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Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age
Diet & Nutrition

Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

A healthy diet is as important during your twilight years as it is when you’re young. But if you’re like most of the aging population, you can’t eat like you once could. Your appetite might be less robust and your metabolism has probably slowed down some, which means that you’re more likely to gain weight even if you’ve maintained the same diet for years. Additionally, good senior care must focus on a healthy diet to support certain aging-related conditions and risks, especially the health of the heart, lungs, joints and bones. Making a few small adjustments to your diet will help make the natural effects of aging less stressful on the body. Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age

What Happens to Our Bodies When We Age?

Of course, everyone is different, but most people will experience some age-related health concerns within their lives. As we get older, harmful molecules, including free radicals and glucose, attack the body’s cells and cause permanent damage to our organs, skin, bones and muscles. When we were young, our bodies could ward off such molecules or quickly repair the damage, but they become less capable as we age. Here are some of the ways this damages healthy body function.

  • Our Metabolism Slows Down—Learning to adjust to a slower metabolism is important; it can cause you to store more weight and burn fewer calories. Maintaining a healthy body weight is key to preventing type 2 diabetes and keeping the heart in good shape. A high body mass index (BMI) is also linked to hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease and even some cancers, so weight maintenance is definitely something to prioritize.
  • Our Appetites Diminish—When you were young, you probably couldn’t get enough to eat and maybe even had trouble with portion control. But many aging adults experience a diminishment in appetite, sometimes due to natural hereditary factors and sometimes due to external factors, like certain medications, depression and some medical conditions.
  • Diabetes Becomes a Serious Risk—Middle-aged and older adults are often at a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition that occurs when the body doesn’t use insulin properly. Of course, certain foods affect glucose levels in certain ways, and very high or very low levels can be dangerous. There are some things you can do to preventdeveloping type 2 diabetes with age.
  • Heart Disease Becomes a Serious Risk—You often hear that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., but interestingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that 80 percent of deaths from coronary artery disease—a type of heart disease that causes the narrowing of the arteries—can be prevented. Diet is an important factor in heart disease prevention.

What to Eat as You Age: Quick Tips

As you can tell, the aging body isn’t exactly like the body you’ve lived in for most of your life; it needs a little bit of special care. Developing a healthy diet is one way that you can diminish your risk of certain diseases—especially type 2 diabetes and heart disease—but it can also help you feel better by improving your overall well-being and boosting your energy levels. Still, keep in mind that diet isn’t everything. Physical activity, the right medications and a solid care continuum— your family members, in-home caregivers, nursing home staff or doctors—will help you physically thrive.

  • Ditch the Salt—The USDA recommends that senior citizens consume a low-sodium diet and flavor foods with herbs and spices instead of salt. Sadly, the dinner table staple can cause you to retain body weight, which causes your blood pressure to rise.
  • Drink Milk—Drinking three cups of fat-free or low-fat milk per day or getting the equivalent through yogurt, butter, cheese or lactose-free foods can help you rebuild your calcium supply. Calcium helps support healthy bones and teeth.
  • Eat Foods with Vitamin B12—Many seniors develop a deficiency in vitamin B12 because their bodies lose the ability to absorb it. But vitamin B12 is important; if you don’t have enough, you risk developing anemia, neuropathy and cognitive impairment. You’ll get vitamin B12 through fish, beef, milk, eggs and other foods.
  • Go “Heart-Healthy”—The American Heart Association (AHA) emphasizes the importance of a healthy diet for overall heart health. It recommends plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry and fish, legumes and non-tropical vegetable oils, such as olive oil and canola oil.
  • Plan Your Meals—When you pre-plan your meals, you’ll find that you’re less likely to skip out on eating healthy because you’re faced with fewer choices on a day-to-day basis. For advice, we recommend checking out the resources available from the National Institute on Aging, including meal-planning tips and sample menus for older adults.
  • Don’t Forget the Vitamin D—Much like vitamin B12, vitamin D is vital for health but harder for the aging body to absorb. You can get more vitamin D through sunlight, supplements and foods such as cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, cheese and egg yolks. A vitamin D deficiency is dangerous and can lead to osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, muscle weakness, heart disease and other dangerous health conditions.
  • Fiber is Your Friend—Another thing that happens when we age is that our cholesterol levels rise. This can be addressed by eating high-fiber foods such as beans, almonds, oats, lentils, artichokes and fruits and veggies. Fiber also plays a role in controlling your blood glucose levels, which can help to prevent your risk of diabetes.

Taking care of your body during its most vulnerable time is a multi-step process. It requires close attention and self-care in every facet—from your mental health to the foods you eat—but it shouldn’t be burdensome or stressful. So long as you understand the very basic nutritional needs for aging, you’ll be well on your way to a diet that supports your body’s demands at every age.

Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age

Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age Tips on Healthy Eating as You Age

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Heart Disease: Silent Killer of Women
Conditions & Treatments

Heart Disease: Silent Killer of Women

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

Heart disease and stroke are respectively the first and second leading causes of death in America – 30% of all deaths are from cardiovascular illness. Although heart disease is often thought of as affecting men primarily, this is a mistaken assumption. Cardiovascular disease is an equal opportunity killer and, in fact, more women die every year from heart disease than men. Heart Disease: Silent Killer of Women

More than 400,000 women die every year in the United States from heart disease, accounting for one out of every 4 female deaths. Heart Disease: Silent Killer of Women
However, researchers have found that many women underestimate their risks of heart attack and stroke.
Only about half of women recognize cardiovascular illness as the leading cause of death despite efforts to increase awareness.

