Patricia Thompson - NUTRITION TALK PERSONS ARE encouraged to do financial planning for retirement but many of us will not enjoy the benefits of this because we do not simultaneously plan for good health.
Too soon our investments are depleted by medical bills for pills and procedures that could be avoided if only we invested some time and effort in developing healthy lifestyle habits. Especially important in this planning is healthy eating. Studies have shown that good nutrition slows down the rate of decline into old age. We know that peak growth and health is attained at about age 20 years after which a decline in physical and physiological functioning is expected. But Alberto Uribe points out that "there are premature senior citizens of 20 and enviable youths of 80" and this is due largely to good nutritional habits.
START YOUR HEALTH
PLANNING
Just as we cannot wait until middle age to start financial planning, we should start our health planning as soon as possible. There is a popular saying that "if you are not healthy at 30, you will never be healthy and if you are not rich at 40, you will never be rich". This would indicate that health planning should actually precede financial planning. However, it is never too late to start. Even persons who have suffered a heart attack can have nearly full recovery and lead a productive life if they embrace a healthy lifestyle including healthy eating and exercise.
PLANNING NUTRITIONAL HEALTH
One of the surest ways to avoid ill health and delay the onset of old age is to maintain a desirable weight and body fat composition. Most of our chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are related to obesity. Generally, as we get older our energy needs decline but largely because of reduced activity even though basal metabolic rate may also be lowered.
Excess calories even from as little as one extra slice of bread daily can result in a gain of seven pounds of fat annually. If you do not wish to eat less, then you should maintain or increase your activity level.
The disadvantage of eating less food is that this limits the range and amount of food needed to provide adequate intake of the essential nutrients. Many older persons suffer nutritional deficiencies such as calcium leading to osteoporosis and iron and folic acid leading to anaemia because they have limited their food choices in an effort to avoid excess calories and overweight. Randomly cutting back on food intake is not the answer to controlling weight gain but we should rather become familiar with the principles of healthy eating to make informed decisions about our nutritional intake.
While caloric needs may decline, nutritional needs remain about the same as for the average, young adult. Low levels of intake or mal-absorption of the B vitamins especially B12 and antioxidant vitamins and minerals lead to a decline in immune function. This lowered resistance increases the risk for infectious as well as many non-infectious diseases. Vitamins A, E and C have been found to prevent cancer, cataracts and heart disease. Medication, so often taken by older persons, can also compromise nutritional levels of the body and prolonged use of drugs should be accompanied by increased intake of the compromised nutrients.
Maintaining good health as we get older should be of high priority for us to reap the fruits of our labour. Health planning should start early and include emphasis on healthy eating.
Patricia Thompson M.Sc., Registered Nutritionist, Nutrition and Diet Services.
