Nutritious eating and healthy aging can go hand-in-hand. Although, the risk of developing a chronic disease or disability increases with age, making wise food choices, and being physically active can help us enjoy a higher quality of life as the years go by.

A Balancing Act: Kilojoules And Activity

As we age, our need for kilojoules usually decreases. If you eat too many kilojoules and/or decrease your activity level, you may gain weight. Excess body fat, especially around the abdomen, is associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. If you eat too few kilojoules, you run the risk of missing essential nutrients. People whose weight is too low may experience low energy levels and increased health risks. The goal is balance. Get or stay active. Make physical activity fun with a combination of walking, back yard work, group fitness classes or similar activities for 30 minutes—all at once or in 10-minute sessions—on at least 5 days a week. Older people should take particular care to keep moving and retain their mobility through daily activity. Also include recommended amounts of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lower-fat dairy products and lean meat, fish, poultry or cooked dried beans in your daily eating plan to help maintain a healthy body weight.

Get Plenty Of Fluids

The recommended daily fluid intake for most people is about eight glasses of fluid a day. As we age, our ability to notice thirst decreases so many people may not be drinking enough. Water is always a good choice, but fruit juice, milk and many other nutrient-containing foods such as fruit and vegetables also count toward fluid totals. Mix and match beverage choices to suit your kilojoule and nutrient needs. If you have a difficult time getting enough kilojoules, opt for nutrient-rich beverages at meals and snacks. If you're trying to trim some kilojoules, choose water more often, especially between meals.

Key Nutrients For Healthy Aging

Many people over age 65 do not eat recommended amounts of nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits and dairy products. While it's important to get adequate amounts of all nutrients, several play an increased role:

• Calcium and vitamin D: Vitamin D works with calcium to maintain strong bones. Older adults need to take on average 800mg for men and 1000mg for women of calcium daily.  Our skin makes vitamin D from sunlight, but with aging this production decreases. Some older people who rarely get outdoors may be short of vitamin D.  If you rarely get outdoors or cover up when you are outdoors you should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement. Ask your GP for more information.
• To help meet vitamin D and calcium needs:
  • Drink vitamin D-fortified milk and use it to prepare foods such as oatmeal, pudding and soups. 
  • If you're lactose-sensitive, try yoghurt, aged natural cheeses (such as cheddar) or lactose-free milk. 
  • Look for calcium-fortified foods such as, some breakfast cereals, grain foods or beverages. 
• Fibre: Fibre is the indigestible part of plants. Combined with plenty of fluids, adequate fibre intake from whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits can reduce the need for medications to treat constipation. Getting recommended amounts of fibre, as part of a well balanced diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may also help lower blood cholesterol levels, and thus may reduce the risk of heart disease. When adding fibre: 
  • Gradually increase fibre intake; drink plenty of fluids to avoid constipation, cramping or bloating.
  • Read labels of breads, cereals and crackers to determine the amount of fibre in a serving.  
  • Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits each day for fibre and other essential nutrients. 
• Protein: Protein is the building block for muscles, organs and other body tissues. It also keeps our immune system functioning and is part of many enzymes and hormones. Good sources of protein include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, some soy foods, nuts and legumes. To meet your protein needs:
  • Spread peanut butter on toast or an English muffin. 
  • If you're limiting cholesterol intake, use egg substitutes or egg whites (the cholesterol is in the yolks). 
  • Include poultry, fish, meat or legumes with lunch and dinner. 
• Folate: Folate is a B-vitamin essential in making new body cells. Folate, together with vitamins B-6 and B-12, may also support heart health by helping to maintain normal levels of homocysteine in the blood. Several medications, including aspirin and antacids, can decrease the effectiveness of folate in the body.  Folate is found naturally in orange juice, citrus fruits, leafy dark-green vegetables, legumes and organ meats. Folic acid (a form of folate) is added to certain grain products (such as enriched flours, breads, rice, and pasta). It is also added to many ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. To get folate: 
  • Drink a glass of orange juice or eat an orange at breakfast. 
  • Eat grain foods (e.g., bread, cereal, rice, pasta or crackers) daily. 
  • Choose leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach often. 
  • Enjoy lentil or split pea soups; try vegetarian chilli with kidney beans. 
• Vitamin B-12: B-12 helps maintain healthy nerve tissue. It is found in all animal proteins, but requires a particular stomach acid to be used by the body. Production of this stomach acid decreases with age, so we're less able to absorb adequate amounts of B-12 from food. Two solutions are to use foods fortified with the synthetic version of B-12 (which is well-absorbed) or take a daily multi vitamin that contains B-12.