Health is the most valuable asset in life, especially for people over the age of 55, the gradual decline of physical functioning, like a car that has been driven for many years and needs more careful maintenance. At this time, diet becomes a key line of defense to protect your health. Many people have heard the saying "eat eight points full" and think that it is the master key to healthy eating, and it is even more important after the age of 55. But is that really the case? Why do some people live according to this criterion and are still in good health, while some people can maintain a good health despite their seemingly casual eating habits? As a doctor, I've seen a wide variety of patients with very different dietary choices and different body feedback, often for reasons that are often overlooked. Next, I will take you to explore the key points that are easily overlooked in the eating habits of people over 55 years old, to help you avoid common dietary misunderstandings, and let health always accompany you.
"Eight points full" is not a panacea
In the world of healthy eating, the name of "eating eight points full" is like thunder, and many people are convinced, especially middle-aged and elderly people after the age of 55, who feel that as long as they strictly abide by this standard, they can delay aging and stay away from obesity and various diseases. It is undeniable that eight points of satiety does have its reason to a certain extent, just like setting a just right energy threshold for the body as a machine, which can not only meet the daily operation, but also not let the excess energy accumulate into a burden. But it is not a master key that can open the door to everyone's health, especially when the body begins to enter the stage of aging, and everyone's physical condition is like different models of machines, with their own unique "temper".
For middle-aged and elderly people with chronic diseases, low body weight, or fragile digestive systems, this so-called gold standard of "eight points full" may be like a pair of ill-fitting shoes, which not only does not bring comfort, but can lead to a series of health problems.
I once met an old man in his 70s, who lived a regular life like a clockwork clock, went to bed early and got up early every day, and strictly followed the principle of "eight points full" in his diet, was not picky eaters, and did not have much pressure at work, and should have been a model of healthy old people. But recently, he always feels weak, as if he has been drained of strength, and the problem of indigestion often comes to the door, and he feels that his stomach is clogged when he eats something, and he even feels suffocated in his chest from time to time, as if he is pressed by a big stone. Seeing his uncomfortable appearance, his family hurriedly took him to the hospital for examination. After a series of detailed examinations, the results were somewhat surprising, his stomach capacity was significantly reduced, like a pocket that had been reduced in size, and the rate of emptying of the stomach had also become sluggish, and he had already developed mild symptoms of gastric atrophy.
It turned out that his long-term insistence on "eight points full" unconsciously turned into excessive dieting, and the stomach could not get enough "work tasks" for a long time, and while the burden was reduced, the secretion of gastric juice also became insufficient, just like the factory reduced the supply of raw materials, the production efficiency was greatly reduced, and over time, the digestion and absorption function was seriously affected. The doctor patiently told him that although the concept of eight points of satiety is correct, as he gets older and his stomach function gradually declines, he needs to flexibly adjust the amount of food according to his actual situation, and he can no longer blindly stick to this standard. Therefore, after the age of 55, all organs of the body are slowly "retiring", and our dietary patterns have to be like flexible dancers, adjusting in time according to the changes in the body to ensure adequate nutrition and the gastrointestinal tract will not be overly constrained. When you eat, do you adjust the amount of food according to your physical condition? Have you ever felt unwell because of the blind pursuit of "eight points full"?
Dinner time: A healthy game of morning and evening
Speaking of dinner, many people know that it is not advisable to eat too late, otherwise it is like arranging a late-night overtime for the stomach, and the stomach and intestines cannot fully digest food at night, which is easy to cause problems such as reflux esophagitis, just like food in the stomach and intestines "make trouble", disturbing people uneasy. But it's easy to overlook the fact that dinner too early can also be a health hazard, especially for people over the age of 55.
I had an aunt who had a good habit of going to bed early and waking up early, eating dinner on time around 6 p.m. every night, then not eating and climbing into bed early at 10 p.m. I thought that such a regular life would make her in good health, but I didn't expect that after a while, her weight plummeted like a slide, and she was often woken up hungry in the middle of the night, and her stomach was "gurgling" non-stop, like a small alarm clock reminding her that it was time to eat. At first, she thought that her appetite had deteriorated and she didn't pay much attention to it, but then the situation became more and more serious, and she even had severe symptoms of hypoglycemia, and she was not energetic. After careful analysis, the doctor found that the problem was her early dinner time.
After dinner, after a few hours of exertion, the body's energy reserves are already exhausted, but they are not replenished in time, resulting in a sharp drop in blood sugar levels, just like a car running out of gas and naturally unable to run. This not only seriously affected her sleep quality at night, but also woke up groggy and without energy the next day. Later, the doctor advised her to adjust the dinner time and diet, postpone the dinner time a little, and eat some easily digestible snacks after dinner. After a period of adjustment, the aunt's condition has improved significantly, she is no longer bothered by low blood sugar, and she can sleep sweetly and peacefully at night.
