Overcoming roadblocks to healthy eating

As you age, common problems can make it harder to follow through on healthy food choices. Here are suggestions for dealing with challenges that may affect eating: Problems chewing food: People who have problems with their teeth or dentures often avoid eating meat, fruits, or vegetables and might miss out on important nutrients. See your dentist to check for problems. Food tastes different: Growing older, dental problems, and medication side effects can change your sense of smell and taste. Try adding fresh herbs, spices, or lemon juice to your plate. Just not hungry: Changes to your body as you age can cause some people to feel full sooner than they did when younger. Try being more physically active. In addition to all the other benefits of exercise and physical activity, it may make you hungrier. Physical problems making it hard to eat: Illnesses like Parkinson’s disease, stroke, or arthritis can make it harder for you to cook or feed yourself. Talk with your doctor about meeting with an occupational therapist, who might suggest rearranging things in your kitchen, make a custom splint for your hand, or give you special exercises to strengthen your muscles. Find more information about common roadblocks to healthy eating and how to overcome them on NIA’s website, in both English and Spanish.

Share this information on social media: Overcome roadblocks to healthy eating! NIA has suggestions for older adults about how to approach common eating challenges, such as problems chewing or swallowing food, here: https://bit.ly/35AHCXZ