We want to live longer instead of being thinner

This is the 4150th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

There was an old patient in the outpatient clinic. Because she believed that "it's worth more than money to stay thin in old age", and she also had hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, she ate vegetarian food every day! When she came to see me, I asked her: What if you can't get enough nutrition by eating this way? She took out a big box from her bag, and saw all kinds of nutritional supplements and health products in it. She proudly said: I eat these to supplement my nutrition! Well, I was speechless for a few seconds, and while there were few patients, I gave her a lesson.

The latest "China Health and Retirement Tracking Survey" shows that 3 out of every 10 elderly people aged 60 or above in my country are malnourished. How to prevent malnutrition? For elderly friends with relatively normal absorption function, if they can arrange three meals a day reasonably, they can take in sufficient nutrition through daily diet. The nutrients taken in by diet are easier to absorb, and there is no risk of over-supplementation. It is the safest, most convenient and cheapest way to supplement nutrition, so there is no need to be superstitious about taking expensive health products.

So how can we eat to achieve longevity in old age?

1. How to eat scientifically to live longer in old age?

As we age, our organs gradually undergo degenerative changes, and aging follows. The elderly have a higher demand for essential nutrients due to their decreased digestive and absorption functions. Studies have shown that cognitive dysfunction among the elderly in my country is closely related to the lack of multiple nutrients. It has been scientifically proven that a reasonable diet and balanced nutrition are one of the important measures to improve the body's immune system, delay aging, and prolong life.

1) Protein

Protein is extremely important for the elderly, and should be supplied at 1.0-1.2 g/kg body weight per day, accounting for about 14% of total energy. For example, an elderly person with a height of 170 cm generally needs at least 65 g of protein per day, and should pay special attention to the intake of high-quality protein (chicken, duck, fish, lean meat, eggs, milk and soy products) in their daily diet.

2) Fat

Fat intake should account for 20% to 30% of total energy. The intake of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids should be guaranteed (vegetable oils such as olive oil, tea oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil, etc.). It is recommended to use 25 to 30 grams of cooking oil per day, about 3 spoons. The remaining fat can be extracted from food, and the total amount should not exceed 50g/d.

3) Carbohydrates

The carbohydrate intake of the elderly should account for 55% to 65% of the total energy. It is recommended that the staple food should be a combination of coarse and fine, and the intake of coarse grains should be increased, such as oats, corn, whole wheat, millet, etc. It is not recommended to replace fruit with juice every day, as the juicing process will destroy dietary fiber and vitamins. For the elderly, chopped apples have higher nutritional value than apple juice.

4) Minerals

The calcium absorption capacity of the elderly is significantly reduced. my country stipulates that the recommended daily calcium intake for the elderly is 1000 mg. Every 100 ml of milk contains about 100 mg of calcium and 2.9-3.6 g of protein. Drinking 500 ml of milk or an equivalent amount of dairy products every day is the best food source of calcium. In addition, you can also eat more high-calcium seafood such as shrimp skin. Eating 10 grams of shrimp skin every day can supplement 100 mg of calcium. In addition, the elderly are also a high-risk group for iron deficiency anemia. They can take animal liver (such as pork liver and chicken liver) 1-2 times a week to supplement iron.

5) Vitamins

As the metabolism and immunity of the elderly decline, they need sufficient vitamins to promote metabolism. For example, vitamin C has antioxidant effects, which can help the elderly fight against the increasing number of free radicals, enhance immunity and delay aging. Vitamin A maintains visual function and can delay and control precancerous lesions. Vitamin B1 can promote the absorption and metabolism of carbohydrates and maintain the health of the nervous system.

2. Six principles for living to a ripe old age

1) Diverse varieties and reasonable combinations

To maintain a quantitative balance between nutrients, food should be diversified. Eat 3 kinds of meat, 5-6 kinds of vegetables and 3 kinds of grains per week. Combine coarse and fine, and eat whole grain foods in moderation (the daily intake of whole grain foods or coarse grains must be guaranteed to be 50-150 g). Ensure adequate intake of cereals and potatoes. Eat fish, poultry, eggs and lean meat regularly to ensure an average supply of high-quality protein. Eat different kinds of meat every day, and eat at least 3 fist-sized vegetables or fruits at the same time, eat more dark vegetables and cruciferous vegetables (such as Chinese cabbage, radish, cabbage, rapeseed, cauliflower, etc.). The recommended daily intake of vegetables is 300-500 g, of which dark vegetables account for 1/2, and the recommended intake of fruits is 200-350 g. The types should be changed frequently, 1-2 cups of milk a day, and soy products should be eaten regularly to ensure adequate nutrient intake.

2) Combination of coarse and fine grains, easy to digest

The food should be cooked softer, finer and softer, and the whole grains should be cooked finely, mostly by boiling, stewing, steaming and simmering, so as to facilitate digestion and absorption. When eating, you should chew slowly, and it is best to eat three meals a day, with a snack in the morning and afternoon.

3) Eat a light diet

A light diet is best, with an average daily cooking oil consumption of 25 to 30 g, and a variety of vegetable oils should be used as much as possible. Eat less pickled foods, and the daily salt intake should not exceed 5 g.

4) Cheerful mood and encouraging eating together

The change in pace of life after retirement can cause some elderly people to become depressed and have a poor appetite. Therefore, they need to adjust their mood and actively participate in family and social activities. They can also take cooking as a hobby and enjoy the process of making and sharing healthy food with a few friends.

5) Reduce sitting and exercise moderately

In addition to eating, the elderly should not ignore outdoor exercise because of weakened physical fitness. For the elderly, muscle storage is like gold storage. Avoiding muscle loss is essential to maintaining physical activity and self-care ability. Outdoor activities and sufficient sunshine are beneficial to strengthening bone and muscle health. Frequent outdoor walks and sunbathing can also increase the synthesis of vitamin D in the body, which can prevent diseases such as osteoporosis.

6) Regular physical examinations and proper nutritional supplementation

The elderly should develop the good habit of going to regular medical institutions for physical examinations regularly to prevent diseases. When dietary nutrition is insufficient, nutritional supplements can be appropriately selected. Elderly people who are at risk of malnutrition or nutritional status should choose appropriate special medical purpose formula foods under the guidance of clinical nutritionists or doctors. Do not believe in health care product advertisements that exaggerate certain health effects, and do not treat health care products as medicines.

After listening to this, the old patient suddenly realized, and decided to sort out her health care products after returning home, listen to the doctor's advice, not abuse health care products, eat three meals a day well, and share her gains of the day with her friends, striving for "longevity in old age" together.

Author: Tong Yili, General Practice Department, East China Hospital