Calories:

Zonya has some sobering news about caloric intake: “As we age, each decade we burn 50 less calories per day,” she said.  It starts when we’re 20, and it’s often not until we’re 50 or 60 that we really start to notice the effect.  And that’s just in terms of our metabolic rate.  At the same time, we often slow down as we age, compounding the effect.  What does this add up to?  A lot of extra weight!

“We need to be consciously eating less,” said Zonya.  “Everything you eat has to give you something.” 

It only follows that we also need to be active, to keep our metabolism going and  stay limber and fit.  Use it or lose it.  “The less you do, the less you can do,” said Zonya.

Eating Out:

“If (restaurants) served the portions you should have, they would go out of business,” said Zonya.  That’s because we’re so accustomed to over-sized portions that when we look a “right-sized” portion in the face, we think we’re being ripped off.

But, this can be good news if you are health and budget-conscious.

“Half it, double it” is Zonya’s motto when it comes to dining out.  What does this mean?  Eat half an entrée, splitting it with a friend or taking half home, and order an extra (double) serving of vegetables or salad.

Zonya has some tips for keeping tabs on salad dressing, which most of us tend to overdo: Always order dressing on the side, and dip your fork in it before putting salad on the fork.  You’ll eat less dressing that way and still be satisfied.  Zonya swears that after a while, this will become habit, one of many “mini-habits” she encourages picking up in order to maintain healthier eating habits.

Another habit-forming tip when eating alone is to ask your server for a doggie bag before your food arrives, and bag your take-home portion immediately.  That way you won’t be tempted to eat more than you should.

Antioxidants:

“The antioxidant theory is excellent for seniors,” said Zonya.  This is the idea that slowing down or defusing free radicals – unleashed by oxidation in our cells –  helps prevent disease and deterioration of the body.

Zonya gave an example: Take an apple.  Cut a piece from it.  Watch as, before your eyes and almost immediately, the apple slice begins turning brown.  That’s oxidization.  Now do the same thing again, only squeeze some lemon juice over the just-cut apple slice.  Notice that it takes much, much longer for the slice to turn brown.  That’s because of the neutralizing effect of the lemon juice, which contains large amounts of vitamin C, a known antioxidant.

Antioxidants are abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables, and in whole grains.  Eat lots of them!

Supplements:

Vitamin D 
“Vitamin D is key with every single function in our body,” said Zonya.  It helps with calcium absorption, vital for bone health, and it’s important to cardiovascular health.  She said vitamin D is especially an issue in Michigan, where we don’t get enough sunlight during the winter to activate the vitamin in our bodies. 

Zonya recommends a supplement that contains at least the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 400 IUs.  She said that recent research points out that adults may actually be better off with 1,000 to 10,000 IUs a day, so be on the lookout for a change in the RDA.

Calcium 
Bone health is critical for everyone, especially seniors.  Zonya said if you aren’t getting four servings of dairy a day, you need to take a calcium supplement.  This goes for people in their 30s, 40s and 50s as well, who need to build up bone strength now to help mitigate bone loss later on. 

Zonya recommends calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.  Make sure your supplement also contains vitamin D or take a separate vitamin D supplement to aid in calcium absorption.

In general, taking a vitamin supplement with basic recommended daily allowances is a good idea to help ensure you’re getting what you need.  Many one-a-day formulas are geared toward different needs and ages.

Sugar and Salt:

“Food companies are dialing up our sugar intake without us even realizing it,” Zonya said.  Sugar is in a lot of things you wouldn’t think, such as pasta sauce – where it’s really not necessary for flavor.

The same goes for salt.  “You can have a very high sodium diet and never touch the salt shaker,” she said.  Sodium is implicated in heart disease because of its blood-pressure raising qualities, and in bone loss as well.  “Our body excretes more calcium the more sodium we eat,” Zonya cautioned.

Read labels.  Avoid foods with added sugar and sodium.  Zonya buys many of her canned products – tomatoes, beans, pasta sauce – without added sodium.  You can always add a pinch of table salt later on for taste.

Processed Meats:

“A lot of older people really like ham, bacon and sausage,” said Zonya.  And what’s not to like?  The problem is that processed meats contain a lot of bad ingredients such as high sodium and nitrates, which are linked to certain types of cancer.

Try to limit processed meats to one time per week, Zonya counsels, and eat small portions of fresh meats.

The Power of One Good Habit:

Try changing “bad” eating habits one habit at a time, which Zonya calls “The Power of One Good Habit.”  Don’t “diet” – it doesn’t work!  Change your habits, instead.

For example, buy whole wheat pasta and bread instead of white pasta and bread.  “Once you get used to it,” said Zonya, “you don’t like the white stuff anymore.”  Her motto: “The whiter the bread, the quicker you’re dead.”

Another habit to try is eating beans often – Zonya eats them four times a week.  Beans soak up bad cholesterol in our bodies and, when prepared right, are delicious and filling.  Getting more beans in your diet is easy once you know where to look.  Opt for minestrone instead of chicken soup.  Eat a bean wrap sandwich instead of ham and cheese.

Bottom Line: 

You can get great nutrition – with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and great taste – if you simply eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains, and small portions of unprocessed meats.  Fresh is key!

For recipe ideas check out Zonya’s book, “Lickety-Split Meals” either here or on Amazon.com.