Warren County Connection - January 2023

JANUARY 2023

WARREN COUNTY CONNECTION A Publication of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County

Atherosclerosis - What it is and why you should care?

By Carlin Rafie, PhD, RDN, Virginia Cooperative Extension What is atherosclerosis (ath-er-o-scle-ro-sis)?

Atherosclerosis is a build-up of plaque in the arteries, the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood in the body. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fatty substances, calcium, and fibrin (a clotting material in the blood). As plaque builds up, the arteries narrow, blocking blood flow and reducing the oxygen and nutrients reaching the body. A blood clot can form around the narrowed artery, or a piece of the plaque can break off and be carried down the vessel by the bloodstream until it gets stuck. In either case, the artery can be completely blocked cutting off blood flow to that area of the body that it supplies.

How does atherosclerosis start?

Development of atherosclerosis is a slow process that can begin early in life. Damage to the artery’s inner wall may be the event that begins the formation of plaque. This damage can be caused by high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, inflammation, or elevated lipids in the blood. Once the inner wall is damaged, blood cells and other substances clump at the injury site, and cholesterol collects forming fatty deposits over time. The resulting plaque grows and hardens, narrowing the artery.

What are potential consequences of atherosclerosis?

Consequences of atherosclerosis depend on the location of arterial plaque and the tissues affected. Plaque may affect arteries of the heart, brain, pelvis, legs, arms, or kidneys.

When atherosclerosis narrows the arteries of the heart, it can result in coronary artery disease, chest pain (angina), or a heart attack. If arteries close to the brain are affected it can decrease blood to the brain causing a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) can result if arteries supplying blood to the arms or legs are affected, and atherosclerosis in the blood vessels leading to the kidneys can cause chronic kidney disease.

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In this issue: From the Woods: American Chestnut

3

Planning a New Perennial Garden?

5

Grow More in Less Space

6

What Are the Best Ways to Protect My Chickens from Predators

7

Outdoor Winter Activities

8

Nutrition and Aging

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Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Warren County 377 Schroon River Road Warrensburg, NY 12885 Phone: (518) 623-3291 or (518) 668-4881 Visit Our Web Site: www.cce.cornell.edu/warren Who We Are Nation-wide, thousands of people in each state tap into their state’s land-grant university research and know-how to make sound confident decisions concerning family, home, business, finances, and the future. In New York State, the land-grant university is Cornell University.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension network brings you the expertise of Cornell University, other land-grant universities across the country and locally-based Extension Educators, volunteers, and other experts through such programs as: horticulture, youth and families, leadership, environment, food, nutrition & health, home environment, and financial management.

Staff Dr. James Seeley, Executive Director John Bowe, Interim Executive Director & Associate Team Leader Dan Carusone, 4-H Natural Resources Coordinator Roxanne Westcott, 4-H Family Living Educator Rebecca Devaney, Community Horticulture Coordinator Sharon Bellamy, Finance Manager Amy Sabattis, Public Relations/Publications Manager Michele Baker, Administrative Assistant Barb Galusha, Administrative Assistant Joe Phillips, Facilities Coordinator Board of Directors David Strainer - President Jim Kneeshaw - Vice President Dan Bruno - Secretary William Hamelin - Treasurer CheriLyn Dempsey Lisa Earl Maureen Folk Ed Griesmer David Little Cynthia Muratori Extension Service Committee Chair - Ben Driscoll Daniel Bruno Andrea Hogan Brad Magowan Debra Runyon

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Please visit our website for more events www.cce.cornell.edu/warren Facebook & Instagram - Look for CCE Warren

JANUARY CALENDAR 4-H After-School Archery Program - Every Tuesday from January 3rd - April 18th, 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM - Youth must be at least 8 years old to participate. Program is limited to 8 participants and will fill quickly, so be sure to register ASAP! Interested youth MUST pre-register with the 4-H office. Location: CCE Training Center 377 Schroon River Road, Warrensburg, NY 12885. Please contact Michele at mlb222@cornell.eduor call 518-668-4881 with any questions or to sign up.

Intermediate Archery Program - January 8, 2023, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Must be at least 8 years of age. Fee $5.

Location: Dunham's Bay Fish & Game Club 2080 Ridge Road Queensbury, NY 12804.

Supporting Healthy Families - January 26 - February 23, 2023, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM. Every parent at one time or another has questions and concerns about discipline and healthy eating for their growing children. Have you ever worried about what and how much your child is eating?

