, help muscular and nervous systems function
effectively, and maintain the appropriate balance of body
liquid. Potassium rich foods include bananas, oranges,
guavas, dried fruit, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower,
broccoli, spinach, oats, and coarse rice.
Vitamin B12: This nutrient is vital for the production of
red blood cells (erythropoiesis), brain cells, and nerves.
A prolonged vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia
and amnesia. Vitamin B12 is found in yogurt, milk, whole
egg, and all kinds of meat, such as beef, chicken, pork,
and fish.
Magnesium: This is an essential mineral for the functional
processes of numerous body systems such as the immune
system and bones. It plays a critical role in optimal
nervous system function, and healthy muscles and heart.
Find magnesium in fish, green leafy vegetables, bananas,
and beans.
Vitamin A: It helps maintain eyesight, prevents rapid
vision loss, promotes tissue growth, and boosts the
immune system. Foods with vitamin A include spinach,
carrots, sweet potatoes, papayas, and ripe mangoes.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium
and helps prevent bone diseases. The body can synthesize
vitamin D from sunlight exposure. Older persons who do
not get much sunlight should eat cereals and mushrooms,
and drink vitamin D fortified milk regularly.
Vitamin E: This antioxidant helps prevent the destruction
of body cells. It’s found in avocados, beans, sunflower
seeds, and sesame seeds.
Zinc: This mineral helps the immune system to work
efficiently and helps maintain appetite. Older persons may
need more zinc than younger people, as zinc absorption
decreases with age. Zinc is commonly found in meats,
seafood, and eggs.