DIET AND OLD AGE

We will all get old and as we do diet becomes more important. The fastest growing sector of the population in most countries is the elderly. They are also one of the groups most likely to be at risk from poor diet. Whether it is not enough food, too much food or the wrong food. That is why it is never too soon to adopt the good dietary habits and lifestyle recommended in The Nutrition Diet. It is also never too late as anyone can benefit from improved diet.

We all start feeling our age, whether it is aches and pains, (see the Aches and Pains page on www.thenutritiondietclub.com ), poor vision, slower brain function, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, heart disease and general tiredness, insomnia, fragile bones etc. Many old age problems are the result of poor diet as well as general wear and tear and aging. Most people die from preventable diseases. It is never too soon to start as how we lived yesterday affects how we are living today

THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON LIVING A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE IS WHAT YOU EAT - OR DON'T EAT

It is important that older people eat foods with high nutrient content especially as they may be eating smaller meals generally. A lot of elderly people fail to get the right foods, or the right amounts needed to meet essential energy and nutrient needs. Generally eat less calories but more nutritious calories. Avoid 'empty' calories, sugars and saturated fats. Physical and mental and economic changes contribute to poor nutrition among the elderly. A lot of problems of old age can be helped by the establishment of healthy nutritional habits. Our diets and lifestyle become more important as we get older.

As we get older our metabolism slows down and we need less calories but at the same time we need more nutritious food as our absorption and metabolism of nutrients is also affected by old age. Muscle tissue decreases as we get older leading to a fall in metabolic rate. We may also need different nutrients or different amounts of nutrients. For instance dietary protein is not used efficiently and therefore we may need added quality protein in the diet. Fibre is important as well as it helps reduce the risk of colon cancer.

Often as we get older we get in habits that are hard to break. Eating the same things for instance. Maybe not eating so much or conversely eating too much. Contributing factors may include lack of cooking skills, money problems, medical and dental problems and medication, which often interfers with nutrient absorption. All these factors can contribute to the fact that many older men and women eat less food than they need to meet their energy and nutrition needs.

Being alone or just the two of you means maybe you can't be bothered cooking proper meals or you cook a 'normal' meal that is too much for just one or two but eat it all anyway as you don't like to waste good food. Overeating then leads to being overweight which is made worse by not exercising. But because you are slowing up a little you may find exercise too much. Then too much food just increases your weight and makes matters worse. Exercise is just as important in old age as it always has been. More so when retired as you may spend more time sitting around and get stiff and creaky! Exercise helps to keep you young.

All this makes it even more important for the elderly to have a highly nutritious diet. This is even more important when illness strikes and you are admitted to hospital. Unfortunately nutrition doesn't seem to be part of the medical care. Nutrition should be part of any medical care and also be part of your health regime at home, and not just when illness happens.

It is never too soon to think about your future health prospects. Many old age problems such as insomnia, tiredness, worsening eyesight, fragile bones etc are the result of poor diet. Think about old age before you get old and get into good habits. What you eat now affects your health in old age.

There is plenty of evidence that good nutrition promotes health and vitality while poor nutrition does the opposite and can also prolong recovery from illness and lead to a poorer quality of life. GOOD NUTRITION IS AGELESS and the message to young and old must be that the quality of nutrition is the basis for a good quality of life.

There is also evidence that the dietary advice put out by many organisations doesn't take into account the specific needs of particular groups of people - in particular the elderly. For instance low fat, low cholesterol diets are promoted but while these may well benefit the younger and middle aged, the restrictions of these diets is not always good for the older person. The right fat is a necessary part of nutrition and the demonisation of cholesterol is now coming under scrutiny. The 'one diet fits all' approach may not suit either our health or nutritional needs as we get older.

What should the elderly do? First as a general rule eat more fruit and vegetables and reduce the intake of stimulants and junk or processed foods. Exercise more and follow The Nutrition Diet advice. More specific problems of old age may need individual attention and are discussed as we go along. These include digestive problems, aches and pains, colds and flu, infections, failing eyesight, etc. The common solution to these problems is often drugs such as pain killers, antibiotics, anti inflammatory tablets, anti acids and so on. Most of these have side effects and are not advisable for long term use. We have all read about the health scares with Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs. Many over the counter medicines interfer with nutrient metabolism. The effects are made worse in old age as the body systems are generally weaker.

