Senior Living Today
Welcome to The Ohio Masonic Communities' podcast Senior Living Today! In this podcast, we will be discussing all aspects of senior living. From debunking myths about senior living to caregiving tips and health and wellness advice for seniors, we are here to answer all of your questions, and what life is like at our communities. We are excited to share our expertise on a variety of senior living topics, with a new podcast every two weeks. We will have a wide variety of guests ranging from experts in the field to those living their best life in one of our communities.
Senior Living Today
The Importance of Diet and Nutrition
You can have your cake and eat it too, fats can be good, diet isn’t always best. Those are just some of the surprising things you’ll hear from a registered dietician. You won’t want to miss this in-depth discussion of nutrition information, plus practical tips for anyone in senior living or older adults.
{rerelease - episode originally released May 2023}
00;00;05;13 - 00;00;19;01
Alexandria
Hi everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Senior Living today. I'm really excited today to be joined by Rebecca Mullins. And today we're going to talk all about the importance of nutrition and a balanced diet. Rebecca, thank you so much for joining us.
00;00;19;03 - 00;00;20;21
Rebecca
Thanks for having me.
00;00;20;23 - 00;00;24;13
Alexandria
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at Springfield Masonic Community?
00;00;24;15 - 00;00;37;03
Rebecca
Well, I've been a registered dietitian for a little over seven years, and I've been here at SMC for about four of those years, and I worked in this field and long term care for my whole career to date. So that's kind of my area.
00;00;37;05 - 00;00;49;13
Alexandria
So as a registered dietitian, I'm sure you know that, many people think that if food is nutritious or healthy for them, it might not be the most tasty. So how do you counteract that opinion?
00;00;49;16 - 00;01;27;07
Rebecca
Well, I would say that that depends on your definition of tasty and your definition of nutritious. Depending on your health goals and your tastes, it's going to differ from person to person. But with any sort of drastic change in habit, it's important to set smaller, more achievable goals that you can take smaller steps to achieve that larger goal that you're wanting to achieve overall. And that's the same with eating habits. So, for example, if you wanted to drink more water instead of other beverages like pop but you don't like the taste of water, you can start by adding flavoring so it's more palatable, and then slowly decreasing the amount of that extra flavoring that you're adding until it's just plain water, and your taste will adjust for that.
00;01;27;10 - 00;01;35;23
Alexandria
So making small changes, not totally changing your entire diet is probably the best way to go about making those healthy lifestyle changes.
00;01;35;25 - 00;01;36;20
Rebecca
Right.
00;01;36;22 - 00;01;46;27
Alexandria
So regardless of our age, I know that many of us worry about our weight. If caregivers notice unintentional weight loss in those that they're caring for, how can they help with this problem?
00;01;46;29 - 00;03;17;17
Rebecca
Well, me specifically, that's mostly what I do. I monitor residents’ weights at least monthly in this setting. So if there's been any drastic change from the previous weight, either gain or loss, then I’ll assess the situation and together with the person will determine the best course of action. And that's going to differ based on each person. So if you're experiencing unintentional weight loss in this setting, we're first going to try to determine the cause of that. So for example, if you had a recent acute illness like the flu or Covid or something else that could have contributed to decreased appetite. So there's a number of things that could have contributed to that. So I would recommend, if you're experiencing unintentional weight loss at home to speak with your doctor or registered dietitian. In this setting, though, we'll look at your current medications, or if you've had any changes in medications that could have contributed to that unintentional weight loss, like a diuretic or a water pill, which could have been more of a fluid loss, but a nutritional loss. But if we determine that it's more of a nutritional loss, then we'll discuss what changes in foods or snacks we can make to make the food more appetizing and appealing. I would also ask to have your weights measured more often, so we can see if those interventions have had any effect. So maybe once a week or a few times a week. And we have a food first approach here. So if the food first approach hasn't made a positive effect and will pursue adding different nutrition supplements such as Ensure or Boost, magic cups, that kind of thing, protein supplements, and coordinate with the doctor for any medication changes that may need to take place.