Do you have a “picky eater” in your home? What about dealing with challenging behaviors? At a loss of what to do? Join educators from Cornell Cooperative Extension for the Supporting Healthy Families Program beginning Thursday, January 26, 2023 from 6:00-7:30 pm via Zoom. This five-week program combines tried and true basic parenting tools with healthy lifestyle skills. It is a unique opportunity for parents/caregivers to learn how to foster healthy relationships while learning about both discipline and nutrition. The program is free of charge and open to Essex, Warren, and Washington County parents/ caregivers. Pre-registration is required. Contact Roxanne Westcott at 518-668-4881 or rmw38@cornell.edu.

This program is made possible in part with support from the Adirondack Foundation Generous Acts Grant and the Hudson Headwaters Health Foundation’s Upstream Fund.

If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and need assistance with attending these workshops, please make your needs known by the registration deadline. Reasonable efforts will be made for accommodations.

Warren County Connection

From the Woods: American Chestnut

By Sanford S. Smith, Natural Resources & Youth Education; and Tracey Coulter, School of Forest Resources, PennState Extension

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sprouts, and memories remained.

This is the story of the American chestnut (Castanea dentata). It is a true story and one of great loss. It is also a tale of sadness for those old enough to remember and for those whose families grieved the decline of this tree.

However, for many, the loss of the American chestnut is hard to imagine. This article is for those who never knew or heard of the American chestnut. Keep reading—the sad story may have a good ending.

American chestnut grew over a wide range in eastern North America. It was most commonly found on hillsides and ridges. Because it was one of the largest trees in eastern forests, it earned the title of "mighty giant."

A tree species once thrived in the forests of eastern North America that was greatly prized for its many uses. Perhaps more than any other species, this tree helped people survive in and settle on the land. It produced huge quantities of delicious nuts, which provided food and extra income for rural families. It was fast growing; it grew tall, straight, and often large. Its easily worked wood was made into everything from log cabins to musical instruments. It grew from Maine to Georgia and west to Alabama. It was everyone's favorite. Then, suddenly, it died off ... almost to extinction. Only dead trees, stump

An Incredible Tree The American chestnut was one of the largest trees in the forests of eastern North America. Some individual trees grew to be 100 feet tall and 10 feet broad (diameter) in the trunk. It grew in most areas, especially on hillsides and ridges. It was also grown in towns and around homes because of its beauty. The American chestnut was a common tree, and in many areas, it composed over 25 percent of the forest.

The American chestnut was best known for its fruit and wood. The fruit is a nut enclosed in a round spiny cover called a bur. The bur splits open after autumn frosts. The nuts were important for human, livestock, and wildlife food. The nuts are not only delicious and sweet, but they are also nutritious because they are higher in usable protein than acorns or beechnuts. They were once an important source of food for deer, bears, squirrels, turkeys, and other forest species. People would compete with wildlife for the nuts. They waited for the nuts to drop, or they climbed the trees and shook the branches to speed the process. Extra nuts were sold or bartered (traded) in the marketplace. The American chestnuts were a dependable nut crop. Each year, this "free gift from the forest" arrived on time.

The wood and bark of American chestnut were also valuable. The wood is lightweight, strong, and brownish-yellow in color. Its grain is similar to that of oak. Because of its high resistance to decay, it made long-lasting split-rail fences, fence posts, log cabins, shingles, mine timbers, telegraph poles, and railroad ties. It also made sturdy beams for barns and homes, as well as beautiful furniture and paneling. Additionally, the wood made excellent (lump) charcoal for firing iron furnaces. After the trees (Continued on page 4)

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were cut for making charcoal, they resprouted from the stump and grew back quickly. They were ready for a charcoal cutting again within 25 to 30 years. It is estimated that nearly half the monetary value of the forests of Pennsylvania was in the wood of American chestnut. This may have been true in other eastern states as well.

Chestnut bark was also critical for tanning leather, especially in its southern range. It is rich in tannic acid, which softens and darkens leather. While it is hard to imagine, in the mid1800s tanneries were some of the largest corporations in the United States. Leather for shoes, belts (for people and machines), and horse harnesses all required tanning.

The Blight The ruin of American chestnut was caused by a blight.

Blights are diseases that kill the leaves, flowers, and stems of plants. The chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) may have come accidentally into this country on several Asian chestnut trees. Asian chestnut trees are smaller, less winter hardy, and not as useful for wood as American chestnuts.

