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Healthy eating and regular physical activity are keys to good health at any age. They can lower your risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases. They can even help ward off depression and keep your mind sharp as you age. This brochure offers tips and tools to help people aged 65 and over eat well and get active. Talk to your health care provider for more specific advice if you have health problems or concerns. Remember, it is never too late to make healthy changes in your life.
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What is healthy eating? |
A
healthy eating plan includes a wide variety of foods. Every day, you should
try to eat:*
* Servings and serving sizes are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Department of Health and Human Services Food Guide Pyramid.
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Tips for healthy eating
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To
help you stay on track with your healthy eating plan, follow these tips:
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Planning and preparing your meals |
It is easier to eat well when you plan for your meals and make them enjoyable. Try these tips:
If you are unable to cook for yourself, find out about a community program in your area that serves meals or delivers "Meals on Wheels." Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 for information on the program nearest you.
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Check with your health care provider |
If you have a problem eating well, such as trouble chewing or not wanting to eat, talk to your health care provider or a registered dietitian. They can give you specific advice on following a healthy eating plan. Check with your dentist about caring for your teeth or dentures and your gums. The death of a loved one or moving from your home of many years may affect your desire to eat. Talk to your health care provider if events in your life are keeping you from eating well. Ask your health care provider if you should take a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. No pills have been proven to "stop aging" or "improve your memory." Taking a "one-a-day" type, however, can help you meet the nutrient needs of your body every day. |
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What is a healthy weight? |
Ask your health care provider about a healthy weight for you at your next appointment. If you start to gain or lose weight and do not know why, your health care provider can tell you if this change is healthy for you. If you are underweight, overweight or obese, you are more likely to have certain health problems. Health risks of being underweight
If you are underweight, you may not be getting enough nutrients. Talk to your health care provider about the best way to gain weight and meet your nutritional needs. Health risks of being overweight
If you already have one or more of these diseases, ask your health care provider if a modest weight loss (5 to 10 percent of your body weight) could help you feel better or need less medicine. Do not try to lose weight unless your health care provider tells you to. |
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Physical activity is good for your health at every age. If you have never been active, starting regular physical activity now can improve your strength, staying power, and flexibility. Being active can help you live on your own for a longer time and lower your chance of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and colon cancer. Whatever activity you choose, follow the safety tips below:
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Getting active |
To get started, pick an activity you enjoy. Begin with small, specific goals such as "I will take a 10-minute walk three times this week." Slowly increase the length of time and the number of days you are active. You can benefit most from a combination of aerobic, strength, balance, and flexibility activities. Build up to 30 minutes or more of aerobic activity on most days of the week. Try to do balance and flexibility activities daily as well. Work toward doing strength exercises on 2 or 3 days a week. |
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Aerobic
activities
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Regular
aerobic activity can help you to:
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Strengthening
activities
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Doing strengthening activities regularly can help you to:
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Balance
activities
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Doing balance activities regularly can help you to:
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Flexibility
activities
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Doing flexibility activities regularly can help you to:
Many activities give you more than just one benefit. For example, doing chair aerobics using hand weights gives you aerobic and strengthening benefits. Yoga combines balance, flexibility, and strengthening benefits. You do not have to do four separate types of activities each week. Choose what you like to do and round out your activities from there. Remember, any amount of physical activity you do is better than none. |
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Work physical activity into your day |
There are plenty of ways to be active without setting aside a special time for "exercise." The tips below can help you to add more activity into your everyday life.
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Be good to yourself |
Due to loss of loved ones, health problems, trouble paying bills, or other reasons, many older people feel lonely, sad, or stressed in their daily lives. Feelings like these can cause you to lose energy, not feel like doing anything, not eat enough, or overeat. Being good to yourself can help you to cope with your feelings and improve your energy level, eating habits, and health. Here are some ideas for being good to yourself:
Remember, it's never too late to improve your eating plan, be more physically active, and be good to yourself for a healthier life. |
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Tips for older adults |
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Additional Reading
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Dietary
Guidelines for Americans. Eating
Well as We Age. Exercise:
A Guide from the National Exercise:
The Key to the Good Life. Fit
and Fabulous as You Mature. Weight
Loss for Life.
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Resources |
Administration
on Aging American
Association for Retired Persons The
American Dietetic Association Food
and Nutrition Information Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National
Institute on Aging The
President's Council on Physical Fitness Inclusion of resources is for information only and does not imply endorsement by NIDDK or WIN.
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Weight-control Information Network
The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, which is the Department of Health and Human Services' lead agency responsible for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103-43), WIN provides the general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date, science-based health information on weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues. WIN answers inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about weight control and related issues. Publications produced by WIN are carefully reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This publication was also reviewed by Tamara Harris, M.D., M.S., Chief, Geriatric Epidemiology, National Institute on Aging; Steven Blair, P.E.D., Director of Research, Cooper Institute; and Yvonne Jackson, Ph.D., Director, Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Programs, Administration on Aging. This e-text is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of this e-pub to duplicate and distribute as many copies as desired.
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U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NIH
Publication No. 02-4993
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