00;03;17;20 - 00;03;27;29
Alexandria
So, speaking of protein, we know that people of all ages need to make sure that they're getting enough of that in their diet. What are some good sources of protein that you would recommend for people to eat?
00;03;28;02 - 00;05;19;13
Rebecca
Well, it's important to make note that not everybody needs additional protein in their diet. And in fact, in some cases, it can contribute to exacerbating certain conditions like chronic kidney disease or elevated blood lipids and heart disease. That's because your kidneys process the protein so it can be taxing on them, if they're having to work in overdrive, and it can lead to elevated blood lipids, because if you're eating a lot of high protein foods, a lot of those are high in saturated fat. So it's important to talk with your doctor or dietitian to get an individualized recommendation on how much you should be getting. The typical amount for an average person with no underlying health concerns would be .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, which amounts to 0.36g of protein per pound of body weight. There's two sources of where you can get protein from. There's animal based foods and plant based foods. So the animal based foods tend to be a good source of the complete protein, meaning that it contains all of your essential amino acids. So some examples of that are meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy foods. Plant foods that would have protein would be fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds. But they often lack one or more of the essential amino acids. You can pair those with other plant based protein foods to get all those essential amino acids, and that's known as complementary proteins. So, for example, a lot of those we do anyways like hummus and pita chips. So those kind of complement each other. They include all your essential amino acids. And that's not having to have meat or an animal based protein source. So others foods that are specifically high in protein besides meat would be oats, cottage cheese, eggs, tofu, yogurt, beans, peanut butter. All of those are good. And then protein supplements are always an option as well.
00;05;19;16 - 00;05;23;24
Alexandria
So there's a lot of options out there even for somebody who might not consume meat.
00;05;23;26 - 00;05;25;10
Rebecca
Right.
00;05;25;12 - 00;05;32;19
Alexandria
So if someone's wanting to improve their health, are there certain foods that they should avoid or certain foods that you would recommend adding to their diet?
00;05;32;21 - 00;06;15;02
Rebecca
Well, I wouldn't say that there's good or bad specifically type foods. In general, it's just more of your if it's your habit versus the actual food. So we as dietitians have the motto “everything in moderation.” So, you shouldn't deprive yourself of any specific food or nutrient unless otherwise your health indicates that. Our bodies are good at signaling to us our cravings for specific foods or nutrients that we may be lacking. So you can have your cake and eat it too, if you eat one piece. But if you eat the entire cake, then yes, that would be a bad eating habit and that can lead to health concerns. So that's the same with any food or nutrient. Too much of anything can be bad.
00;06;15;05 - 00;06;16;18
Alexandria
So moderation is key.
00;06;16;21 - 00;06;18;17
Rebecca
Yes.
00;06;18;19 - 00;06;28;11
Alexandria
So another thing, I feel like there's this misconception out there that, fat is bad for us. Can you talk about the healthy kind of fats that we should be consuming?
00;06;28;13 - 00;08;06;00
Rebecca
Yeah. Going back to the previous answer, fat isn't necessarily bad. We actually, our bodies need it to function properly. So there's actually a lot of research showing that high fat diets can actually help people feel less hungry, since it's more satisfying and it can benefit your heart health. So there's three types of macronutrients that we consume; there's carbs, proteins, and fats. And if you take one of those away, then you're adding more to the others. So if you eat foods that are meant to be low fat versions, then that alters the taste. So they tend to use other ingredients like flour, sugar, salt, that kind of thing, which means more calories. So and they're usually not as appealing and they're less satisfying, so you may end up eating too much of them. So with fats there are saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature and they're mostly found in meat, poultry, dairy products. Saturated fats are called saturated because of their chemical structure. So, they should make up less than 6% of your daily caloric intake. So since they tend to stay solid, they can cause fatty deposits in your blood vessels, and that can lead to the hardening of your arteries. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are usually liquid at room temperature, and they're less likely to clog your arteries. Most unsaturated fats are derived from plant sources like avocados and nuts, and they differ from saturated fats just in their chemical structure. Mono unsaturated fats and and polyunsaturated fats are different types of unsaturated fats, but you can find those in canola oil, olive oil, fatty fish like tuna, safflower oil, and corn oil.
