“Aging is just another word for living.”

                                                 ………..Cindy Joseph

Like every single creation in this Universe, humans are also the part of the never-ending cycle of creation, preservation and destruction and aging is an integral part of this grand rule. Therefore same as every stages of life, during old age, human body needs some specific care to function properly. Various significant physiological, anatomical and psychological changes take place during aging. In this article we will provide a general idea on Nutrition and Physical Activities can be followed by elderly people.

• The most common problem occurs during aging is impaired taste sensitivity which sabotage the desire for eating meals. A healthy elderly individual needs 25-35 Kcal per Ideal Body Weight to function properly. It is, therefore, advisable to include variety of foods and colour combinations to make the meal more appealing. Also to avoid the feeling of fullness or heaviness and other digestive issues, small but frequent meals should be given and the foods must be soft, well cooked, mashed or finely cut so that it is easy to chew and swallow.
• For carbohydrate and energy source, choose whole grain foods like oats, barley, millets, whole wheat, quinoa etc. The fiber content in these grains will help to reduce the tendency of constipation. Also it is recommended to consume variety of vegetables especially dark green, red and orange vegetable, beans and peas. Include at least a single serving of any seasonal fruits like, Mango, watermelon, banana, grapefruits, orange, grapes, guava etc. These fruits will satiate the sweet cravings and will also provide necessary vitamins and additional fibers. Sufficient amount of fluids preferably 8-10 glasses in form water, buttermilk, coconut water, green tea also should be consumed on daily basis.
• During old age, the minimum requirement of protein is 0.8/kg to 1.0/kg of body weight to keep the healthy muscles. Therefore regular consumption of lean proteins like fish, chicken, low fat milk or dairy products is very much important. Those who are vegetarian and/or lactose intolerant can substitute the milk, animal protein with plant based proteins like soy proteins, pulses, beans, legumes etc.
• Elderly women should give more importance on their bone health due to the hormonal changes during menopause. Eating calcium and vitamin D rich foods like milk, dairy products, eggs can be very beneficial. Sunlight is also an excellent source of Vitamin D. So, daily exposure in sunlight for half an hour can be beneficial. Also, to avoid being anemic include iron rich foods like spinach, broccoli, nuts, seeds etc.
• Last but not the least, practicing regular physical activities like walking, light cardiovascular exercises/free hand, yoga, breathing exercises are highly recommended to help the body in digestion and boosting the mental health by producing serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine etc which are beneficial for fighting the old age depression and other mental diseases.

It is pertinent to mention here that certain physical or mental ailments which are caused by aging or by some other reasons or factors require special restrictions in food consumption and exercises. So, customized diet and exercises under expert supervisions are highly recommended in those special cases.

In conclusion, it is being clarified that every person, by physically, psychologically, socially, spiritually is unique and the requirements of that person depend on his or her uniqueness during the every stages of life. Only the healthy and happy elders can guide the youth towards a healthy and happy life with their valuable life wisdoms.