Diets for older persons should be planned to include foods that are full of nutrients. The nutrient dense foods are the foods that provide higher concentrations of nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals either naturally or due to fortification with reduced or low levels of saturated fats, sodium, simple sugars and cholesterol.

The rate at which calories are burned, or basal metabolic rate, declines by about 20% between the ages of 30 and 90 as fat and connective tissue progressively replaces lean body mass. Because of less lean tissue, caloric intake is decreased, as is the absorption of accompanying nutrients. Body protein in the healthy elderly is 30-40% less than that of young adults, and the loss occurs both in muscle and internal stores of protein.

This aspect of aging has the most dramatic effect on basal metabolism, insulin sensitivity, appetite, breathing, mobility and independence. Along with loss of muscle mass, bone density is diminished and osteoporosis is a frequent complication. Dietary intake of protein alone does little to reverse this loss of lean tissue, but physical activity with adequate protein intake has been shown to improve the integrity of both muscle and bone.

The sense of smell is vital to the pleasure of eating. Problems with the ability to smell can often result in a lack of interest in eating, leading to malnutrition. The aging process brings a loss of sensitivity to odors (requiring a stronger odor to detect it) and the ability to discriminate between odors. At age 25 we have 50,000 olfactory receptors (mitral cells), at age 60 we have 30,000 and at age 90 we have 15,000. This loss of cells causes the decrease in olfactory sensitivity associated with age. Moreover, exposure to volatile or noxious agents can accelerate mitral cell loss.

The sense of taste is also crucial to deriving pleasure from eating. Taste receptors have specialized surface proteins that detect different molecules dissolved in saliva. New taste receptors are regenerated approximately every eight days and these taste receptor cells collect together in bunches of 40-50 cells to form taste buds. When nearly 50% of taste buds are lost between the ages of 30 to 60 due to a slowing in the regeneration of taste receptors, a decline in taste sensitivity diminishes our keen appetites.

Proposed Solution:
LifeSpring Home Nutrition meals and snacks are especially formulated for the aging population with accentuated aromas and tastes.

Dry mouth (also know as xerostomia) or lack of salivation affects more than 70% of older persons. Food becomes more difficult to break down in the mouth, and swallowing is an effort, again often leading to decreasing caloric consumption. Saliva also protects against cavities. It cleanses the tooth surfaces and neutralizes acids, and in this way, protects the tooth surface from tooth decay. People who have dry mouths are very susceptible to cavities, especially on the roots of their teeth. Untreated cavities and gum disease in the elderly are a major cause of tooth loss, which can lead to loss of all teeth and the need for dentures. People who wear dentures chew less efficiently and frustration may result in an inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals found in chewy fresh vegetables and meats, especially iron, folic acid, beta-carotene and vitamin C.

Proposed Solution:
Drink at least 8 cups of fluids daily. Eat well, making sure that you incorporate plenty of healthy protein foods into your diet.

The aging process also produces a number of changes in the gastrointestinal tract and variation in appetite response enzymes may contribute to the appetite diminishment seen in older people. Additionally, hypochlorhydria is a condition associated with aging in which the digestive tract does not produce enough hydrochloric acid, leading to the alteration of absorption of Vitamin B12 from dietary sources and possibly resulting in pernicious anemia.

Proposed Solution:
Eat smaller meals more frequently instead of one or two large meals. Increase foods fortified with folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 such as LifeSpring BakeShop Cookies.

Healthy aging involves identifying potential nutritional deficiencies:

¹Cholecalciferol is a precursor to Vitamin D. It comes from dehydrocholesterol in the skin.
²Parathyroid hormone is released in response to low serum calcium.
³The liver gradually accumulates a reserve supply of vitamin A, which reaches its peak in adult life.
⁴While dietary intakes of vitamin B6 are reported to be below RDA levels in 50-90% of older adults, several studies indicate that the physiological requirement exceeds this standard.
⁵When oxygen is metabolized in the body, it generates compounds called free radicals. These are highly toxic molecules that can damage the cell and DNA. A compelling body of scientific evidence now indicates that dysfunction and many diseases in humans are a product of oxidative stress. A critical factor for oxidative stress is a lack of intake of a suitable amount of antioxidants due to a reduction in total caloric intake, and a compromised nutritional status.