00;08;06;03 - 00;08;12;24
Alexandria
So not all fat is bad. And it's once again one of those situations of everything in moderation.
00;08;12;27 - 00;08;15;21
Rebecca
Yes, we actually need fat. That is good.
00;08;15;23 - 00;08;30;10
Alexandria
So let's talk a little bit about fluids in our diet. I know we touched a little bit on sugary drinks earlier on ways to make water more appealing. So how should we be incorporating fluids into our diet?
00;08;30;12 - 00;09;02;28
Rebecca
Again, this isn't really a one size fits all. Just so you're so you're aware, some people need to restrict how much fluid that you get if you have congestive heart failure, kidney disease, that kind of thing. So it'd be important to get individualized recommendations regarding what you should take in. But anything that would be fluid or liquid at room temperature would count as a fluid. So popsicles are fluid. You can get water from, even like fruits, like watermelons that are more containing water, that kind of thing.
00;09;03;00 - 00;09;08;05
Alexandria
So there's ways to get additional fluids in your diet besides just drinking a ton of water every day.
00;09;08;08 - 00;09;12;08
Rebecca
Yes, even the fluid in soups would count towards that.
00;09;12;11 - 00;09;24;25
Alexandria
So what should we know about sugar free and diet foods? I think sometimes these are advertised to us as being healthier options, but I know that might not always be the case. So what should we know about those?
00;09;24;28 - 00;09;54;04
Rebecca
Yeah, kind of like what I was talking about earlier with the fats. If they make low fat versions of things and they're not usually as appealing or tasty. So, with sugar free foods too, they often add sugar alcohols, and that can cause GI upset. But when they alter that taste with taking that fat out, they have some make up for that in other ways, and that can add calories, and it can negate the desirable effects that you were intending.
00;09;54;07 - 00;09;58;09
Alexandria
So sugar free and diet doesn't always mean healthier.
00;09;58;12 - 00;10;00;20
Rebecca
Right. Not always.
00;10;00;23 - 00;10;12;12
Alexandria
So I know that we hear a lot about the benefits of high fiber diets. What are some of those benefits and how can older adults add more fiber into their diet?
00;10;12;14 - 00;11;15;27
Rebecca
Well, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest. So even though most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules, which is called glucose, fiber can't be broken down. So instead it passes through your body undigested. Fiber helps regulate the body's use of sugars, helping keep hunger and blood sugar in check. On average, an adult would need 25 to 35g per day. There's two different kinds of fiber. There's soluble and insoluble. Soluble dissolves in water, but it can help lower blood sugar levels and blood cholesterol. Some sources you can find that are oatmeal, chia seeds, nuts, beans, lentils, apples, and blueberries. For insoluble fiber that does not dissolve in water, so it can help move the food through your digestive system, which promotes bowel regularity. And you can find that in wheat products, quinoa, brown rice, leafy greens, fruits with edible skins like pears and apples. And you can also get fiber supplements available over the counter.
00;11;15;29 - 00;11;27;24
Alexandria
So now I want to talk a little bit about, vitamin D. I feel like this is a vitamin that we hear a lot about as important to having a healthy diet. So how important is vitamin D?
