As people age, their digestive function, detoxification ability, and blood vessel elasticity decrease, and they may even develop conditions such as arteriosclerosis. Therefore, older adults are particularly vulnerable to the harm caused by overeating and excessive drinking. Overeating and excessive drinking can disrupt the balance of older adults' diet, increase gastrointestinal burden, cause indigestion, and even trigger angina or myocardial infarction.
Due to the declining function of various tissues in older adults and the decreased metabolic function, special attention should be paid to their diet and additional nutritional supplements are needed. Firstly, the intake of carbohydrates should be controlled, and the consumption of rice and noodles should be slightly reduced. Secondly, foods that are detrimental to the heart and liver, such as fats, should be consumed in moderation. In general, older adults only need to consume 100 grams of lean pork and 20 grams of vegetable oil per day to meet their fat requirements. Thirdly, attention should be paid to the supplementation of protein and vitamins, and more legumes, dairy products, fish, eggs, and lean meat should be consumed. In addition, iron should be supplemented, and more vegetables and fruits with high vitamin and fiber content, such as Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, peaches, and apricots, should be consumed.
In the hot summer, cold drinks and cold food can help improve appetite and prevent heatstroke. However, older adults should not eat too much cold food. This is because the gastric and intestinal mucosa of older adults have undergone degenerative changes, and the secretion of various enzymes and gastric acid has decreased. If cold food is frequently consumed, the constriction of gastric mucosal blood vessels will intensify, further reducing the secretion of gastric juice, leading to decreased appetite and indigestion. In addition, in a low-temperature state, the coronary arteries of older adults may spasm, causing myocardial ischemia and hypoxia, and triggering arrhythmia and angina.
Older adults should also correct their selective eating habits caused by poor appetite. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that food has five tastes, and eating only one taste can be harmful to the body. Therefore, the diet should be diversified and reasonably combined to achieve a harmonious balance of flavors, which can meet the body's needs for various nutrients and promote overall health. The taste buds on the tongue of older adults may undergo partial atrophy and degeneration, and the taste nerves become dull. Therefore, many older adults prefer to eat strongly flavored foods to stimulate their appetite, which is actually detrimental to older adults with chronic diseases.
