Often, we rely on our medical team for advice on the most important health decisions we make, yet when it comes to nutrition advice, sometimes there is a misunderstanding in how we think we should put their recommendations into effect.
A recommendation such as “Increase your hydration,” and “increase your protein,” are suggested to seniors during a visit to the doctor’s office… But adequate information may not be given to gain an understanding on how and why to do this.
Let's explore why proper hydration and daily protein intake is so important—and how to go about accomplishing them.
Dehydration occurs when a person loses more water than they take in. Adequate fluid allows the body to regulate temperature through sweating, maintain blood pressure and eliminate bodily waste.
Dehydration in one’s senior years is especially common for a number of reasons:
It’s not uncommon for seniors to be on several medications at any given time. Some of these may be diuretic, while others may cause patients to sweat more.
A person’s sense of thirst may decrease as they age. In addition, seniors may have a harder time being mobile as a result, getting up to get a drink when they’re thirsty, or they may rely on caregivers who may not sense that they need fluids.
As we age our bodies lose kidney function and are less able to conserve fluid (this is progressive from around the age of 50 but becomes more noticeable over the age of 70).
Vomiting and/or diarrhea can quickly cause elderly dehydration.
Dehydration is a common condition among seniors-and can result in a variety of symptoms, including:
Symptoms such as these can be greatly reduced or eliminated completely simply by properly hydrating.
The exact amount of fluid required will vary from person to person-depending upon their unique circumstances. But the general rule of thumb for those who are 65 years or older is to drink eight 8-oz glasses of water (or other fluid) daily.
Generally, a senior might easily meet the recommended hydration mark of eight 8-oz glasses daily. Here’s are a few approaches to accomplish this recommendation.
Note, your urine should be light in color, as the darker it is, the more at risk of dehydration you are.
Though drinking water is an important part of proper hydration, it's not the only way to get fluids. Liquids of any kind, along with high water-content foods also help with staying hydrated. Here are a few to consider.
While staying properly hydrated is of prime importance what's equally important is your daily intake of protein.
The body uses protein to build and repair all of its tissues. Protein provides the building blocks for bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, skin, and blood.
Protein is also vitally important to the immune system-which is responsible for preventing disease. As the body ages, consuming adequate protein becomes even more important.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein intake is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day.
On average we could say that two ounces daily of high-quality protein is a good rule of thumb-with slightly more for men than for women.
Here's how you can meet the recommended daily intake of protein:
For support in creating healthy and appetizing meals-that incorporate your new understanding of hydration and protein sources-have a look at the excellent sample menus for older adults provided by The Institute of Aging.
Ensuring proper daily intake of fluids and protein will lead to maintaining good health. We welcome your questions or comments - - please feel free to contact us.