00;11;27;27 - 00;13;09;23
Rebecca
Well, vitamin D promotes the calcium absorption in the gut, and it maintains adequate blood calcium and phosphate levels to enable your natural bone mineralization. So it's needed for bone growth and remodeling. Without enough of that, your bones can become brittle and thin. And together with calcium, it helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. It does have other roles in your body, too, like reduction of inflammation, as well as control of processes like cell growth, immune function, and glucose metabolism. It kind of does a lot more than what most people think. There's two different forms. There's vitamin D 2 and D 3 that are in food and dietary supplements. And your recommended dietary allowance will vary based on your age slightly. For a 51 to 70 year old, it is recommended for 15 micrograms or 600 international units per day. So that's what I would say on your bottle. If you're looking at supplements. Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, but some of those do include fatty fish like trout, salmon, tuna. Like we talked earlier with the fatty fish and fish liver oils. Beef liver, egg yolks, and cheese also have a small amount of natural vitamin D, and you can get vitamin D from sun exposure. However, older adults are, more of a risk of a deficiency because the skin's ability to synthesize that declines with age, and older adults are more likely to spend more time inside and may not have adequate intake that way. The last way you can get it is through supplements, like I mentioned, but it is important to note that excess amounts of vitamin D can be toxic.
00;13;09;25 - 00;13;14;11
Alexandria
So are there other vitamins that older adults should be mindful of?
00;13;14;13 - 00;13;40;06
Rebecca
Yeah. People over the age of 50 may need more vitamins and minerals than younger adults do. So your doctor or a dietitian could tell you whether you need to change your diet or take a vitamin and mineral supplement to get enough. They can monitor your lab levels and see if you're deficient in anything. But some of the other important ones to note are vitamin B6, calcium, and vitamin B12.
00;13;40;09 - 00;13;47;24
Alexandria
So what can we do to help our older population who might be experiencing a decreased appetite?
00;13;47;27 - 00;14;14;23
Rebecca
I would recommend speaking with your dietitian to see what foods, snacks, or nutrition supplements can be added to your diet, or what can make your food more appetizing if you have a decreased appetite. And you can speak with your doctor to try to assist you in why your appetite would be poor so they can tackle the source of the problem rather than just putting a Band-Aid over it. And there's also many medications that can be used that have a side effect of increasing your appetite that a doctor could add as well.
00;14;14;25 - 00;14;29;12
Alexandria
So that actually, leads perfectly into my last question I have for you today. I know many older adults take a variety of medications, so is there potential for medications and foods to interact? And how do dietitian handle that?
00;14;29;14 - 00;15;24;07
Rebecca
Yes, often food and medication does interact. So typically the doctor would monitor that and adjust that and would monitor labs as well. An example of that that you hear usually about is vitamin K and warfarin, the blood thinner. So new research has actually showed that you don't need to limit the amount of vitamin K you take in if you're on it, because they prescribe it based individually, they dose it based on your labs of your vitamin K that's in your body at the time of starting the medication. So it's important to remember to not eat extra vitamin K from what you're already eating, but continue what you're already doing, because that's how it was dosed. So that can be different on each nutrient in your body as well as different medications. So there's different ones that you would want to be aware of. And you should talk with your doctor when starting any new medication on any of that.
00;15;24;10 - 00;15;45;20
Alexandria
So it really sounds like, I know we see all these fads and diet trends out there, but it really sounds like diets aren't one size fits all and you really need to look at the health factors and medications that you might be taking and kind of plan your diet based around individual needs rather than these mass assumptions that we hear about.
00;15;45;23 - 00;15;53;22
Rebecca
Correct. Yeah, a lot of times people jump on bandwagons and it may not be the best thing to do for your health.
00;15;53;24 - 00;16;02;05
Alexandria
Well, Rebecca, I want to thank you so much for joining us today. I've learned a ton. I'm sure our audience has as well. So thank you so much for joining us.
00;16;02;07 - 00;16;03;28
Rebecca
Thanks for having me.
00;16;04;00 - 00;16;12;23
Alexandria
As always, please like and subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you all for listening and we will be back again in two weeks with the brand new episode.
