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Nutrition and Fitness: Avoiding Senior Frailty

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The New York Times published an article this fall about Witold Bialokur, a 71-year-old member of the New York Road Runners, a running club. Seeing photos of this spry man in action, I wondered about the many older adults who find themselves weak, taking short, labored strides at even their most vigorous pace. Frailty seriously affects the body’s ability to respond to medical treatment, so it is vital that seniors take precautions to preserve their strength. Many seniors are predisposed to frailty through a number of physiological and external factors. Sarcopenia, or loss of body mass, atherosclerosis, vascular disease, osteoporosis, vitamin deficiency and artery clogging, which decreases oxygen supply to the tissues and organs, are just some of the causes. The most easily avoidable cause is malnutrition.

According to an article published in the Spring 2005 issue of The Permanente Journal, 16 percent of Americans older than 65 consume fewer than 1000 calories a day—far below the daily requirement. The article also asserts that up to 50 percent of seniors in hospitals and 60 percent of institutionalized seniors are malnourished. While loss of appetite may co-occur with aging, or as a side effect of certain medications, undernutrition, or consuming too few calories, comes with serious consequences, including fatigue, weakness and micronutrient deficiencies. My great aunt, who lived in a long-term care facility before she passed, was a perfect example. When she felt isolated or depressed, she’d just stop eating, and end up with abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea, exacerbated by her limited mobility. Sitting around in discomfort, she felt helpless and hopeless. The more she sat around, the weaker she felt, and the less she wanted to eat. It was a vicious cycle of sadness turned inward that did nothing but weaken her spirit.

How quickly you age physically and to what degree your health deteriorates is largely dependent on how you take care of your body. Understanding its changing needs is a good start to self-care. Some nutrients may not be absorbed as well as they did when you were younger, meaning you need to take in more nutrients to absorb the same as you once did. You can accommodate your nutritional needs by increasing your intake of nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, lean meat, beans, fish and eggs. Keep an eye on your calcium, as well, since the stomach often secretes less hydrochloric acid with age, reducing the amount of calcium your body absorbs. Drinking small amounts of milk with meals may make lactose more easily digested. Collard, mustard and turnip greens, broccoli and pinto beans also contain calcium. Because most foods contain only a little iron, you’ll want to watch this as well. Meat’s the best source of iron, but you can also get it from whole grains. Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron, so add some O.J. to dinner. As far as exercise goes, it’s not just for your body. Some studies have even shown that people with positive attitudes live almost a decade longer than their gloom-and-doom peers. So exercise those smile muscles and move whenever you can, even if it’s just up the stairs.

Feeding your minds and bodies—

Lori Deschene

Posted in: Healing Through Diet, Nutrition, Prevention Techniques, Tips for Healthy Living

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