The importance of a well-balanced diet can’t be understated. The foods you eat on a regular basis can help you live a healthy, active life—or they can work against you to foster illness, poor cognition and low energy.

Here are some benefits of healthy nutrition as you age and some practical ways to incorporate healthier eating habits into your daily routine.

Improved mental clarity: A diet rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients, like seafood, can help the brain stay healthy and strong. DHA, a compound found in fatty fish, helps support cognitive health and may even decrease the risk of developing dementia.

Increased energy: Eating the right types of food each day can help you feel better overall and give you more energy. As a good starting place, avoid processed foods and focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods. Combined with good sleep habits and proper stress management, you can achieve healthy energy levels in retirement to enjoy life to the fullest.

Prevent chronic disease: Proper nutrition provides us with energy, sharpens our minds, makes us feel better and can help control our weight. When you commit to eating a healthy, balanced diet, you can help prevent and slow the progress of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

Tips for Eating Well in Your Senior Years

No matter your age or your current eating habits, it’s never too late to improve your diet and change the way you think and feel about food. You can take steps now to improve your nutrition and your health by: 

Getting into a routine.

Avoid skipping meals, and aim to have breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Don’t overcomplicate your meals. Instead, aim to include quality proteins, colorful fruits and vegetables and healthy fats each time you eat.

Staying hydrated.

Staying hydrated can improve digestion, enhance metabolism, boost brain health and help you feel good overall. Older adults should aim to drink small amounts of water throughout the day to stay hydrated—around eight glasses! In addition to water, other liquids such as tea, soup and milk are great ways to keep your body hydrated. Conversely, avoid beverages with a lot of added sugar and salt.

Eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods.

According to the National Council on Aging, a balanced, nutrient-dense meal should consist of a lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy. Regularly eating a variety of fresh, wholesome foods will ensure you are providing your body with the proper nutrients it needs to stay healthy and strong in your senior years.

Reading the nutrition labels.

One of the best ways to eat healthier and avoid foods that are bad for you is to read your nutrition labels. Eat whole foods when you can and avoid processed foods, such as cookies, candies and fast food. If you buy packaged foods, look closely at the ingredients to see how much hidden sugar, salt or saturated fat is in the foods you consume most often.

Supporting Good Nutrition at The Reserve

At The Reserve of Geneva, we understand the important role that good nutrition has on the overall well-being of our residents. We also recognize that cooking in retirement can seem more like a chore, which can further encourage poor eating habits. For this reason, we take great pleasure in providing residents with high quality foods and services. Here, residents can select from an expansive upscale menu, planned and prepared by our onsite culinary director.

We offer a variety of dining options that cater to our residents’ unique tastes and lifestyles. For some residents, this might include sitting down in The Reserve’s spacious dining room for a healthy meal prepared for you with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. For others, it could mean grabbing a meal and eating on your private terrace or preparing a nutritious meal in your kitchen and serving dinner for family and or friends in The Reserve’s Private Dining room.

If you’d like to learn more about The Reserve and how we support good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle for our residents, schedule an in-person tour today! We look forward to meeting you.