It would be nice to think that as we get older we become wiser, and so make better food choices for ourselves. After so many years of exposure to information about eating a nutritionally balanced diet, you'd think that we'd know all about how to prepare healthy meals, and that we'd have had plenty of practice doing so.
Sadly, however, that's not always the case. This means that many seniors don't get the vitamins and minerals they need to help their aging bodies fight off the onset of various debilitating conditions, or the signs of aging. Bodies become less efficient as we age, and they so they don't do as good a job of processing nutrients. A lot of seniors also tend to get ill more easily, and so often take a lot more medications than other age groups. These medications can also reduce the body's ability to break down nutrients.
It's common for seniors to live along, and it can seem like a big effort to make a meal at all, let alone prepare a nutritionally balanced meal. It's also true that many seniors don't do any moderate exercise regularly, which helps compound the problem. So it's hardly surprising that many seniors exhibit vitamin deficiency symptoms. Despite our highly advanced society, many of our seniors are classified as undernourished.
Vitamin D is extremely important for growing children, but it's just as important for seniors. Vitamin D assists the body to absorb calcium, which is necessary for healthy bones. If the body doesn't have enough calcium, bones loss their mass, which causes them to become brittle. Osteoporosis can be the result. Not enough seniors consume sufficient dairy products daily to make sure they get enough Vitamin D.
Free radicals, which cause oxidation damage, are another big problem for seniors. Free radicals are unstable molecules that, if left unchecked, rampage throughout the body and destroy healthy cells. This causes oxidation damage, which is very similar to the process that causes cars to develop rust. The best way to neutralize free radicals is with antioxidants. They also reduce the amount of damage the free radicals can cause. Some of the best sources of antioxidants are fruit and vegetables. The good thing about eating lots of fruits and vegetables is that you also consume beta-carotenes and other important vitamins including Vitamins A, C and E. Far too many seniors don't consume the recommended daily allowances of these vitamins.
As more healthy cells are damaged, the body's resistance is reduced, and the risk of developing serious conditions such as heart disease, some cancers, arthritis, cataracts, and Parkinson's Disease, to name a few, is much higher. The immune system also relies on antioxidants to function properly. The skin loses its elasticity as healthy skin cells break down, leading to wrinkles and an older appearance.
Vitamin K is another important requirement, as it keeps the body's blood clotting mechanism working correctly. It's also believed that a lack of Vitamin K may be linked to the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Most people don't realize just how many conditions can be caused or made worse by vitamin deficiencies. It's important for everybody, no matter how old they are, to understand just how important vitamins and minerals are in maintaining good health. If you don't believe you're getting an adequate supply of nutrients from your diet, for whatever reason, then it might be a good idea to use a daily multivitamin supplement. There are supplements specifically designed for seniors, so make sure you choose one that is formulated to cater to the changing dietary needs of seniors.
