RetirementHomes.com - Cooking for Health

Healthy Eating for Older People Doesn't Have to Be Impossible

aadmin — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 19:16:08 +0000

The famous line attributed to 19^th century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli says it best: there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. And sometimes statistics can beguile and mask a reality that is very different.

Case in point: life expectancies. In the United States, it has reached a record 79 years, on average. And in Canada, even higher: 82 years for the average Canadian. On the face of it, North Americans are living longer – and presumably healthier – than they ever have before. And if people are living longer, then they must be eating right, and exercising enough. Right?

Not necessarily.

According to Felice Kosakavich, Chief Clinical Dietitian at Workmen's Circle MultiCare Center, a healthcare facility in New York City, older people in North America may be living longer, but they’re not necessarily as healthy as we might think.

Kosakavich told RetirementHomes.com that the biggest mistake made by older Americans and Canadians is a combination of eating too much unhealthy food, and too little healthy food. But it’s not as easy as simply buying more lettuce at the grocery store; it can be harder to eat healthy than it may seem.

“Sometimes convenience and finances take over leaving older people unable to have easy access to fresher foods because of cost and possible shopping constraints,” Kosakavich said. “Processed high sodium/fat foods often have a more shelf stable life.”

In other words, an older person who may be on a fixed income, or perhaps suffers from limited mobility, may find it difficult to regularly purchase healthy produce at the grocery store, and may instead opt to buy unhealthier, cheaper foods less often, because they can be stored for longer periods of time without going rotten.

So when faced with a tough challenge – economic factors, mobility issues, and more – how can older people, many of whom were not raised in an atmosphere of healthy eating, learn how to take care of themselves in their advanced years?

As for seniors living in retirement communities, the level of nutrition can sometimes vary with the type of care they are receiving. For example, someone suffering from cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s Disease may be at a disadvantage because they cannot remember which types of foods they enjoyed in the past, or, as their disease advances, they may lose the ability to swallow altogether, further limiting their ability to eat healthy food options.

Still, for the majority of older people who, while experiencing some level of physical & cognitive slowdown which is common with advanced age, healthy eating doesn’t need to be impossible or difficult.

Kosakavich recommends a varied diet which includes a combination of fiber, iron and calcium-rich foods. Fiber rich foods to help constipation, iron rich foods (such as lean meat, eggs, and vegetables) to maintain energy levels, calcium-rich foods are important to stem osteoporosis, and salt should be limited, as it increases the risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in both the United States and Canada.

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Health and Wellness

How to encourage obese seniors to lose weight

aadmin — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 18:52:34 +0000

Sometimes the elderly can be set in their ways, and getting them to workout and eat healthy may seem like a hassle. As much of a hassle as it may seem, nothing is too much trouble when it comes to prolonging the life of a loved one. Here's some tips on how to encourage someone advanced in years to lose weight.

Be Encouraging

If you have an obese elderly person in your life don't nag, or make them feel ashamed of their weight. You can encourage them to lose weight by metaphorically being a cheerleader, and not a coach.

Ask them what they think is the best way to get back in shape. Don't push what you think is right onto them.

If the elderly person doesn't have a plan you could encourage them to buy healthy food, go walking, and not to eat out as much. Don't tell them that's what they have to do in order to lose weight, encourage them to do those things.

Be Active In Their Life

You could go with them to the grocery store, or even cook a healthy meal once a week for your loved one. Be on their team, and not just a bystander.

Some elderly people may not be active online, but you can print out healthy food recipes. Make sure its something you know they would like to eat. You could also research online if there's walking groups, or exercise classes for the elderly in the area. If there isn't, you could walk with them once a week.

Healthy Incentives

Another way to encourage an obese elderly family member to lose weight is by treating them when a milestone is met. A milestone could be anything from them not eating fast food for a month, to them losing five pounds.

Taking them out to eat is a bad way to celebrate. Instead do something that doesn't involve food. You could treat them to a movie, a manicure, take them to a sports game, or even buy them flowers.

Be Supportive

It's also important to know that if you're trying to help an obese elderly person lose weight, don't make all the conversations about diet and exercise. When you talk to them make sure to ask how they are doing, and what's going on in their life.

If every conversation is about losing weight, that person may start to feel pressure and back away from you. Be supportive of their life, not just their healthy lifestyle.

Be Positive

If they need to vent, listen and don't judge. If they stumble along the way, pick them back up. Never use judgmental language, or criticize them for messing up.

If the elderly person has a misstep with their diet, use encouraging language. Ask them if there's something you could do to help them get back on track. Remind them of what they have accomplished in order to help them get past the set back.

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Recipe: Homemade eggnog

aadmin — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 07:59:06 +0000

Homemade eggnog

6 fresh eggs
1 cup granulated sugar, divided use
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly grated nutmeg for sprinkling

In large bowl, beat whites until fluffy; add 1/2 cup sugar. In an
another larger bowl beat yolks until creamy; add 1/2 cup sugar. Fold
egg whites into beaten yolks. Carefully stir in the cream, milk and
nutmeg. Pour into a large punch bowl. To serve, ladle into cups and
sprinkle top with nutmeg, as desired.

