Healthy eating for older adults Archive

For people managing a chronic illness or recovery, medically tailored meals—home-delivered and dietitian-planned—can help. Research shows they improve health outcomes, reduce hospitalizations, and save billions in health care costs. Programs range from full meal delivery to grocery boxes and produce vouchers.

A prediabetes diet is an eating plan that may help prevent prediabetes from turning into full-blown diabetes. Many different foods can fit into this style of eating, including fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. While no foods are off-limits, prediabetes diets generally are low in sugary foods, refined carbohydrates, fast foods, fried foods, and alcohol.

Intravenous (IV) vitamin therapy delivers vitamins, minerals, and fluids directly into the bloodstream. It is marketed as a quick fix for fatigue, immune health, and hangovers. But scientific evidence does not back up those claims, and IV therapy also poses risks.

A 2026 research review and analysis suggested that consuming more soy products and other legumes was associated with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

Falls among older adults are on the rise, but most are preventable. To do this, interventions must target the multiple factors that contribute to falls, taking steps to minimize them or prevent them entirely.

Many strategies can help people avoid falls in public places. For example, people can wear shoes with nonslip treads in stores and office buildings, use a rollator for stability in crowded areas such as airports or shopping malls, hold handrails on public staircases (or avoid them), avoid parking too close to vehicles in parking lots, or use the handicap stall in public bathrooms. Another important strategy is regularly strengthening leg and core muscles and practicing balance exercises (such as standing on one leg).

People’s energy levels typically decrease later in life as a result of aging, illness, or other factors. Fortunately, a healthier lifestyle can boost energy. That involves eating a diet low in added sugars and processed foods, getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night, managing stress, getting lots of aerobic exercise, and strengthening the muscles. Using physical energy frugally is another useful strategy. For example, it helps to perform activities at a slow, steady pace instead of a fast pace; to break activities into small tasks instead of one large job; and to rest between tasks.

AI-generated nutrition misinformation, also known as AI slop, is all too easy to find online. While some AI posts can offer helpful dietary guidance, watch for sensational claims, unverified credentials, and cherry-picked research. If health advice sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Most Americans fall short on their intake of potassium, a vital but overlooked nutrient. People can boost the level of potassium in their body by eating more plant foods, especially beans, potatoes, leafy greens, and fruit, and by cutting back on ultra-processed foods.

The holiday season is probably the hardest time of year to resist rich, indulgent foods, but too many salty, fatty, sugary choices can harm your health. Instead, try adding natural flavor to holiday foods with herbs and spices, many of which contain substances that have a beneficial effect on health.