Healthy eating for older adults Archive

Your core muscles are the sturdy link between your lower body and upper body. Every move you make starts in your core or transfers through it. So, a weak or tight core can translate into less power from your arms and legs.

It's well worth including core work in your exercise plan. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend the following well-rounded plan:

The practice of yoga incorporates many separate breathing techniques (above and beyond the coordinated breathing you do during yoga routines) that can help relax you and release tension. And many of these techniques can be done anytime, anywhere — not just during yoga class.

If you'd like to reap the benefits of these breathing techniques, start with the abdominal breathing technique described below. Once you've mastered abdominal breathing, you can then try others based on the unique benefits that each technique offers.

The Surgeon General has issued an advisory recommending that people carry and know how to use naloxone, and although it is an effective treatment for overdose, it does not address the larger issues around the opioid crisis.

Living with others offers a way to stay independent and avoid a cascade of mental, emotional and physical health problems.

 Image: © Petar Chernaev/Getty Images

Americans want to age in place. AARP research finds that nine out of 10 people ages 65 or older want to stay in their homes in their later years.

That goal isn't always achievable, because of challenges to independence such as a limited income or chronic health problems. "Sometimes it's frailty. Weakness, stiffness, and aching joints creep up on you, decrease function, and keep you from climbing stairs or taking care of yourself or your home," says Dr. Erin Stevens, a geriatrician and palliative care physician at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Trying new foods, cooking in batches, and inviting friends to dinner give mealtime some zing.

 Image: © OksanaKiian/Getty Images

You may be bored if you're eating the same foods all the time. Even worse, you may be missing out on important nutrients from foods that aren't part of your regular diet. And if that's the case, you're not alone. "I see it a lot with older adults. Their diet isn't great. They get into a rut and cook simple meals, or they rely on prepared food," says dietitian Teresa Fung, adjunct professor in the nutrition department at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Why the rut?

There are many reasons why people get into a menu rut or stop eating healthy, nutritious foods in older age. It may be that you're

You may need to stop taking blood thinners, certain painkillers, herbs, and supplements to reduce your risk for bleeding.

 Image: © Steve Debenport/Getty Images

No one wants to have surgery, even minor surgery, but sometimes minor procedures, such as a tooth extraction or a colonoscopy, are unavoidable. When that happens, you may hear that it's important to stop taking certain medications. Understanding exactly which drugs to suspend — and when — can be confusing. "I get a lot of questions about this," says Joanne Doyle Petrongolo, a pharmacist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Blood thinners

All surgery involves cutting body tissue, and that leads to bleeding. Blood thinners—medications like anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs—can boost the risk for bleeding by keeping the blood from clotting.

News briefs

 Image: © Rawpixel Ltd/Getty Images

Here's a simple way to try to control your weight: take more time to eat your meal. It's one of several strategies that appeared to help people in a study published online Feb. 12, 2018, by BMJ Open. Researchers analyzed about six years' worth of health insurance claims and doctor visit details for 60,000 Japanese men and women with type 2 diabetes. The doctor visits included questions about how quickly people ate their meals. People who ate slowly were 42% less likely to be obese than people who gulped down their food. The study was only observational and therefore can't prove that eating slowly caused weight loss, but other studies have reported similar findings. Also, it takes about 15 minutes after you start to eat for the "getting full" signals to reach your brain — and a person can eat a lot of calories in 15 minutes. So slow down and savor every bite. For more information, check out the Harvard Special Health Report 6-Week Plan for Healthy Eating (www.health.harvard.edu/swp).

News briefs

Hearing loss is a common and serious disability that can take you out of conversations and put you at risk for depression and isolation. Two recent studies from JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery suggest that hearing loss is also connected to several other conditions. One study of national health surveys, published online Jan. 25, 2018, found that hearing loss was associated with heart failure: 75% of people ages 70 or older with heart failure also had hearing loss. The other study, published online Dec. 7, 2017, evaluated 36 studies that included more than 20,000 people who'd had hearing and cognition tests. Scientists found that age-related hearing loss was significantly associated with a decline in all areas of thinking skills and with developing dementia. These studies were observational, so they don't prove that hearing loss causes thinking problems or heart failure. But they're a reminder of the importance of having hearing loss checked out. The problem can sometimes be resolved without hearing aids if it's being caused by earwax, an ear infection, or an abnormal bone growth.

Image: © CSA-Printstock/Getty Images

News briefs

Prepackaged, processed foods are typically high in fat, salt, and sugar. If that's not enough to make you put down a cookie or resist a frozen dinner, consider an observational study published online Feb. 14, 2018, by The BMJ. It analyzed dietary questionnaire answers of 105,000 middle-aged men and women in France for five years. Foods were grouped according to degree of processing — that is, the amount of change the ingredients go through as food makers improve flavor, coloring, and shelf life. For example, dehydrated soups, baked goods, sugary cereals, processed meats, biscuits, and sauces were considered ultra-processed foods. Less processed foods included canned vegetables, cheeses, and freshly made unpackaged bread. Every 10% increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 12% higher risk for cancer in general and an 11% increased risk for breast cancer. No significant link was found to prostate or colorectal cancer. The study doesn't prove that ultra-processed foods cause cancer, but researchers say the cumulative effects of food additives remain largely unknown.