Many of these problems can be avoided or overcome or helped by good nutrition and in some cases perhaps added nutrition with supplements. Overcoming nutrition problems in old age is often little different from any other time. Nutrition problems in old age often start with digestion (as it can at any age). Like everything else in old age the production of stomach acid and digestive juices slows down. Reduced production of gastric hydrochloric acid affects breakdown of complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins. As well as resulting in digestive illnesses, poor digestion also means poor absorption of much needed nutrients. the ability to digest, absorb and use nutrients changes with old age, just when it is even more important.

We can improve digestion. A lack of nutrients and eating the wrong kinds of food affect digestion causing indigestion, bloating, poor absorption, etc. Hydrochloric acid production declines in old age as does zinc. High protein meals with lots of meat make digestion more difficult. Betaine hydrochloride supplements can help overcome a lack of stomach acid. Diet can also help, by reducing the amount of meat you eat and putting less strain on the digestion. Foods such as prunes help constipation and eating more fibre is beneficial.

Poor diet also affects the production of digestive enzymes as production of these enzymes depends on many nutrients, especially vitamin B6. Poor diet again leads to undigested food which causes the wrong gut bacteria, leading to flatulence, stomach pain and bloating. Again this can be overcome by digestive enzyme supplements and as absorption improves digestion will improve and the supplements may not be needed.

The other thing we should all be doing is taking a probiotic supplement, or yoghurt in the form of plain bio yoghurt or the probiotic drinks - again natural. Some reports question the effectiveness of flavoured bio yoghurts and drinks and they are also very often high in sugar. These probiotics provide the friendly bacteria that are essential for gut health and should be encouraged. Antibiotics will destroy these friendly bacteria as well as the infection they are prescribed for, so if you have to take a course of antibiotics make sure you get a good probiotic supplement to replace those destroyed.

Probiotics also help digest food, breaking down both protein and fats. They also help nutrient absorption (important as we get older), especially calcium and other minerals. they also relieve constipation and help in healing various digestive disorders.

While on the subject of digestion, one thing you should not be taking for indigestion is anti acid tablets. The long term use of these actually harms the gut making matters worse. As we get older we are producing less stomach acid not more. Acid is in the stomach for a reason - to help digestion and also kills dangerous bacteria. Neutralising stomach acid with anti acid tablets weakens the body's ability to protect the stomach and digestion.

Indigestion or 'heartburn' is not due to too much acid but by eating the wrong foods, eating too much and eating too quickly - actually made worse by too little stomach acid not too much. This means poor digestion is leaving food in the stomach for long enough for it to begin fermenting. Gas from the fermentation causes bloating and discomfort and some stomach contents back up and causes a 'burning' sensation in the oesophagus.

Anti acids interfer with the absorption of nutrients as well, especially calcium and other minerals. This can aggravate osteoporosis. They can also cause constipation - again because they are interfering with the digestive process. So if you suffer from indigestion or heartburn avoid foods that cause indigestion - hot spicy foods, fatty greasy foods, acidic foods, coffee and alcohol. Eat less, eat more slowly and increase fibre and water consumption.

Low stomach acid actually increases with old age and this in itself interfers with nutrient assimilation and absorption. Particular calcium and other minerals. Taking anti acid tablets will only make matter worse. If you get indigestion regularly make sure you get a proper diagnosis before you rush out and buy anti acids.

The other big complaint in old age is aches and pains. We all get creaky, stiff joints and back ache, etc. Aching joints and muscles, osteoporosis, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and of course wear and tear, etc. Very often the symptoms are similar whatever the name put to the problem and most of the time you get the same treatment even if the problems are different. The doctor doesn't really appear able to 'cure' it and often just puts it down to old age and writes a prescription for painkillers, anti inflammatory tablets, etc - often both.

Taking the medicine and thinking or accepting that nothing can be done is not the only answer. In fact long term use of pain killers and NSAID's are bad for you. The regular use of the painkillers and anti inflammatory drugs can cause their own medical problems and also interfer with nutrient metabolism making matters worse. It is easy to get a repeat prescription for ever more but not good for you. You can do something about it and though it might be a bit more difficult than getting a repeat prescription it is worth it. Nutrition and lifestyle changes can help reduce pain and inflammation in many cases.

What can be done to relieve this problem that effects us all even the not so elderly? We are all different, have different diets and lifestyles and the causes of the aches and pains may be different even if the pain is the same. There is a common basis to start treatment. Changes in diet and lifestyle that are beneficial to our whole health.