Heart Disease is the Silent Killer of Women

Silent Killer

This low health literacy regarding heart health among women translates to suboptimal risk reduction and treatment. Studies have found that women are less likely to be counseled on steps to reduce risk and often receive less medical intervention than their male counterparts. Although nearly 7% of American women have coronary heart disease, most are unaware of the health risks entailed.
An additional challenge facing women with regards to cardiovascular illness is the discrepancy in presentation of symptoms between women and men. While men often exhibit early signs of heart disease, women frequently remain asymptomatic until the disease is very advanced and a cardiovascular incident is either imminent or has already occurred. Almost two-thirds of women who die suddenly from stroke or heart attack have experienced no previous symptoms, making cardiovascular illness a stealthy and silent killer. Furthermore, when women do experience symptoms of heart disease these may be very different from the symptoms generally described by men.

Men and Women: Different Symptoms

While many men describe chest pain – or angina – as a crushing or squeezing feeling in the chest that radiates down the arm, women may be more likely to describe sharp or burning chest pain that radiates to the neck, jaw, and back.
Women may also experience varied physical symptoms apart from chest pain, such as abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, profuse sweating, dizziness, and fatigue.
Because of the wide variation in symptoms and the discrepancy from typical crushing chest pain, women are less likely to seek medical attention and be diagnosed with a cardiovascular illness.
Another difference in the presentation of symptoms between men and women is when episodes occur.
Frequently men who experience angina find that pain intensifies with physical activity and subsides while resting.
Women, on the other hand, are more likely to have pain while resting or even sleeping.
Angina in women will also be triggered during routine daily activities as well as during times of mental or emotional stress rather than during intense physical exercise.
These two major differences between how women and men present exacerbates the under-diagnosis and treatment of women with cardiovascular illness, which may, in turn, increase the risks of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.
If heart disease is not diagnosed until the patient suffers a serious medical crisis, rehabilitation may be more difficult.
For this reason, at our cardiology practice, we strive to prevent such events through early diagnosis and prevention.

Silence of Heart Disease in Women

Because of the relative silence of heart disease in the case of female patients, this intervention is only possible if we can monitor risk factors and implement risk reduction even without the presentation of symptoms.
These risks also increase dramatically after menopause, making it especially critical for older women to closely monitor heart health.

Lifestyle Choices that Can Make a Difference

To reduce the risks of heart disease, there are a number of lifestyle choices that can make a significant difference. These include:
· Quit smoking: women who smoke are 25% more likely to develop heart disease and suffer smoking-related complications than men who smoke. Smoking also doubles women’s risk of sudden cardiac death, making smoking cessation a top priority.
· Healthy eating: reduce intake of fatty meat, especially after menopause, and increase intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber-rich whole grains, and low-fat protein. High protein diets and yo-yo dieting in older women has been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular illness. It is important to consult with your physician prior to beginning any diet.
· Exercise regularly: just 150 minutes of activity per week can reduce risks of heart disease.
· Limit alcohol to one drink per day.
· Lower stress: stress at work has been linked to a 40% increase in heart health risk and has also been linked to obesity. Finding healthy ways to reduce stress can positively impact a woman’s overall health.

What Can Your Doctor Do?

While lifestyle changes are important, it is also necessary for women to undergo regular checkups to monitor heart health. Some things that your doctor will do to ensure that you are maintaining optimal cardiovascular health include: Heart Disease is the Silent Killer of Women
· Monitoring blood pressure: high blood pressure contributes to heart disease and increases the risk of adverse events, yet is often asymptomatic.
· Testing for diabetes: uncontrolled diabetes significantly raises the risks of cardiovascular illness. While diabetes can be controlled, it is important to diagnose it and implement an appropriate management plan.
· Monitoring triglycerides and cholesterol: high triglycerides combined with high levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and low levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol speed up the buildup of plaque along arterial walls, which in turn increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. These levels can only be determined through regular blood tests.
At our Aventura, Florida cardiology practice, we strive to implement early intervention to reduce the risks of cardiovascular illness. Heart Disease: Silent Killer of Women
We are here to guide and support all of our patients, and our staff is uniquely equipped to treat each patient according to their individual health needs and goals. Heart Disease: Silent Killer of Women

Heart Disease: Silent Killer of Women

Dr. Leonard Pianko, the founder of the Aventura Cardiovascular Center, is board certified in cardiology and internal medicine with special expertise in cardiovascular disease, preventive cardiology, and non-invasive treatment options, including echocardiogram and nuclear stress testing. A native of New York, Dr. Leonard Pianko, M.D., F.A.C.C., was born in the Bronx, and earned an undergraduate degree from Yeshiva University in New York before receiving his medical education at top-ranked Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completing his training at the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine in New Brunswick, New Jersey. For more information about this blog contact Dr. Pianko at http://www.leonardpiankomd.com/contact.php.

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