Infected American chestnut trees were discovered at the New York Botanical Garden in New York City around 1904.

It was here that the blight was first observed and identified. Few realized at the time what a serious disease this would become. It spread rapidly by wind, rain, and even on the feet of birds. Externally, the blight caused swollen or sunken wounds, called cankers, on the tree's trunk and branches. These cankers killed the upper portions of the tree. The roots, however, were not killed by the blight.

The disease spread in all directions from New York City.

American chestnuts usually died within two years after the blight reached them. States and the federal government made many efforts to control the disease and stop its spread, but none worked. Unlike their Asian counterparts, American chestnut trees had no natural resistance to the blight. By 1911, the chestnut trees in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were dying. By the mid-1920s, the disease was rapidly spreading south and north through the Appalachian Mountains.

By the 1950s, the American chestnut was wiped out throughout its range. Only standing dead trees and their

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small stump sprouts remained. These sprouts came up and lived for several years before being infected and dying back. Because the wood is rot-resistant, the trees were useful for many years after they died. However, the wood did suffer insect attacks. "Wormy chestnut" wood sawn from these trees is still available today. It has small pinhead-sized holes in it.

Further, the loss of this rich food source for wildlife was tragic. The nut-producing oaks and hickories that grew in the forests only partially filled the gap left by American Chestnut. Red maple often grew widely in place of American chestnut, but its value to wildlife is low.

Today and Tomorrow Soon after the blight began killing off the American chestnut, people searched for trees that had resistance to the disease. Though they had great hopes, their search was unsuccessful. Others attempted to cross the American chestnut with its disease-resistant Asian cousins. Unfortunately, this initial work failed. Meanwhile in the forest, the American chestnut hung on.

To this day, the American chestnut survives as small stump sprouts from some of the large trees that died years ago.

Increased sunlight shining on the forest floor often stimulates new stump sprouting. However, these sprouts seldom live long enough to produce nuts. Many believe that even the surviving roots will eventually die off.

But there is hope. Concerned volunteers established two organizations in the 1980s. The American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation (ACCF) and The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) are both working hard to restore the American chestnut. The ACCF is attempting to breed diseaseresistant trees using only the American chestnut. At the same time, TACF reinitiated efforts to cross American chestnuts with Asian trees. They are now breeding these trees back with American chestnuts to create a tree that is not only disease resistant but also 94 percent American chestnut. Additionally, genetic research may aid in these plant-breeding efforts, and scientists are also using a weakened form of the blight to combat the disease directly.

There is great hope that someday the American chestnut will be restored into the forests of eastern North America.

Exactly how this will happen and how nature will adapt to a return of this "king" is not completely understood.

Clearly, it will still take time and much effort. If the tree can be restored to even part of its former range and glory, it will be a major accomplishment, and one certainly worth pursuing.

Warren County Connection

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Planning a new perennial garden?

Plant for the whole garden ecosystem

and mature, they protect from soil erosion, provide habitat for overwintering pollinators, and much more.

By Layne Knoche, Illinois Extension visiting outreach associate and Landscape Designer of the Red Oak Rain Garden based in Urbana.

The Structural Layer This layer consists of trees, larger shrubs, tall forbs, and grasses, or any other plant that has strong architectural forms. The plants in this layer form the “bones” of the garden that are visible year-round. Individual plants or small groupings – three or five, typically – are appropriate for this layer.

The Seasonal Layer This layer features plant species that are visually dominant for a period. These are typically plants with showy blooms or textures. Larger groups and masses of plants in this layer can create stronger visual appeal.

Welcome to winter. The days are short and cold, and if you enjoy plants like I do, hopefully, you have a few indoors to boost your mood. However, there is already light on the horizon. Spring will be here before you know it, and now is a wonderful time to plan out your new perennial gardens.

The days of planting individual plants and surrounding them in a traditional sea of mulch or rock are numbered.

Instead, a design paradigm described in the book “Planting in a Post-Wild World” by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is one that gardeners are flocking to. The innovative approach incorporates the concept of functional layers that form a complex yet organized landscape that reflects nature.

We need aesthetically beautiful gardens that also provide multiple ecosystem services such as water filtration and insect habitat. You cannot get that from most traditional landscapes. This design method works. We have used it successfully and beautifully at the Red Oak Rain Garden on the campus of University of Illinois in UrbanaChampaign and I have even used it in my own gardens.

