The most essential thing for a man to live on is the physical well being It comes even before the mental upliftment of the individual. In order for our vital organs to perform at their best, proper nutrition is of utmost importance. It is thus essential to know what should be there in our daily diet to ensure the proper functioning of our body.
Carbohydrates
These are required to give us energy. The working of all the organs like the heart, the lungs and the kidney requires energy. The brain, the eye and all such vital organs cannot perform properly without sustained supply of energy. The mitochondria inside the body cells are the ones that break down the carbohydrates into its constituents, thus releasing the energy that we use for our daily survival. Carbohydrates are commonly found in starch rich foods like rice and corn. Too much of it can be harmful and lead to deposition of fat and obesity. Wheat and grains are safer supplements for carbohydrates.
Proteins
These are essential for growth of all the body cells. Our body cells are very rich in protein and need to be supplemented for the same. Protein is common in animal food products like goat milk, pork, chicken and beef. But depending on culture and habits, they are consumed differently in different places. Some prefer chicken while others go for beef and pork. However, red meat is always a bit hard to consume and leads to higher toxicity in the body, although they give more strength.
Minerals and vitamins
They are collectively known as micronutrients. They are extremely essential to the body. Vitamin B-complex and C are important to develop and maintain the immunity of the body. Vitamin D is essential for the skin while vitamin K and E helps functioning of many organs like the heart. Vitamin A is essential for the eyes.
Among the minerals, potassium is important for our nervous system while calcium helps bone development. Iron boosts the body immunity while magnesium helps the heart and the kidney to perform properly.
These micronutrients are found in heavy amount in fresh fruits and vegetables. They are best had uncooked in raw state. Boiled veggies also are rich in minerals.
Water
It is another very essential component of our daily diet. One should have at least 2-3 liters of water daily. Sports persons may need more of it. Hot and humid climate will also require more water intake. It helps in keeping our blood fresh and flowing to give us the all important energy. It also helps the blood hemoglobin to function well and transport oxygen to all parts of the body. The red and white blood cells are also rejuvenated by proper intake of water. Water also helps maintaining the proper balance of salt in the body.
Fats and oils
While they are also essential to maintain the adipose and connective tissues, they should be consumed in a restricted way in our daily nutrition in order to avoid obesity and related problems.
Old Age Nutrition
Older people are more prone to diseases caused by poor nutrition. This is due to the fact that in younger people, the immunity of the body to fight diseases and disorders are is much higher. In case of the aged ones, they considerably lose the strength to fight. Thus, the dietary supplement that they have to intake becomes much more critical than the normal individuals. Let’s take a look at the health risks that an old person is susceptible to face, and the diet that may become a remedy.
Heart attack and Stroke Risks
With age, the level of cholesterol in the blood stream increases, most of which is the bad LDL cholesterol. This happens due to lesser metabolic rate of the body. The higher level of cholesterol, associated with increased blood pressure, enhances the chances of blockage inside the blood vessels. This may result in chances of heart attacks and strokes. Heavily fried foods that are rich in oil and fat must be avoided in such ageing years. These are not only difficult to digest but also the oil present in the blood stream causes increase in the cholesterol level.
High Blood Pressure
This is another common problem with the older persons. It is quite natural that with age, the blood vessels of the body get constricted at various points due to deposition of internal fat. This is accelerated by the cholesterol level that also goes higher up. Thus it becomes a natural difficulty for the blood stream to pass through easily. Hence the blood pressure is set to rise. Obvious symptoms are short temper, feeling claustrophobic, getting tired easily and breathlessness. This also enhances the risk of heart attacks and cerebral strokes. Besides avoiding oils and fats, the old citizens must keep a control on the consumption of red meat also. Depending more on fish protein would be better, while having only the egg white helps profoundly.
Risk of Diabetes
Since the body metabolism goes down with age, the absorption of sugar from blood also decreases. As a result, the blood sugar level is set to rise. Along with that, the level of insulin also comes down in the blood owing to degeneration of the secreting cells with age. So, there is a tendency to suffer from diabetes by the senior citizens unless proper care is taken for the food. Anything that is rich is carbohydrate must be curtailed. For example, intake of rice and potatoes should come down. Even sweets, cakes and pastries must be consumed lesser. Fruits and vegetables that are rich in sugar content are best avoided. Vegetables that grow under the soil are generally sugar-rich and thus, must be taken in a controlled manner.
Constipation and Urination Problems
With age, the various muscles and tissues start degenerating and malfunctioning. Since the nerves controlling them are also affected, the adverse effects are enhanced even more. Among the organs affected very easily are the lower digestive tract and the urinary bladder. These cause constipation and a lack of control in urination. These are best avoided by increasing the intake of micronutrients, i.e., the vitamins and minerals in the daily nutrition chart. Abundance of fruits and vegetables in daily diet helps. To avoid constipation, a huge amount of drinking water is beneficial.