PT Health Life- Vitamins and minerals play an important role in maintaining the health of the elderly, but this does not mean that these nutrients should be supplemented arbitrarily. What and how to drink for the elderly requires advice from a specialist.
1. How to supplement vitamins for the elderly?
Elderly people are people aged 60 years or older. Many people, because of anxiety, often have the habit of arbitrarily supplementing vitamins , supplements , functional foods … because they think the body is not absorbing enough necessary nutrients.
However, the elderly do not know that vitamins and nutrients absorbed through daily eating are still the best. If the elderly have digestive problems that cause the body to lack nutrients, they can choose to drink milk , with priority given to fresh milk.
If the elderly or the elderly want to supplement vitamins, supplements, functional foods… they should consult a doctor. Absolutely do not buy and use arbitrarily because the elderly often have underlying diseases such as diabetes , cardiovascular disease , blood pressure, blood fat … Then medication is needed, the use of additional medications is necessary. Supplements or vitamins can cause a large amount of medicine to be absorbed into the body, affecting tolerability. Besides, it can cause the risk of drug interactions. Furthermore, each body condition has different needs for use and supplementation, no two people are the same.
In addition, overusing or arbitrarily using vitamins, supplements, and functional foods can affect health. Therefore, elderly people should consult a doctor to find the right vitamin with the appropriate dosage.
2. What should old and elderly people eat and drink?
In the elderly, digestive problems can be affected, leading to poor absorption. Especially in the summer, when the weather is hot, eating can be more affected. Elderly people can divide their meals into small portions throughout the day, choose soft foods and prepare them in liquid form for easy eating and absorption. Besides, it is necessary to ensure food hygiene and safety, eat cooked food and drink boiled water.
What should old people eat? Elderly people should choose vegetable proteins such as tofu, sesame, beans, peanuts… and lean meats to eat. In addition, you should supplement foods high in calcium such as fish, milk and dairy products, and eat lots of fruits and vegetables to provide vitamins and minerals. Some vegetables and fruits recommended for the elderly are: radishes, carrots, tomatoes, cauliflower, spinach, oranges, tangerines, papaya…
In addition, elderly people need to drink enough water, at least 1.5-2 liters per day. But be careful not to drink too much in the evening, especially before going to bed because it can affect sleep. Instead, you should divide the number of times you drink water into small portions during the day. If you drink too much water, it can cause urination disorders , nocturia…
In addition, the elderly need to maintain physical exercise with sports suitable to their physical condition such as walking , jogging, yoga , cycling… Elderly people need to pay attention when there are any abnormalities in the body. You may need to go to a medical facility immediately for examination. Avoid self-treatment at home using folk methods or using drugs of unknown origin that are dangerous to your health.