Design in Layers Be aware of layers when designing perennial gardens.

Each layer has a selection of plant species that perform a specific function. When designing, it’s best to focus on these three layers: Groundcover, structural, and seasonal.

The Groundcover Layer This layer typically consists of low-growing, densely planted grasses, sedges, ferns, and forbs that form a “green mulch” that serves to shade out weeds. Depending on the species chosen, these may be planted in groups of 10 or more and planted as little as 12 inches apart. As they fill in

Design Tips 1. Keep “right plant, right place” in mind. Know your site’s sun, moisture, and soil conditions, and choose species appropriate for your conditions.

2. Plan for seasonality. Make sure to include some spring ephemerals, summer bloomers, fall color, and winter visual interest.

3. Order early. Determine the species you want to use as early as possible, especially if you plan on ordering plants from an online nursery. The ship-to-home method has become increasingly popular over the past several years, so the earlier you place your order, the more likely you are to have luck with the species you want.

Have a Gardening Question?

Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners answer questions on a variety of

topics including growing vegetables, fruits, ornamental and turf grass, plant identification, pruning, and insect and disease problems.

Call 518-623-3291

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Warren County Connection

Grow More in Less Space

By Margaret Murphy, Horticulture Outreach Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Americans. In this garden, corn, pole beans and winter squash are planted together. The corn provides a structure for the climbing beans, the beans put nitrogen back into the soil, and the squash leaves serve as living mulch that conserves soil moisture and shades out weeds.

Succession planting is another technique to consider. As soon as one crop is finished plant another in the same plot or container. For example, after early, cool season crops such as radishes and peas are harvested, replant with beans, beets or cucumbers. After you are done harvesting the cucumbers in late summer, you could plant another round of radishes for a fall crop.

Growing up, I remember we always had a very large vegetable garden in the backyard. Mom was a marvel in the garden. I don’t remember a time when we didn’t have fresh vegetables to eat all summer long.

Over the years, the popularity of growing one’s own food has waxed and waned, but in recent times, the trend is once again to have edibles in the home landscape. However, not everyone has the room or time (or mobility) to keep a large garden. Small gardens are easier to manage and keeping your garden size small doesn’t mean you have to forfeit a bountiful harvest.

There are several techniques that can help gardeners get maximum productivity from a small space. The first is to interplant. With this technique you alternate rows of fast and slow maturing vegetables. For example, plant a row of leaf lettuce between two rows of tomatoes or cabbage.

The fast maturing crop, lettuce, is harvested first leaving the space available for the slower crop to mature.

A variation on this, sometimes called intercropping, is when you sow a slow and a fast maturing crop together in one area. Again, the fast maturing vegetables are harvested first leaving space for the slow maturing crop. An example of this is to plant radishes (fast maturing) and carrots (slow maturing) together.

Similar to intercropping is the technique of companion planting. Though the science of companion planting is often anecdotal, the practice dates back centuries and has been employed in gardens all over the world. It involves growing two or more crops together that benefit or complement each other. A good example of this is the Three Sisters Garden, a technique pioneered by Native

Succession planting is also used to describe staggered plantings of the same crop. For example, you can make successive plantings of beets every two to three weeks until midsummer for a continued harvest.

Then there is the practice of growing food vertically using trellises, cages, stakes or hanging baskets. This is an increasingly popular concept and truly does offer a way to grow food even with very limited space. Many vegetables and fruits grow very well vertically including pole beans, peas, cucumbers, squash, melons, tomatoes and strawberries. Buy small-fruited varieties for crops such as melons, cucumbers and squash. An added bonus of growing your food vertically is you can bring the plants up to eyelevel, which makes harvesting much easier.

Lastly, if you lack land to cultivate don’t despair. Many vegetables grow just fine in containers. All you need is a pot that provides good drainage and a sunny place to locate your vegetable garden. Most vegetables require a container that holds six to eight inches of potting soil though crops like tomatoes and other larger-sized plants will need deeper soil. Leaf lettuce, kale, chards, beets, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, radishes and cucumbers are just a few types of vegetables that I have grown in containers.

Happy Gardening!

Warren County Connection

What are the best ways to protect my chickens from predators?

Running into conflicts with wildlife is an inevitable aspect of keeping backyard chickens.

