Healthy eating for older adults Archive

Yoga promotes physical health in multiple different ways. Some of them derive from better stress management. Others come more directly from the physical movements and postures in yoga, which help promote flexibility and reduce joint pain.

Following are some of the physical benefits of yoga that have a growing body of research behind them. In addition to the conditions listed below, preliminary research also shows that yoga may help with migraines, osteoporosis, balance and mobility issues, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, fibromyalgia, and ADHD.

Nonprofit groups offer services that can help you age in place.

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The holidays are a time of giving, but they're also a time to put yourself on the receiving list and assess whether you should be taking advantage of free health-related services offered by nonprofit organizations. Services are widely available, often regardless of income. But you might not know they exist. "Most older adults aren't introduced to support services until they're hospitalized or they work with a case manager or social worker," explains Barbara Moscowitz, a geriatric social worker at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "You don't have to wait for such an event."

What's available

On the local level, you can often find free or low-cost dental clinics, emotional support groups, meal or grocery delivery services, transportation, in-home health evaluations, exercise classes, health education classes, home evaluations for fall prevention, companion programs, caregiver respite services, or programs to help you navigate difficult chronic health conditions and their treatment.

News briefs

Americans are starting to eat a healthier diet, but we still have a long way to go, suggests a study (which included Harvard research) published Sept. 24, 2019, in JAMA. Researchers looked at health survey responses gathered from 1999 to 2016 from almost 44,000 American men and women. The good news: during the study, participants improved on the 100-point Healthy Eating Index, thanks to higher intakes of high-quality carbohydrates (such as whole grains), plant protein (such as whole grains and nuts), and unsaturated fats; and lower intakes of added sugars. The not-so-good news: 42% of the American diet is still coming from low-quality carbs, and about 12% is coming from saturated fat. Like turning a massive battleship, it takes time to change eating patterns. These findings confirm that a winning strategy includes swapping low-quality carbs for higher-quality ones, replacing some saturated fats (like those in red meat) with unsaturated fats (like those in nuts and fish), and reducing calories from carbs over all (fewer snacks and drinks with added sugars and refined grains). An outstanding and popular book to guide healthy eating is Eat, Drink and Be Healthy, by Walter Willett and P.J. Skerrett, from Harvard Health Publishing.

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The diet takes vegetarianism to the extreme and poses a risk for nutrient deficiency. But it does offer health benefits.

If tofu turkey and meatless meatloaf are on your holiday menu this year, you may have made the switch to a vegetarian diet, eliminating at least some animal protein. But how much animal protein can you safely cut out of your diet?

Vegetarian diet benefits

Among the many types of vegetarian diets, three are particularly common: a pescatarian diet allows seafood; a lacto-ovo diet allows dairy products and eggs; finally, a vegan diet allows no seafood, dairy, or other animal products.

Ask the doctor

Q. I've been taking vitamin D supplements for several years because my doctor said they might help me live longer. Am I wasting my money, or even causing myself harm?

A. You're right to be skeptical. Vitamin supplements of all types repeatedly have been tested for theoretical health benefits, and often the studies have shown none. There's no doubt that vitamin D supplements can help prevent or treat osteoporosis. Theoretically, they might reduce the risk of various diseases. What about the question you asked: whether vitamin D supplements help you live longer?

A wide range of gadgets and equipment can help you avoid injury and maintain independence.

You used to hop into the tub or shower for a quick wash and rinse off, and then be on your way. These days, maybe knee arthritis makes it hard to lift your legs to get into a tub; shoulder pain makes it hard to reach up and wash your hair; or imbalance puts you at high risk for a fall, especially in a slippery setting. Take heart: lots of tools can make bathing safer and easier.

Instant upgrades

A few tools from a drugstore or big-box store can help you make immediate improvements to your bathing routine.

Simple steps can help you avoid complications that come from breathing cold, dry air.

A blast of cold air in the face as you step outside is a brisk reminder that the harshness of winter has arrived. And a deep breath of icy air can be risky for people with respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD — which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema). The cold temperatures can trigger symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.

Even in healthy people, cold, dry air can irritate the airways and lungs. It causes the upper airways to narrow, which makes it a little harder to breathe.

Here's a host of ideas that support healthy eating and exercise habits.

This holiday season, how about giving the gift of good health? From kitchen tools to a session with a personal trainer, there are many thoughtful presents that can have a lasting impact on a person's cardiovascular health. Here are suggestions from several Harvard experts.

Kitchen tools and gadgets

"Many of my patients want to eat healthier, and one good strategy is to prepare more meals at home. Because this takes time, kitchen tools and gadgets really can be helpful," says registered dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. One great time-saving tool is an Instant Pot, which works as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, rice cooker, and steamer, she says.

In Southern states, people often eat black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's Day, a tradition believed to bring wealth and good fortune in the coming year. The classic recipe for this dish, called Hoppin' John, often includes some form of pork. But the Half-cup Habit website has a vegetarian version; see https://pulses.org/nap/recipe/hoppin-john.

It may be just luck, but black-eyed peas seem to be less likely than black beans or pinto beans to cause intestinal gas, according to a small study. All legumes contain fiber and substances known as oligosaccharides that can't be broken down by human digestive enzymes. But the billions of bacteria living in the gut can digest oligosaccharides, often creating gas in the process.

These three exercises can help make functional fitness part of your regular routine.

As part of everyday living, you spend a lot of time bending, reaching, lifting, twisting, turning, and squatting, without even thinking about it. These movements show up in everything from carrying groceries, to playing with your grandkids, to just checking if the coast is clear when you back out of the driveway.

The ability to do these ordinary activities and movements is called functional fitness, and it can determine how active, healthy, and independent you are as you get older.