1. Food should be thick and easy to digest 2. Actively participate in moderate sports activities and maintain energy balance
With the increase of age, the physiological functions of various organs of the human body will have different degrees of decline, especially digestion and metabolism, directly affecting the body's nutritional status, such as tooth loss, reduced secretion of digestive juice, slow gastrointestinal motility, so that Absorption and utilization of nutrients in the body decreased. Therefore, the elderly must obtain enough nutrients, especially micronutrients, from the diet.
The gastrointestinal dysfunction in the elderly, should choose to digest food, in order to facilitate the absorption and utilization. However, food should not be overly refined. On the one hand, staple foods should have coarse grains and coarse grains, coarse grains such as oats and corn contain more dietary fiber and more wheat; on the other hand, food processing should not be overly refined, and excessive processing of cereals can result in the loss of large amounts of dietary fiber, and the grain The vitamins and minerals contained in the endosperm are lost.
Dietary fiber can increase bowel movements and prevent senile constipation. Dietary fiber can also improve intestinal flora, making it easier to digest and absorb food. Recent studies have also shown that dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber, plays an improving role in blood glucose and lipid metabolism, and these functions are particularly beneficial to the elderly. With the growth of age, the incidence of non-communicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer has increased significantly, and dietary fiber has also contributed to the prevention of these diseases.
The vitamin E contained in the endosperm is an antioxidant vitamin and plays an important role in the body's antioxidant function. The decline in antioxidative capacity of the elderly has increased the risk of non-communicable chronic diseases, so it is necessary to take adequate amounts of antioxidant nutrients from the diet. In addition, certain trace elements such as zinc and chromium play an important role in maintaining normal glucose metabolism.
The basal metabolism of the elderly is reduced, and it is prone to be overweight or obese from the early stage of old age. Obesity will increase the risk of non-communicable chronic diseases. Therefore, the elderly should actively participate in appropriate physical activities or exercise, such as walking, Tai Chi, etc. to improve their various physiological functions. However, due to decreased blood vessel elasticity, increased blood flow resistance, and decreased cardio-cerebral vascular function in the elderly, the activity should not be excessive. Otherwise, the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular tolerance will be exceeded, and the function will be impaired, increasing the risk of such diseases. Therefore, the elderly should pay special attention to the rational adjustment of the balance between food intake and physical activity, and maintain the weight within the appropriate range.