The basis of good health is nutrition and long term permanent care of ourselves. Our bodies rely on nutrition to maintain and repair itself. The foods we eat should supply that nutrition.

- Eat a wide variety of foods

- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

- Avoid processed foods

- Choose a diet low in fat, especially saturated fats

- Choose a diet low in sugar

- Avoid or reduce stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine

- Avoid fizzy drinks, colas, etc

- Drink plenty of water

- Take more exercise

- Relax more - try something like yoga, tai chi, etc.

Supplements can help as an added boost to nutrition. However good our diet modern life, farming methods, cooking etc all deplete nutrients so a good quality multi vitamin tablet and an Omega 3 fish oil tablet will help provide support. There are multi vitamins especially formulated for the over 50's to provide more targeted help. There are also natural anti inflammatory and painkillers but don't expect them to give instant relief like a painkiller drug. Fish oil as already mentioned, ginger and turmeric are natural painkillers and also anti inflammatory. Bromelain in pineapple also helps. Olive oil is anti inflammatory as well and anti oxidants found in fruit and vegetables help.

There are plenty of other aids for aches and pains, arthritis, etc. Calcium, Vitamin D, MSM, Chondroitan, etc. They are sold singly or in combination and can help some people, but not all the people all the time. As I have said we are all different and though two people may have a similar pain in the joints or back the cause may be different and therefore what helps one does not necessarily help the other. You have to be prepared to experiment and find out what suits you best.

Whatever the causes no treatment will work without the diet and lifestyle changes mentioned. Bad diet and a sedentary lifestyle contributes to the problem in the first place and will continue to do so unless you change and no amount of pills will do any good without the changes.

A fuller report on aches and pains can be found on my website www.thenutritiondietclub.com under aches and pains.

As we get older we may find ourselves more prone to infections, and find it harder to recover from infection and illness. The immune system is designed to fight infections and a strong immune system can make a difference between a minor 24 hour cold bug and being laid up with flu for a week or more. Or a minor stomach bug becomes full blown food poisoning due to a weak immune system.

Boosting the immune system is straightforward - exercise and diet and the mind all play a part. Stress, depression, etc lower the immune system as well as outside physical infections. The physical infections usually come from the digestive tract and the lungs via the air we breath. Breathing through the nose actually helps prevent unwanted bugs entering the lungs, but more and more we see people of all ages breathing through their mouths. The digestive system has its own immune system and it is important to have a healthy gut flora which is part of that system.

Antibiotics which are supposed to kill infections are also bad for our immune systems. While attacking an infection they also attach the immune system by destroying the gut flora needed by our body. Therefore when antibiotics are necessary a course of acidophilus should be taken and continued after the course of anti biotic treatment so that the healthy gut flora is replaced.

As we all know Vitamin C is recommended for colds, etc and in fact Vitamin C is an important immune booster so there is truth in that. Other boosters include Vitamin A and Vitamin E and the B Vitamins. All available in a healthy nutritious diet - though added supplements (as part of a good multi vitamin or individually) may be beneficial as a preventative or to boost the immune system when fighting infections.

The other big infection fighter is the probiotics already mentioned. They help prevent harmful bacteria such as e-coli growing and make it hard for bugs to survive. Probiotics are also a boost for the immune system generally so also help fight other immune system diseases, viruses and infections. If you have a tummy bug take a course of probiotics instead of going to the chemist.

As in all the systems of the body the immune system is helped and kept healthy by diet. Again we are back to the same advice - plenty of fruit and vegetables, especially berries. Strawberries for instance have more Vitamin C than oranges. Also try and reduce alcohol intake as alcohol suppresses the immune system.

We should also try to avoid or minimise stress as stress lowers the immune systems. Difficult in our modern work orientated world but try and find time for relaxation, even yoga or tai chi classes and don't forget exercise which also boosts the immune system.

One thing to also include in the medicine chest is the herb echinacea, which will help fight infections, boosting your immune system when it is low.

Another sign of old age is failing eyesight. It comes on slowly at first and you only notice it when you maybe start holding the newspaper further and further away to read it. Eventually your arms aren't long enough. Healthy eyes are important at any age and diet and nutrition can help protect and maintain your vision. Prevention is important as some eye complaints, once they occur, are irreversible.