Almost every predatory species will eat chicken if given the opportunity. Chickens that are securely housed within their coop at all times are rarely at risk, but most backyard flock owners find this unacceptable. If you decide to keep free range chickens, you must accept that they are far more vulnerable to predation. Your flock is reliant on you to provide housing and safety. By taking appropriate measures to protect your birds, you can minimize your losses.

Identifying the Predator The list of predators that attack poultry is long, and predation can occur at both day and night. If something is attacking your chickens, the first thing you need to do is figure out which predator is to blame. In many cases, predators will leave tracks or scat behind as evidence.

When those signs are absent, much can be inferred by the way in which the chickens are attacked. Different predators are active at different times of the day and their hunting and feeding behaviors vary. Once you know which predator is causing issues for your flock, you can take action to prevent future issues.

Foxes, coyotes, and bobcats do much of their hunting after dark and usually haul chickens away to eat elsewhere. Raccoons and weasels are also significant overnight threats.

Raccoons will often pull a chicken’s head or legs through a wire fence and leave its body behind, while weasels sometimes kill multiple birds by biting them at the backs of their heads. Raptors can also be a concern. Larger hawks will attack chickens from above during daylight hours and eat them in place, as evidenced by scattered feathers in the area. Great horned owls are known to take chickens at night, either carrying them away or eating them on the spot. Domesticated dogs and cats can be a problem in urban areas if they are allowed to roam free. Black bears will occasionally recognize chickens as food, and skunks and opossums will eat eggs and sometimes chickens too.

Preventing Predation Good predator management starts with quality fencing.

Fences not only keep predators out, but also keep chickens from becoming a nuisance on the neighbor’s property. If using wire mesh to build an enclosure, make sure that the openings are smaller than one inch to prevent

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predators from reaching through. Electric poultry fencing is an even better option to protect against ground predators. When avian predators are a problem, covering the chicken run with wire or mesh can be effective. Burying mesh at least one foot deep around the sides of the enclosure will keep predators from digging.

Keeping chickens indoors at night is easily the most important and effective way of protecting free range birds, because many predators are most active between dusk and dawn. Chickens can be trained to go inside a coop in the evening by feeding and watering them inside at dusk.

Once the birds are inside, close and securely fasten all of the doors until the following morning. Solid sided coops are best because they prevent predators from reaching inside. Make sure to seal up all small holes which might allow weasels or rats to gain access.

Carefully selecting a good site for the chicken coop and maintaining the surrounding area are essential. When possible, try to place the coop and enclosure in a place where there aren’t any nearby trees or other places for hawks and owls to perch. It’s also a good practice to keep the surrounding area clear of debris, brush, and tall grass, as these features will give predators a place to hide and sneak up on their prey.

Finally, don’t compound problems by inadvertently attracting or feeding predators. Only give chickens what they consume in a typical feeding, and clean up excess frequently. All chicken feed should be stored in air-tight, odor-free containers, and spills should be promptly addressed. Open compost piles should be kept as far away from the chicken coop as possible, and garbage should be held in secure bins.

Wildlife Management If you’ve done everything you can to exclude a nuisance animal from attacking your chickens and are considering predator control measures such as trapping, killing, or relocating the animal, you should get in touch with USDA Wildlife Services at (603) 223-6832. Be aware that some predator species such as hawks and owls are federally protected and it is illegal to kill them.

When raising chickens, there is always a high risk of predation. If given an opportunity, a wide variety of predators will make a meal out of backyard flocks. However, if you make an effort to provide adequate housing and fencing and train your birds to return to the coop at night where they can be secured, you are well on your way to keeping your chickens happy and healthy.

Source: University of New Hampshire

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Warren County Connection

Outdoor Winter Activities

By Emily Schoenfelder, 4-H Youth Development Educator, Illinois Extension

Feeling a little stir crazy? It’s time to bundle up the family and head outside!

Research shows that spending time in nature has huge benefits for both children and adults. Increased physical activity, decreased feelings of anxiety, improved family connectedness, and higher cognitive functioning are just a few of these.

So here are a few fun ways to spend time outdoors this winter…

• Build a nest – Take advantage of the bare trees and bushes of winter to spot birds’ nests…then try making your own. Weave twigs, dried grass, pine needles together for this fun STEM challenge.

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Plan your garden – Nothing can drive away winter blues like envisioning the spring! Use this time to prep your garden beds by adding compost and dried leaves to replenish soil nutrients. Then, grab some seed catalogs, decide what to plant, and mark out your plots and containers.

