An appropriate diet, which is full of nutritional value causes Improved health, disease prevention, and physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the individuals. It is no secret that
Food bestows these advantages by supplying the macro- and micronutrients necessary for illness prevention, injury recovery, and satiating immediate bioenergetic, emotional, and spiritual demands.
However, as individuals age, their nutritional needs may change. After 30, it becomes even more important to ensure that the body receives all the necessary nutrients to maintain optimal health.
This is where nutritional supplements can play a crucial role. While a balanced diet should always be the foundation, supplements can help fill in any nutritional gaps and provide additional support for overall well-being.
There are various reasons why nutritional needs may change as individuals age. One factor is the natural decline in metabolism, which can lead to a decrease in energy levels and slower absorption of nutrients from food.
Additionally, aging bodies (Yes, aging starts at thirty at least for your metabolism) may have a reduced ability to produce certain enzymes and hormones necessary for digestion and nutrient absorption. These factors can contribute to nutrient deficiencies and make it more challenging for adults to meet their nutritional needs solely through diet.
Therefore, incorporating nutritional supplements into one's daily routine can be beneficial in supporting overall health and vitality.
For example, an older adult may experience a decline in stomach acid production, which can affect the absorption of vitamin B12 from food sources. This can result in a deficiency of vitamin B12, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, memory problems, and nerve damage. Taking a vitamin B12 supplement can help address this deficiency and support healthy nerve function in aging individuals.
Furthermore, older adults may also face challenges in getting enough calcium to maintain strong bones and prevent osteoporosis. Due to the reduced absorption of vitamin B12 and calcium, aging individuals need to consider taking supplements to support their overall health and prevent deficiencies.
NUTRITIONAL FITNESS
Nutritional fitness is the provision and consumption of foodstuffs in appropriate amounts, quality, and proportions to maintain mission performance and guard against disease and/or damage. Diet quality, appropriate food choices, and particular nutritional requirements are the three components of nutritional fitness.
1) Diet Quality
The nutritional makeup of food, the effects of food preparation (such as heating or storage), consumer acceptance, and the range of food components available to satisfy individual dietary preferences are all factors in diet quality.
Diet quality is also impacted by physical conditions that limit access to and/or intake of food, such as time for eating, the availability of the right cooking utensils, food preparation techniques, and individual consumption, etc. The appropriate food must be accessible at the right time and taken in the proper quantity to be nutritionally fit.
2) Choosing Healthy Foods
Adults after 30 must make good dietary choices to reach peak nutritional fitness, even with limited food options. For instance, fruits and vegetables must be taken in adequate amounts to provide the health advantages linked to frequent consumption.
Similar to how eating more calories than one needs each day causes weight gain, increased adiposity, and the negative health effects linked to having too much body fat, especially around the abdominal area. Poor meal planning and improper dietary supplement use can have a negative effect on work performance, everyday life and health issues in people.
In addition to the food itself, personal, cultural, and environmental factors can have an impact on people's dietary choices. Portion size, appearance, age, gender, and ethnic or cultural influences are examples of personal variables. For example in our culture, it is a norm to consume more grains (wheat and rice) and meat, and a hate cult for veggies (we all know that one tinday hater wink*).
Other personal elements include the impact of advertising and education, one's own food preferences, commonality (e.g., non-obese versus obese), and the relationship between food and one's emotions or mood. For example, for so many years marketing companies have advertized the use of fizzy drinks that it is now a habit to consume it in every household and served at every restaurant but if you look for fresh juice or smoothies you'll hardly find it.
3) Nutritional requirements
No two people's nutritional requirements are the same. The amount of fluid and energy needed each day depends on body mass, level of physical activity, and working conditions.
The amount of water and energy needed varies considerably based on the particular work performed during the day. Individuals have different demands for micronutrients. For instance, women must consume much more dietary iron than males do in order to prevent the onset of anaemia.
The correct supplements dervied from natural sources are summarized in Table 1
Apart from the food , man-made nutritional supplements can also be consumed to prevent disease and support your diet. In young and middle-aged individuals, protein supplementation has been shown to have a synergistic impact on muscle function after both acute and chronic exercise.
A number of outcomes, including falls, fractures, and bone health, have been studied for a variety of groups when vitamin D supplementation has been used. Other nutritional supplements are summarized in the table below taken from Redimer et, al., 2004
Some people argue that taking supplements is unnecessary because a balanced diet can provide all the necessary nutrients, but for aging individuals who may have reduced absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, supplements can be a helpful addition to support their overall health.
In conclusion, while some may argue that supplements are unnecessary if one maintains a balanced diet, aging individuals who may have reduced absorption of certain nutrients can benefit from supplements to support their overall health and prevent deficiencies.
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