Maintaining healthy eating habits during the holiday season is important for everyone, including older adults. It's easy to get carried away with the festivities and overindulge in food and drink. However, making wise nutritional choices while allowing yourself the occasional indulgence will help you enjoy this joyous time of year with family and friends.
Key takeaways:
- We often associate December holiday time as one where we gather with family and friends over a delicious meal.
- Older adults can indulge in a delicious holiday meal while being mindful and maintaining healthy dietary choices.
- The occasional indulgence over the holidays is not a bad thing in and of itself, but it's wise to practice portion control.
Older adults may have some unique challenges regarding nutritional eating over the holidays. Chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease factor into the choices someone needs to make when eating a festive meal. Many sweet treats and foods rich in sodium are often on the table. Planning ahead and making mindful choices is essential to fully enjoy this season of food, family, and friends.
10 nutrition tips for seniors during the holiday
Here are some tips to help older adults enjoy the holidays while making nutritious choices.
1. Eat mindfully
The thing you need to pay attention to is being mindful of what you are eating. It is so tempting to load up on all that delicious food, but you end up feeling overfilled and uncomfortable. This means looking at your portion sizes and taking only enough to satisfy your appetite. Take the time to chew each mouthful and savor the flavor. Pay attention to the taste and the texture. Enjoy every bite and eat slowly. When you get the first sense of fullness, push the plate away.
2. Stay hydrated
While the holiday festivities may center around drinking, it's often not the type of drinking that will keep you hydrated. Dehydration in older adults can increase the risk of falls, confusion, or other adverse reactions. Aiming to drink 6–8 glasses of water daily, no matter the occasion, is crucial to good health and wellness. Drinking water will help your food to digest and increase your energy and alertness levels. Water before and with a meal can also make you feel full. If you do consume alcohol, drink extra water before an alcoholic beverage.
3. Make balanced choices
Maintaining balanced choices when eating your celebratory meals during the holiday season is important. Start by adding lean proteins, such as turkey, a traditional meat choice of the season. It is a great lean protein and tastes so good, too. Next, add some whole-grain options, and top it off with abundant colorful vegetables. Ease up on the butter and gravy if you can.
4. Practice portion control
It is tough to practice restraint during the festivities when all kinds of delectable treats are available. Start by using a smaller plate for your meal. This will give you the illusion that you have more than you really do. Opt for one instead of two big spoonfuls of mashed potatoes or stuffing. You may surprise yourself that you still feel full with smaller portions.
5. Limit sweets
While it's okay to indulge occasionally, limit your intake of sugary treats. Choose healthier options, such as fresh fruit. Opt for smaller dessert portions if you cannot resist the temptation. Cut that slice of pie in half. If tempted by two big spoonfuls of another sweet dessert, opt for one. There is a payoff in the power of resistance.
6. Increase fiber
Choose more fiber for your meal, including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Since older adults may be on medications with side effects, such as constipation, eating fiber-rich foods will aid in smoother digestion. Additionally, increasing your fiber during your holiday meal will make you full faster.
7. Mind the sodium
With chronic conditions, such as hypertension or heart disease, keeping an eye on your sodium intake is vital, especially if you are on certain medications for those conditions. Avoid adding salt to your meals and watch foods with a higher sodium content, such as ham, or snack foods, like potato chips or pretzels. If you are hosting a meal, try to use less salt in your cooking and avoid or limit the use of processed foods.
8. Make healthy substitutions
If you are preparing a holiday meal, you have the advantage of cooking with healthy ingredients. If you are a guest, offer to bring a healthy dish or snack food to provide variety and at least one nourishing option for your gathering. This way, you can decrease the amount of salt, sugar, or fat in recipes. You can also use substitutions such as plain Greek yogurt for sour cream. Additionally, you can use whole-wheat flour as a healthy alternative to white, refined flour. You could also try natural sugar options like honey or maple syrup to sweeten your recipes instead of refined sugar.
9. Stay active
While many gatherings over the holidays may lead to sedentary activity, you can choose to add activities that will expend some energy. If weather permits, sometimes it's enjoyable to go for a walk with a family member after your meal. This, of course, will aid digestion and offer some one-on-one time with a loved one. Even walking with a group can be a wonderful social outing to reconnect.
10. Limit alcohol
If you have some wine with dinner or other holiday-inspired drinks, limit your intake and drink in moderation. As we age, the effects of alcohol change on our bodies. Some older adults may feel the effects sooner than they did just a few years earlier. Offer options, such as non-alcoholic wine or beer, as an alternative.
If you drink too much and have a medical condition or are on medications, you could have a dangerous reaction. Drinking can also increase your risk of dehydration, falls, and fractures. Plus, excessive alcohol intake during the holidays has been a contributing factor to more than one family altercation. Therefore, keeping the peace is vital to enjoying your holiday gathering.
11. Consider Nutritional Supplements
As we age, it can become more challenging to obtain all the necessary nutrients from diet alone. Some seniors turn to supplements to support their overall health. For instance, top NMN supplements (nicotinamide mononucleotide) are gaining attention for their potential benefits in promoting cellular energy and healthy aging. Before adding any new supplement to your regimen, consult with your healthcare provider to ensure it's appropriate for your specific needs.
Enjoy yourself
Above all, make this holiday season a memorable one where you connect with your loved ones beyond the meal. Sometimes, it's been months since seeing some family members, so enjoying each other's company and catching up on life events adds to the season's spirit
We often put so much time and effort into preparing a holiday event that it's here and gone before we know it. Planning 'how' you will eat will help you be more mindful and continue making healthy choices. Don't worry about the odd indulgence; it's the holidays! Just remember that your holiday mealtime can be enjoyable if you engage in these healthy practices.
FAQ
Can't I eat what I want during the holidays?
Of course, you have the free will to choose what you wish to eat, but making wise choices in every season will add to your health and well-being.
Must I drink eight glasses of water a day? I don't like water.
Staying well hydrated during the holidays will help your food digest and prevent risks of dehydration. If you don't care for the taste of water, you can use fruit juices or a liquid water enhancer that doesn't contain sugar or caffeine to add flavor.
Will the holiday meal affect my blood pressure medication?
That is possible depending on the medication. Contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist with any questions or concerns.
3 Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 5 Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays.
- National Institute on Aging. Healthy Meal Planning: Tips for Older Adults.
- National Institute on Aging. Facts About Aging and Alcohol.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is a dietary supplement that may have potential benefits, but its safety and efficacy are still being studied. Consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are taking any other medications. The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The use of NMN is at your own risk, and the authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or outcomes associated with its use.