Search for signs of animals - There is evidence of animal life everywhere in nature: tracks in the snow, nests, collections of nuts, scat, sheds, and so much more! Sometimes they’re easy to see, but sometimes we have to slow down and look closely to spot them.

Have a backyard cookout – Cookouts aren’t just for summer! Throw some cozy blankets on your patio furniture, set up a s’mores station, and bring a thermos of hot cider for spectacular outdoor dining.

Shovel someone’s sidewalk – Though often seen as a chore, shoveling snow for an aging neighbor or friend can become a lesson in generosity and gratitude. It’s never too cold for acts of kindness!

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What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of atherosclerosis do not appear until the arteries become so narrow that blood flow is reduced to the affected organ. The symptoms depend on which arteries are affected. Chest pain or pressure, sudden weakness in the arms or legs, slurred speech, temporary loss of vision, or drooping face muscles, leg pain when walking, and hypertension may be symptoms of atherosclerosis in heart, brain, arms and legs, or kidneys.

Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms or think you may have atherosclerosis. Early diagnosis and treatment can stop worsening of atherosclerosis and prevent a heart attack, stroke, or other medical emergency.

RISK FACTORS AND PREVENTION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS Factors that increase your risk for developing atherosclerosis include: • High blood pressure • High cholesterol • Diabetes • Obesity • Smoking and other tobacco use • An unhealthy diet • Lack of exercise • Sleep apnea • A family history of heart disease Checklist of lifestyle behaviors recommended for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

How many of these do you practice? ✓ If you smoke, QUIT ✓ Eat healthy foods ✓ Exercise regularly ✓ Maintain a healthy weight ✓ Regularly check and maintain a healthy blood pressure ✓Regularly check and maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels

Warren County Connection

Nutrition and Aging Quick Facts…

• To stay healthy adults should eat a variety of foods.

• Calcium, fiber, iron, protein, and vitamins A, B 12, C, and folacin in the diet or in supplement form become more important as people age.

• To reduce calories, select nutrient-dense foods. Foods high in fat, sugar, and sodium should be chosen less often and in small portions The Aging Body Physiological changes occur slowly over time in all body systems. These changes are influenced by life events, illnesses, genetic traits, and socioeconomic factors.

Sensory Changes • Sensory changes include a decline in sight and peripheral vision, hearing, smell, and taste. The losses are neither total nor rapid, but they do affect nutritional intake and health status.

• Loss of visual acuteness may lead to less activity or a fear of cooking, especially using a stove. Inability to read food prices, nutrition labels, or recipes may affect grocery shopping, food preparation and eating. This could have an adverse effect on nutritional status.

• Loss of hearing may lead to less eating out or not asking questions of the waiter or store clerk.

• Changes in smell and taste can affect food preferences. If food doesn’t taste appetizing or smell appealing, it is likely it won’t get eaten. Recommended changes in diet such as limiting intake of salt, sugar, or fat, can also lead to lower food intake.

Structural and Functional Changes Changes in Muscle Mass As people age, lean body mass is lost. Reduced muscle mass includes skeletal muscle, smooth muscle and muscle that affects vital organ function, with loss of cardiac muscle perhaps the most important. Cardiac capacity can be reduced and cardiac function impaired by chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), hypertension or diabetes.

Changes in Metabolism The most significant result of the loss of lean body mass may be the decrease in basal energy metabolism. Metabolic rate declines proportionately with the decline in total protein tissue. At the same time, total body fat typically increases with age. This often can be explained by lower metabolic rate in addition to too many calories. As people age, fat tends to concentrate in the trunk and as fat deposits around the vital organs. However, in more advanced

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years, weight often declines. To avoid gaining weight, calorie intake should be reduced and amount of physical activity can be increased. The goal is energy balance.

Changes in Bone Density As people age, bone density is lost. After menopause, women tend to lose bone mass at an accelerated rate, which can lead to osteoporosis. Severe osteoporosis is debilitating and serious. Fractures and their associated illness and mortality are certainly a concern. Also, vertebral compression fractures can change chest configuration. This, in turn, can affect breathing, intestinal distension, and internal organ displacement.

Changes in Digestion Nutrition can be a factor in all of the changes noted above. However, the slowing of the normal action of the digestive tract plus general changes have the most direct effect on nutrition. Digestive secretions diminish markedly, although enzymes remain adequate. Additionally, older adults are more likely than younger adults to become constipated. Adequate dietary fiber, physical activity, and sufficient fluid intake can help maintain regular bowel function and nutrient digestion and absorption.