It is also more important than ever to get a regular eye test because very often eye problems do not show except when diagnosed during eye tests. Also other health problems can affect the eyes, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Eye strain from too much close work and of course computers add to the problem as does the sun and UV light.

A lot can be done with nutrition and one of the most important vitamins for the eye is Vitamin A, which is essential for eye health. Vitamin C is also important. Cataracts often develop as we get older and both these vitamins help.

The main cause of cataracts is damage by free radicals - from burnt food and oils (beware the BBQ and fried food), smoking and UV light. Diets high in dairy foods and sugar can also contribute to cataracts.

Floaters can also appear and are often another result of aging eyes. In themselves they are not damaging but the cause should be checked to ensure there is no other prohlems. they are normally caused by the aqueous fluid of the eye drying and the cellular debris makes a shadow over the retina. If you get a lot of floaters suddenly you should see an eye specialist to check for detached retina problems.

The other problem that may not be noticed until you have an eye test, is raised Intra Ocular Pressure. Again this will need looking at by an eye doctor as high ocular pressure can be a sign of glaucoma and if left unchecked blindness can be the end result. Regular eye tests are therefore important if you are over 60.

Glaucoma is also related to poor nutrition, high blood pressure and stress. All of which can be corrected by proper diet - before the onset of any problems, not after when it might be too late. Glaucoma can be helped by Vitamin C and Rutin and Magnesium can help lower intra ocular pressure.

Most of us will also be affected by macular degeneration as we get older, if we live long enough. Once again free radical damage, smoking and sunlight contribute as does arteriosclerosis (which again is preventable by proper diet). Vitamin A, carotenoids, and grape seed extract all help.

As you can see free radical damage is an important contributor to eye damage so a diet high in anti oxidants is necessary. This includes:

Plenty of fruit and vegetables especially broccoli, carrots, kale, berries prunes,

watermelon, oranges, avocados, dark green leafy vegetables tomatoes etc.

Bilberries are also beneficial as they protect the eyes from oxidative damage.

Oil fish is also a must as it is for many other reasons. It benefits the vascular system as

a whole including the blood vessels to the eyes.

Reduce or cut out foods that cause free radical damage, fried foods and trans fats. Cut sugar and sugary foods, salt and alcohol and reduce dairy products. This is also good advice in general anyway.

This all sounds depressing but all the more reason to look after your health before the event. A healthy nutrient rich diet, exercise and relaxation will help maintain health and prevent the onset of many problems. It is no good thinking you are healthy and don't need to worry because many problems of degenerative diseases don't appear until it is too late. Also doing something about it now takes some determination because often if you are reasonably healthy you won't notice any appreciable difference in your health. What you are doing by following a healthy diet and lifestyle is preventing disease in the future and that won't show today.

With a lot of the problems of modern farming, food processing, environmental problems etc you can't always guarantee that what appears healthy food has in fact got all the nutrients expected. A good multi vitamin for the over 50's is therefore beneficial. As well as the full range of vitamins and minerals they often contain added nutrients specific for old age - e.g. lutein for the eyes, bilberry, grapeseed extract, green tea extract, etc.

Also a good Omega 3 fish oil will be a help for general health as well as the heart and it is also anti inflammatory.

So while getting older has its problems they don't have to happen but to ensure a healthy old age you need to start doing something about it now. You might say why bother, I like my fry ups and smoking and drinking etc. Also these days people live longer whatever the state of their health due to modern medical care. But often people appear or act old before their time or suffer this and that problem and are on medication the rest of their lives and still suffering. Do you want to live in your old age with all sorts of problems or be problem free.

You may have noticed that all these problems of old age - whether heart, obesity, vision, or whatever all have the same solution - healthy nutritious diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, less saturated fat, salt and sugar, less processed and junk food, less alcohol and caffeine, and more exercise and relaxation. All recommended in The Nutrition Diet.

A nutritious diet is relevant at any age for maintenance now and protection later in life, so start now.

You don't have to be a saint - I'm not. the occasional drink, steak and chips or whatever, can still be enjoyed but as a treat not the norm, and then they are enjoyed even more anyway. The norm should be more fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, etc. which will allow your body to recover from the occasional over indulgence.

Also on the plus side is the fact that you are probably retired and you have more time to care for yourself, take the exercise you need, prepare healthy meals, join classes or clubs and make time for yourself. Old age can have its benefits as well.