Home / Advice / Getting sound dietary advice critical in advancing years

As people age, a balanced diet becomes all the more important. So, seeing a nutritionist on a regular basis can be as crucial as a regular medical check-up to maintain good health and well-being.

With age, nutrition becomes even more important for your health. This leads many to speak to a nutritionist for the first time with the aim of structuring a balanced diet that meets all their needs.

If you’ve never spoken to a doctor or nutritionist about your diet, however, it can be difficult to understand what to talk about and what questions to ask. A good nutritionist will have immediate answers to these five questions, and that will help you get started on the pathway to better food and health.

How many calories a day?  Everyone knows that they need to “watch their calories,” but what that means can be confusing, especially since calorie needs vary depending on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. An Olympic athlete needs many times more calories than a senior citizen, no matter how active they are. In fact, as you get older, you will need fewer calories than before, because your metabolism slows down and you lose muscle mass. But this can pose a challenge since you might be eating fewer calories, but you still need to get enough nutrients from your food.

The best sources of protein: Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle, bone and other body tissues. As senior citizens are susceptible to muscle and bone loss, protein is more important than ever. However, where a younger person might sit down to a big, thick steak to get that protein, a senior citizen might not be advised to do the same. The non-government, non-for-profit Nutrition Australia recommends0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight a day. Rather than rely exclusively on meat for this, nutritionists will generally recommend that seniors look to eggs, dairy products, soy products, nuts, seeds and legumes.

How to get enough calcium and vitamin D:  Calcium and vitamin D are important for keeping your bones strong and preventing osteoporosis (bone loss). Older adults need more calcium and vitamin D than younger people, because their bones become thinner and less dense over time. The recommended amount of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day for men and women over 50 years of age. For Vitamin D, meanwhile, it is 15 micrograms a day for adults up to 70 years old, and 20 micrograms a day for adults over 70.

The best sources of calcium are dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, as well as fortified soy or rice milk, tofu, canned fish with bones, leafy green vegetables and almonds. The best sources of vitamin D are fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and sardines, as well as egg yolks, liver and fortified foods such as milk, cereal and orange juice. A nutritionist can help you plan a diet that provides enough calcium and vitamin D for your bones and give advice on whether you need a supplement.

How to prevent or manage or constipation: It’s a common problem among older adults due to reduced physical activity, medication side effects, dehydration and low-fibre diets. Constipation can cause discomfort, bloating, gas, and other complications such as haemorrhoids and diverticulitis. To avoid this uncomfortable affliction, you should drink plenty of fluids, especially water, and eat foods that are high in fibre such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Regular exercise also will help.

How to make meals more enjoyable and appealing: Eating well is not only good for your health, but for your happiness and quality of life. Being too restrictive with food can take a lot of colour out of life. One of the most important roles of nutritionists is to find ways to make meals enjoyable, consistently, while still maintaining good food and nutrition practices.

Just be aware that a nutritionist, like your doctor, is a long-term engagement, and over time they might need to make recommendations to change your diet and food intake. For that reason, you should get in the habit of speaking to your nutritionist as frequently as you might see your GP and use that as an opportunity to raise concerns for what is and isn’t working in your diet.