Changes also occur in the kidneys, lungs and liver, and in our ability to generate new protein tissue. In addition, aging can slow the immune system’s response in making antibodies.

Suggestions for Coping with Change Sensory changes Loss of smell and taste affect the nutritional intake and status of many older adults. If food does not smell or taste appetizing, it will not be eaten. Suggestions: • Add flavor to foods with seasonings. Experiment with low sodium seasonings such as lemon juice, ground pepper, curry powder, and fresh or dried herbs of all types such as thyme, rosemary, or basil.

• Avoid cooking vegetables until they are mushy. Try roasting or sautéing fresh vegetables until they are just slightly soft and toss with olive oil and garlic.

• Add variety to meals by choosing foods with different textures and colors. Top oatmeal with chopped nuts and dried cranberries. Add sunflower seeds, chickpeas, and crisp vegetables to salads.

• Purchase produce that is in-season for the best flavor and sweetness. For example, apples in fall, citrus in winter and berries in summer.

• Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day, rather than just 3 larger meals. This can help increase appetite and stimulate the senses.

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Osteoporosis Weight-bearing exercise and a diet high in calcium help protect against osteoporosis. Current treatments include estrogen replacement, exercise and calcium supplements.

Suggestions: • Walk, lift weights, swim or enroll in a group fitness or water aerobics class. Exercise at least three times a week and have fun!

• Include two to four daily servings of dairy products such as milk, yogurt or cheese.

• If digesting milk is a problem, cultured dairy products such as yogurt or buttermilk may be better tolerated.

Another option is vitamin D and calcium fortified soy, almond, or rice milk.

• Post-menopausal women may need a calcium and/or vitamin D supplement if they can’t get enough through diet alone. Talk to a physician or registered dietitian.

Dehydration and Constipation Changes in kidney function can affect thirst sensation, thereby decreasing fluid intake with potential for dehydration. In addition to inadequate fluid intake, many older adults do not consume adequate fiber. Inadequate fluid and fiber intake along with increased physical inactivity can result in constipation.

Suggestions: • Aim to consume 8 cups (women) or 13 cups (men) per day of fluids from beverages and/or foods containing water.

• Choose a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to include in your diet.

Loss of teeth Improperly fitting dentures may unconsciously change eating patterns because of difficulty with chewing. A soft, low-fiber diet without important fresh fruits and vegetables may result.

Suggestions: • Have poorly fitting dentures adjusted.

• Chop, steam, stew, grind or grate hard or tough foods to make them easier to chew without sacrificing their nutritional value. Try grating carrots, broccoli, or Brussel sprouts to make a salad.

Nutrient Needs Calories Calorie needs change due to more body fat and less lean muscle. Less activity can further decrease calorie needs.

The challenge for older adults is to meet the same nutrient needs as when they were younger, yet consume few-

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er calories. Choosing nutrient-dense foods – foods high in nutrients in relation to their calories – will help reduce calories. For example, low-fat milk is more nutrient dense than regular milk. Its nutrient content is the same, but it has fewer calories because it has less fat.

Protein Protein needs usually do not change for the elderly, although research studies are not definitive. Protein requirements can vary because of chronic disease. Balancing needs and restrictions is a challenge, particularly in health care facilities. Protein absorption may decrease as individuals age, and the body may make less protein. However, this does not mean protein intake should be routinely increased, because of the general decline in kidney function. Excess protein could unnecessarily stress kidneys.

Fat Reducing the overall fat content in the diet is reasonable and may be the easiest way to cut calories and reduce weight. Lower fat intake is often also necessary because of chronic disease.

Carbohydrates and Fiber About 60 percent of calories should come from carbohydrates, with emphasis on complex carbohydrates. Glucose tolerance may decrease with advancing years, and complex carbohydrates put less stress on the circulating blood glucose than do refined carbohydrates.

Such a regime also enhances dietary fiber intake. Adequate fiber, together with adequate fluid, helps maintain normal bowel function. Fiber also is thought to decrease risk of intestinal inflammation. Vegetables, fruits, grain products, cereals, seeds, legumes and nuts are all sources of dietary fiber.

Water Of all the nutrients, water is the most important, serving many essential functions.

