Wellness Seminar

October 12, 2016, Winnipeg, MB

Lydia Heshka, Wellness Committee Member

Food for the Older Adult

Carla D’Andreamatteo, a dietician working within MTS’s Balance Program, was the morning presenter.

As we age, our senses of taste and smell decrease. This, along with the fact that we have been cautioned to use less salt in our diets, means that we may need to use more herbs and spices for flavour.

Another change as we age is that our thirst sensation lessens and does not activate until long after our bodies need more water. To counteract this, conscious fluid intake throughout the day is vital.

Older adults need fewer calories. The current Canada’s Food Guide is very useful to keep us on track. Besides the number of servings for different age groups and sexes, it has helpful information on what constitutes a serving. There are three extra pages of advice and suggestions. For more information and future updates, visit Canada’s Food Guide at: www.healthcanada.gc.ca/ foodguide.

Helpful and interesting tidbits gleaned from Carla: Chicken drumsticks are healthier than chicken breasts, but only without the skin! 75 grams of meat is roughly the size of a deck of cards, a cassette tape (which we probably still have!) or the palm of your hand. Aim for one or two fish meals per week. Wild salmon is preferred, farmed salmon is okay, but don’t eat the skin. (PCB’s!) Fish rule? The fattier the better. Omega 3 fatty acids, in descending order, are found in salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, arctic char, herring, trout. Substitute a meat meal weekly with a meat alternative meal of beans, legumes, lentils or tofu. 23 plain almonds daily will lower your cholesterol. 50 grams of cheese is the approximate size of your thumb. Read labels for fibre, sugar and salt content, as well as calories. Best source to get 21 - 30 grams of fibre daily is All Bran with Psyllium. (Note recommended serving size!) Aim for one green and one orange vegetable daily. Your objective should be to have all four food groups in each meal.

Research recommends 1200 mg calcium daily, best if from food rather than supplements. If taken as supplements, add Vitamin D supplement. (400 IU/day or higher.) Vitamin B12 absorption decreases as we age. It should be checked as part of our annual physicals. Best sources of Vitamin B12 are fish, poultry, milk, eggs and cheese. Because salt in our diet is an issue, check salt per serving size. Do an inventory of your cupboards. Those foods with 400 mg or more could/should be discarded, or at least not purchased in future. In order to make meals more enjoyable, it is better to eat with other people rather than in front of a TV or computer. Join or form a lunch group, a supper club. Share a potluck or treat someone: a friend, a neighbour, a grandchild. Cooking for one or two can be a challenge. Using weekly menu planners can be helpful. The Best of Bridge has just come out with a new cookbook for