Studies have shown that the best time for dinner should be 3 to 4 hours away from bedtime, and this interval is like setting a reasonable digestive body clock for the body, which can ensure that dinner has enough time to digest and avoid a lack of energy supply at night. For people over 55 years old, the body's metabolic ability is like a clock that gradually slows down, and the replenishment and consumption of energy is no longer as efficient and rapid as when you were young, so it is even more important to arrange dinner time scientifically and reasonably, neither too early nor too late. What time is your usual dinner? Is there an inappropriate dinner time that interferes with your sleep or health?
Light diet, too much
On the road of pursuing health, a light diet is like a bright star, favored by middle-aged and elderly people, especially those with chronic diseases such as hypertension and high blood sugar. A light diet is indeed good for health, like giving the body a gentle cleanse, which can reduce the burden on the body. However, some people go too far on the path of pursuing a light diet, like going further and further down a narrow road, and this tendency to overdo it can lead to an unbalanced nutrient intake, which can lead to a more complex and serious set of health problems.
In fact, moderate oils and seasonings are like little magic in cooking, which plays an integral role in the body. Not only can they help the body better absorb certain nutrients, like a small key that opens the door to nutrient absorption, but also make food more delicious, improve the taste of food, promote digestion and absorption, and make eating a pleasure.
I once met an aunt in her 60s who had high blood pressure and followed her doctor's advice to follow her doctor's advice in order to strictly control her blood pressure. She hardly eats any food with a high salt content, and every meal is as light as a glass of boiled water, with almost no oil and salt. At first, she was proud of her self-discipline and felt that she was one step closer to her health. But over time, the problem gradually became apparent.
She found that her skin was becoming drier and drier, like a parched earth, losing its former luster and elasticity, her hair had become thinning, and every time she washed her hair, she could see a lot of hair loss, and her physical strength was not as good as before, and she was out of breath after a few steps, and felt that her body was hollowed out. Seeing that her physical condition was getting worse and worse, the aunt was anxious and hurried to the hospital for an examination. After a detailed examination, the doctors found that her body lacked essential fatty acids, and the barrier function of her skin was impaired, like a castle without the protection of the city walls, and became fragile. The long-term low-fat diet caused her to have unbalanced nutrition, and her body could not effectively absorb fat-soluble vitamins, which eventually affected her health.
In fact, it is not uncommon for aunts to have such cases, especially for those elderly people with chronic diseases, and it is not wise to over-control the intake of oil and salt for a long time. The body still needs a certain amount of oil, especially healthy fats rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as olive oil, fish oil, etc., which are like little guards of the body and have important benefits for cardiovascular health and immune function. Therefore, maintaining a moderate intake of fats and fats will not only make meals more delicious and appealing, but also ensure that your body is getting enough nutrients to maintain a healthy state. Do you pay attention to the intake of fats and salts in your diet? Have you ever had a nutritional deficiency due to the excessive pursuit of a light diet?
Drinking water: a neglected cornerstone of health
One of the most common problems I see with older patients over the age of 55 is not drinking enough water. As they grow older, many elderly people seem to have lost their ability to perceive thirst, and are no longer as keenly aware of the body's need for water as they were when they were young, thus reducing their water intake, and even many people have developed the habit of not drinking water, and they always ignore drinking water when eating, which seems to be a trivial but vital thing. As everyone knows, water is a key element for maintaining life activities for various functions of the body, just like sunlight and rain and dew are for plants, especially for the health of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, skin and other aspects.
There is a 65-year-old man who has never developed a good habit of actively drinking water, and only relies on the little water intake in meals every day to meet the needs of the body, completely ignoring the importance of plain water. As the days passed, he gradually felt that something was wrong with his body. His kidney function began to gradually decline, like an old machine, running more and more hard, often constipated, every time he went to the toilet it was like an uphill battle, and his skin became dry and rough, covered with fine lines, like a piece of paper that had lost its moisture. Seeing that his physical condition was deteriorating, the uncle went to the hospital accompanied by his family. After a detailed examination by the doctor, it was found that he was severely dehydrated in his body, which had already caused damage to the metabolic function of his kidneys, and if he did not intervene in time, he may face more and more complex health challenges in the future.
In fact, water is the source of life, and this is especially important for the elderly. Sufficient water is like a lubricant for the body, which helps to maintain the flow of blood, let the blood flow in the blood vessels unimpeded, prevent constipation, and also help the kidneys detoxify, remove the garbage and toxins in the body in time, maintain the elasticity of the skin, and keep the skin moist and shiny. Therefore, it is recommended that the elderly over 55 years old try to ensure 1.5 to 2 liters of water intake every day, just like providing sufficient "fountain of life" for various organs of the body, especially drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach, which is like injecting a fresh impetus into the machine of the body to help the body start a new day. Do you usually take the initiative to drink water? Will I be drinking enough water per day to meet the recommended level?