Adequate water intake reduces stress on kidney function, which tends to decline with age. Adequate fluid intake also eases constipation. With the aging process, the ability to detect thirst declines, so it is not advised to wait to drink water until one is thirsty. Individuals should be sure to drink plenty of water, juice, milk, and coffee or tea to stay properly hydrated. The equivalent to nine (for women) or 13 (for men) glasses of fluid should be consumed every day. It may be helpful for people to use a cup or water bottle which has calibrated measurements on it, in (Continued on page 11)

Warren County Connection

order to keep track of how much they drink throughout the day.

Vitamins and Minerals Vitamin deficiencies may not be obvious in all older people. However, any illness stresses the body and may be enough to use up whatever stores there are and make the person vitamin deficient. Medications also interfere with many vitamins. When drug histories are looked at, nutrient deficiencies emerge. Eating nutrient-dense foods becomes increasingly important when calorie needs decline but vitamin and mineral needs remain high.

Vitamin D The body can store fat-soluble vitamins and usually older adults are at lower risk of fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies.

However, vitamin D-fortified milk is recommended for the housebound, nursing home residents, and anyone who does not get adequate exposure to sunlight.

Iron and Calcium Iron and calcium intake sometimes appears to be low in many older adults. To improve absorption of iron, include vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables. For example, have juice or sliced fruit with cereal, a baked potato with roast beef, vegetables with fish, or fruit with chicken. To boost your intake of calcium, have tomato slices in a cheese sandwich, or salsa with a bean burrito.

Zinc Zinc can be related to specific diseases in the elderly. It can also be a factor with vitamin K in wound healing. Zinc improves taste acuity in people where stores are low. Habitual use of more than 15 mg per day of zinc supplements, in addition to dietary intake, is not recommended without medical supervision. If you eat meats, eggs and seafood, zinc intake should be adequate. This underscores the importance of eating a wide variety of foods. Zinc along with vitamins C and E, and the phytochemicals lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene may help prevent or slow the onset of age-related macular degeneration. The best way to obtain these nutrients is to consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, especially dark green, orange and yellow ones. Good choices include kale, spinach, broccoli, peas, oranges and cantaloupes. Consult your doctor to see if a supplement may also be necessary.

Vitamin E Vitamin E may have a potential role in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Research has shown that eating foods with vitamin E, like whole grains, peanuts, nuts, vegetable oils, and seeds, may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, the same benefits did not

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hold true for vitamin E from supplements.

Vitamin B12 Low levels of vitamin B12 have been associated with memory loss and linked to age-related hearing loss in older adults. Folate, which is related to B12 metabolism in the body, may actually improve hearing. However, if B12 levels are not adequate, high folate levels may be a health concern. As we age, the amount of the chemical in the body, needed to absorb vitamin B12 decreases. To avoid deficiency, older adults are advised to eat foods rich in vitamin B12 regularly, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy foods. Consult your doctor to see if a vitamin B12 supplement may also be necessary.

Drugs used to control diseases such as hypertension or heart disease can alter the need for electrolytes, sodium and potassium. Even though absorption and utilization of some vitamins and minerals becomes less effective with age, higher intakes do not appear to be necessary. As for any age group, it’s important to enjoy a wide variety of foods. Also, individuals taking an herbal or dietary supplement should be sure to tell their doctor, since these supplements may interact with other drugs or nutrients in the diet Variety of Foods People of all ages need more than 40 nutrients to stay healthy. With age, it becomes more important that diets contain enough calcium, fiber, iron, protein, and the vitamins A, B12, C, D and Folacin. Older adults should reduce calories, select nutrient-dense foods, and enjoy smaller portions of foods high in fat, sugar and sodium. Because no one food or pill provides all of the nutrients, they should eat a variety of foods to get the full spectrum of nutrients.

Consuming a variety of foods can be a challenge for older adults, who often eat the same foods over and over again.

Some suggestions to add variety to the diet are below: • Choose a variety of colors in fruits and vegetables, alternating choices throughout meals.

• Vary protein sources; choose meats, fish, whole nuts, nut butters, and beans.

• Increase the variety of texture in meals. Alternate between whole grain breads,cereals, pastas, and rice.

• Get liquids from various sources, including water, milk, juice, tea, or soup.

• Vary preparation methods for different foods. Roast, steam, or sauté vegetables. Bake, grill, or stew meats.

• Build your diet as MyPlate recommends.

Source: Colorado State University

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