Healthy Eating And Proper Nutritional Dietary Supplements For Seniors

healthy-seniors living longer with supplementsGetting older, heard that it happens to all of us, is not apparently what it used to be. Senior are staying a lot more active and healthier than ever when they begin to enter their golden years.

People are also continuously deciding to work until later in life, thus retiring a lot later, so that 65 years old is now suddenly the new 50. For the latest generation who has just decided to retire, and because they’re a lot more health conscious as well as active, they are now living a lot longer.

In order for us to be able to keep going stronger and longer as we age, top notch nutrition becomes vitally important. This includes taking specific targeted supplements to ensure that all the nutritional requirement bases are covered.

One of the best methods of choosing the appropriate supplements is by consulting your nutritional health care practitioner. Listed are some of the recommendations on supplements that’s recommended, which can be beneficial for seniors who are wanting to “keep it going.”

Vitamin D Is Vitally Important
Adequate blood levels containing the required amounts of vitamin D has been associated with lower risks of developing a variety of health problems such as certain diseases. Pure vitamin D is found in just a few foods, such as fish liver oil and fortified dairy products. The main source of the body receiving vitamin D is exposure to the sun. But unfortunately, the corner of the planet that you live in may not get the proper adequate amounts of valuable rays to produce enough vitamin D during the year.

Also, there is a fear of sun related skin diseases which may lead most to cover up their bodies with too much clothing or apply globs of sunscreen during the hot sunny summer months. Also as grow older, there’s also the decreased absorption of sunlight which contributes to the activation of the required vitamin D in the body, which further alleviates to the problem.

So because of this, the shortage of this vital vitamin is associated with the blood levels of vitamin D being reduced. So to resolve this shortage, it’s recommended that adults take at least the daily recommended supplement dosage of around 1,000 IU.

For some seniors, even higher doses may be required. It’s best to consult with your health care professional to test the levels of vitamin D that’s currently in your system to determine the appropriate dosage.

Antioxidants For Better Eye Care
Macular degeneration or (AMD) which is primarily age related happens to be one of the more common causes of vision loss. This condition will usually cause progressive destruction in parts of the eye but is also painless, so it may sneak up on you. It can result in impairing our ability to read fine print, effectively drive a car or seeing things clearly.

Depending on the type or level of AMD, early symptoms can include straight lines which may appear a little crooked, or blurriness in vision. Any changes of this type when it comes to vision should be assessed by a health care professional.

So a diet which is rich in green vegetables has been closely associated with reducing the risk of developing AMD. For those who are in the earlier stages of this disease, research has proven that a combination of zinc as well as antioxidants can also help to prevent the advancement of AMD symptoms.

If you happen to have advanced AMD in just one eye, or if your family has a history of AMD, the following combination of supplements is recommended. 500mg vitamin C, 15 mg beta carotene, 400IU vitamin E, 2mg copper and 80 mg of zinc. This formula should be taken on a daily basis for the best results.

Fresh Water Fish Oil
Daily intake of fresh fish oil is recommended as tests have proven that it will reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular diseases such as a stroke or heart attacks. Heart disease happens to be one of the leading causes of illness in adults living in North America, so taking fish oil should be high on your list.

In addition to the fish oil directly lowering high triglyceride levels, it also has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Inflammation has been associated as one of the major contributing factors to a majority of diseases. So it’s recommended that you consume fresh water fish such salmon and herring, or take fish oil in supplement form.

If you’re not comfortable with eating a lot of fish, or are concerned about the fish containing heavy metals such as mercury or other contaminants, taking natural fish oil supplements is an excellent alternative.

Since the majority of fish oil supplements are now required to be rigorously tested for a variety of contaminants, including pesticides and mercury, seniors can be rest assured that the supplements they are taking are pure.

Taking Multivitamins For Better Health
For the majority of times, it’s often difficult to get all of the proper nutrients from our regular diets. So if this is the case, taking daily multivitamin supplements can effectively meet the basic nutritional requirements. For most seniors, it best to choose iron-free based multivitamins which also includes high doses of all the B vitamins, antioxidants, vitamin D and calcium.

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Exercising Is Always The Best
Seniors should be following a nutritious diet as well as taking supplements when required. This is an excellent way towards staying as healthy as possible as we age.

Exercise however is the key common denominator to ensuring a longer active life. Regular exercising will reduce the risk of certain diseases which are associated with old age including diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

A strong lean active body which routinely exercises can reduce the chances of age related injuries such as losing ones balance, which is a common occurrence with seniors.

Exercising not only helps keep the body in shape and the weight down, but it also helps to keep the mind sharp as well. Current research has recommended that regular consistent physical activity, such as taking daily rigorous walks, is able to support for better mental functioning while preventing or slowing down the mental deterioration which can eventually lead to dementia.

So Just Get Fit

To stay as healthy and fit as possible, seniors are recommended to engage in the following four primary groups of exercising:

Endurance
Endurance exercises include activities such as swimming, walking or riding a bike on a daily basis. Endurance exercise builds staying power while improving the health of the circulatory system

Strength Building
Strength building exercise include using certain machines, lifting free weights, or doing simple household based activities such as lifting soup cans as weights. Building muscle tissue and keeping them toned effectively reduces muscle loss

Stretching
Stretching exercises are recommended for all of your major muscle groups which includes the calves, thighs, stomach and chest, the shoulders, the back, and the arms. Stretching helps keeping the body limber as well as flexible.

Balance
Balance based exercises, which can usually be done in tandem with basic strength training exercises, helps to keep you steady and sturdy on your feet.

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