Makes 6 servings.

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Cooking for Health

Health and Wellness

How to stay healthy during the holidays

aadmin — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:04:59 +0000

November and December may be the holiday season, and a time when millions of people in the United States and Canada spend time with family and friends. And it’s not just friends that we’re spending time with: we are also spending time eating food, and lots of it. The Calorie Control Council recently crunched the numbers on the American Thanksgiving holiday, and discovered that the average festive meal came in at over 4,500 calories, and 229 grams of fat.

As a result, by the time the new year arrives, millions of Americans and Canadians have eaten too much and exercised too little.
So during this period of excess, how can administrators and operators of senior living communities keep their residents healthy? Here are three tips:

1. Exercise: Multiple studies have shown a link between physical health and mental health. When people – young and old – exercise their bodies, they tend to make themselves happier and more emotionally well-adjusted. Therefore, exercise is a great way to hit two birds with one stone; that is, exercise can reduce your residents’ risk of injury from falls, as well as depression.

2. Nutrition: Getting enough physical exercise can only have a limited impact if residents are eating poorly, whether it be too much, too little, or simply the wrong composition of foods needed for a working body. Does your community have a registered dietitian on staff (or at corporate headquarters) who dictates or oversees the menu offerings for residents? If not, ensure that someone with relevant qualifications and training is able to ensure your residents are eating well. Healthy residents are happy residents, and happy residents do not want to leave, and will tell their friends and contacts how much they enjoy living at your community.

3. Activities: The third ingredient in a happy person – and senior living community resident – is an active social life that provides a sense of community, purpose and belonging. And although nearly every senior living community offers some level of activities and programming, it is not always easy to encourage residents, especially those who are quiet and less sociable, to become involved in community life.

But keeping residents happy, healthy and engaged is not an impossible task for communities to achieve. It takes foresight, planning and strategy to ensure that residents are getting enough physical exercise, heating nutritious food – and enough of it – and keeping social with activities and programs.

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Make your own spaghetti sauce

aadmin — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 04:58:52 +0000

f you want to save a little money on pre-packaged spaghetti/pasta sauces, here is a good one to try. An extra benefit is that it won't have the preservatives or chemicals that a jarred spaghetti sauce would have. This is a recipe I created/modified from a lasagna recipe, which I also recommend.

This is meatless, but you can cook 1/2 lb to 1 lb of ground beef or ground turkey for a meat version, then add the following:

1 12-ounce can tomato paste
1-2 cloves garlic chopped (or 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder to save time)
2 cups water
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sugar* (optional)

Mix all together, heat. Just like you would do with something jarred like Ragu or Prego, brown ground beef, drain, and mix with this sauce.

If your family is used to the premade-jarred sauces, they usually have sugar in them. That's why we must love them so much, eh? So you can put in a bit of sugar if you want, increase it or decrease it, based on what your family likes.

The consistency of this can be adjusted by the amount of water. If you find the sauce a little too thick for your liking, add water, or you can put a lid on the pot for 10-15 minutes. The condensation will make the sauce a little thinner. If you find the sauce too thin, then turn up the heat and leave top off to let the moisture evaporate from the sauce.

This costs about .80 cents or so to make. A jar of spaghetti sauce in the store will cost $1.50 on sale to over $3. It really is a no-brainer and takes very little time to make.

If you have them on hand, you can add chopped up green peppers or even carrots diced up very small. Just make sure you cook those al

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What are the most dangerous foods for seniors?

aadmin — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 04:58:51 +0000

Healthy eating is at the core of a well-balanced lifestyle, and the importance of eating well doesn’t become less important with advanced age; rather, it can become more central to one’s health.

And while healthy eating is an admirable goal, it is not always easy, especially when budget and food preparation abilities are taken into account.

But eating nutritious food is only half the battle; the other half is avoiding unhealthy food, and knowing the difference can be tricky.
Cindy Cordon, dietary team leader at the Los Angeles Jewish Home’s Grancell Village campus, told RetirementHomes.com there are a few major guidelines seniors can abide by which will help keep unhealthy foods away.

“Avoid processed foods, as well as packaged items,” Cordon said. “These foods typically are high in sodium, which improves shelf life, but they’re usually full of salt, MSG, and nitrates.”

According to Cordon, some of the most common prepared foods found in cafeterias include ravioli and canned spaghetti, but these foods, which are pre-heated, have already lost many of their enzymes and fiber.

Steve Barlam, chief professional officer of LivHOME, a home care agency with branches across the United States, told RetirementHomes.com his experience has showed him there is one common food, popular among seniors, which can be problematic for this age group: bagels and smoked salmon.

According to Barlam, smoked salmon contains two major health risks, particularly for seniors: salt/sodium, and germs.

“Salt can deplete valuable calcium, key to preventing osteoporosis, and aggravate health issues common among seniors such as hypertension, heart disease, kidney disorders, dehydration and swelling,” Barlam said.

