In my practice, most of my clientele are over the age of 65 with many health issues ranging from arthritis, fatigue, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Many do not exercise and have poor eating habits. Today’s societies overlook our growing senior population and believe that when one retires, it’s just relaxing and basking in achievements of one’s past experiences. In reality, our senior population has a serious problem with malnutrition.

Social factors that affect malnutrition include, living alone, financial concerns, and restrictive diets. Living alone, especially for men, results in the decreased intake of food. Elders experiencing financial concerns, such as poverty or low-income, may not be able to buy a sufficient amount of food. Many times choices need to be made between buying food and paying for other necessities such as medications, heat, rent, etc (Visvanathan & Chapman, 2009).

When I talk with my senior clients about nutrition, I ask them what do they eat on a daily basis? What they tell me isn’t unusual. They eat the normal American diet of processed food, barely including fruits, vegetables and quality protein.

With seniors, many know how to cook and prepare food, but when you’re the only one in the house or in poor health, why cook? I understand my clients and their needs, so I don’t push them to go cook a meal, but work with them to make sure all of their nutritional needs will be met within their budget. All of us health experts know that when one goes to the grocery store, life is found on the outer aisles of the store. Produce, meats, dairy and whole grain bread are life-giving foods. Death lives within the aisles of the store, where all of the prepackaged, processed foods are located. So what do I tell them? There are many ways to get the nutrition you need without breaking the bank and can be prepared in a short time.

Let’s look at a few ways to get three healthy meals that will provide improved health for our seniors. These examples are more for those seniors who are not active or home-bound.

Breakfast:
Whey protein shake with fruit (blueberries).
182 calories; 22 grams of protein; 1 grams of fat; 10 grams of carbs; 4 grams of fiber

Or Voskos Nonfat Greek Yogurt with an whole grain English muffin with strawberry jam.
280 calories; 20 grams of protein; 1 grams of fat; 40 grams of carbs; 1 gram of fiber

Or Voskos’ YoGreek Yogurt with Granola
140 calories; 11 grams of protein; ½ gram of fat; 22 grams of carbs; 1 gram of fiber
Healthy grains from multi-grain cereals, toast or muffins can be added as well. Healthy fats such as flaxseed oil are also recommended for balanced breakfast.

Lunch:
Caesar Salad with Romaine lettuce (1 cup).
170 calories; 6 grams of protein; 14 grams of fat; 6 grams of carbs; 2 grams of fiber

Turkey / Cheese Sandwich
235 Calories; 25 grams of protein; 4 grams of fat; 25 grams of carbs; 4 grams of fiber

Add Voskos Nonfat Greek Yogurt (Strawberry) for dessert
120 Calories; 13 grams of protein; 0 grams of fat; 16 grams of carbs; 0 grams of fiber.

Dinner:
(Example of a whole Dinner)
Pan Roasted Chicken
223 calories; 31 grams of protein; 10 grams of fat; 1 gram of carb; 0 g fiber

Small Dinner Salad with Balsamic Oil and Vinegar Dressing
Salad – 1 cup. 50 calories; 3 grams of protein; 3 grams of carbs; 2 grams of fiber
Dressing – Per tablespoon. 90 calories; 1 g carbohydrates; 10 g fat

1 cup of Steamed Broccoli
54 calories; 4 grams of protein; 8 grams of carbs; 5 grams of fiber

For Dessert – Voskos Nonfat Greek Yogurt (Honey)
130 calories; 13 grams of protein; 18 grams of carbs; 0 grams of fiber

The examples above are just examples. Daily calorie intake should be 1,500-2,000 calories for seniors who are not active and home bound. If exercise is part of one’s daily routine, the calorie intake will of course increase.

One last note. We should all respect our senior population for their wisdom, insight and past experiences. Help a senior today so both you will have a better tomorrow.