He said smoked salmon, as a raw food, is more likely to house germs, and while many adults won’t be harmed by small presence of germs, seniors, with a more precarious immune system, should avoid raw and smoked foods as a result.

Gailla Deiters, a certified colon therapist based in Hawaii, added that cheese and red meats should not be regular components of seniors’ diets.

“We all love cheese. Yet cheese is a slow processor in the colon and can cause constipation,” Deiters said. “This is also true of red meat such as beef, pork and lamb,” she said.

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Healthy eating tips for the 60-plus

aadmin — Tue, 28 May 2013 14:36:47 +0000

Pick up any guide to healthy living, and there are usually two major components, no matter the person’s age, sex, or race: eat healthy, and get plenty of physical exercise.

And while that advice is timeless, and right for most people, everyone needs to take care of their bodies differently, depending on factors such as age. For many people aged 60 and older, healthy eating can become more difficult, as a result of increased dietary restrictions among older people.

To help Baby Boomers and seniors eat balanced diets as part of an overall health plan, RetirementHomes.com spoke with Burbank, California-based Ruth Frechman, Registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

According to Frechman, the biggest challenge facing most people in their quest to eat healthy is not necessarily a biological reason, but simply the difficulty of breaking bad habits. But for seniors, breaking habits and eating well can be harder than their younger peers.

“Unfortunately, most people of all ages haven’t learned to eat healthy, and it’s difficult to change habits,” Frechman said. “But the older we get, the harder it gets to change habits at that point.”

While habits are never easy to change, Frechman recommended that seniors follow the health strategy outlined by the United States Department of Agriculture in their ‘My Plate’ guidelines , which suggest that half of a person’s plate should be filled with vegetables, about one-quarter should be made up of lean protein, and the remaining quarter should be filled with complex carbohydrates.

Although the ‘My Plate’ guideline is not geared for seniors specifically, Frechman said it is a good benchmark for most people.

Another major yardstick for seniors to eat healthy is to eat as efficiently as possible.

“This is very important for older people,” Frechman told RetirementHomes.com. “Get the most amount of nutrients for the least amount of calories.”

She explained that with advanced age typically comes a slower metabolism, and that can mean the human body takes longer to process and digest food. As a result, it can be easier for seniors to put on excess weight, and therefore it becomes more important for them to consume the protein they need, without the ingredients and calories they don’t need.

Because older people tend to experience slower metabolisms, Frechman said that putting on excess weight is a common problem among seniors, but that after the age of 80, appetites tend to decrease. The statistics back up her statements: In 2010, a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found one-third of Americans aged 65 and older were obese, and the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2010 found only slightly lower numbers in Canada.

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Health and Wellness

Recipe: Burgers for the BBQ

aadmin — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:02:11 +0000

This is a recipe I found and modified. I like my barbeque burger to be a little special, but I do NOT like them to taste like grilled meatloaf. I like it to be a BURGER.

Also, if I am going to grill, I feel like I might as well make a good quantity for the trouble. So I adjusted this to make 8 burgers & if there are extras, package them and freeze them for later delicious reheating.

This recipe got rave reviews.

2 lbs ground beef (I used 80% lean)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 TBSP dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning
1 TBSP ketchup
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry onion soup mix

Mix all well, make patties & grill/cook until internal temperature reaches 160 F.

If you don't have the Montreal Steak seasoning, you can replace that with 1/2 seasoning salt & a dash of black pepper, but I think the steak seasoning is worth it. If you are out of Italian bread crumbs, you can replace that with quick cooking oats.

If you try this recipe, let me know what you think of it and any modifications you make.

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Recipe: Blueberry and cherry muffins

aadmin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:55:16 +0000

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 egg
1/4 c cooking oil
3/4 c milk
1-1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c blueberries

Beat egg, oil and milk together lightly. Sift dry ingredients together/ blend lightly. Do not beat. Fold in blueberries. Bake for 25 minutes at 375. May be made in greased muffin pans or paper lined pans. Fill 2/3 c full. Makes 24 small muffins or 12 larges ones.

CHERRY MUFFIN VERSION

I decided to increase the sugar amount, because fresh cherries are generally more sour than blueberries. It worked great.

1 egg
1/4 c cooking oil
3/4 c milk
1-1/2 c flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped fresh cherries

I figured out a quick and easy way to mix this together:
I use a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup to measure out 3/4 cup milk, then added vegetable oil until the level of all the liquid hits 1 cup. Then I added the 1 egg and lightly mixed with fork.

Then I took a large mixing bowl and put all the dry ingredients in. I did not sift, the flour is pre-sifted. I did mix all the dry ingredients together very well, then poured in the liquid. Folded in the cherries, put into greased muffin pan

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Health and Wellness

Recipe: Crock Pot Beef and Mushrooms

aadmin — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:12:05 +0000

1-1/2 lbs cubed beef stew meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can sliced mushrooms
1 packet (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
dash of garlic powder
dash of onion powder
dash of black pepper

Mix all this up in the crock pot and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 (in my experience, the slow method comes out better in crock pot recipes)

Serve this over egg noodles or rice.

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Health and Wellness