Getting older is hard on the body. Not only that, healthy living as a mature adult is a subject that not too many seniors are well-informed about. If you’re curious about some health tips for seniors, it’s crucial to really do your research before settling on a meal plan that’s too heavy, bland, or lacking in diversity. Thanks to great organizations like Seniors Helping Seniors, eating healthy as a senior has never been easier. That doesn’t mean that most mature adults couldn’t use a few pointers on how to maintain a healthy diet. For aging adults, here are some tips for sticking to a healthier, more sustainable diet into maturity.

Be Aware of Calcium Content

As adults age, the vitamins that were once in heavy supply become scarce. One of the most important things to consider is how much calcium a senior is getting. As seniors age and their bones weaken, it’s crucial to supplement meals with calcium, either in chewable form or taken as a pill. If you’re wondering which foods have a naturally high supply of calcium in them, milk and other dairy products are clear winners. However, don’t discount the impact of dark, leafy greens on a senior’s diet. Spinach, kale, okra, collard greens, and soy are all excellent supplies of calcium that can be incorporated in many different meals throughout the week, or even blended into a green smoothie for easy morning consumption.

Supplement Meals with Vitamins

Even eating a ton of the right stuff (lean protein, leafy greens, and calcium) won’t necessarily guarantee good health for an aging senior. One sure way to make sure an elderly adult is getting enough vitamins is to incorporate a multi-vitamin for mature adult needs into their pre-existing diet. This can help keep a senior’s eating schedule consistent without having to add in new, creative sources of vitamins into their diet. It’s also helpful to encourage a senior to take an omega-3 supplement to help prevent unhealthy aging.

Stay Heart Healthy

A senior’s heart health is extremely important, as it is at any age. When our bodies age, however, the stress on our organs increases, leading to unexpected failures in the body. One good way to prevent any cardiac issues is to pack a senior’s diet with heart-healthy foods that are low in cholesterol, such as avocados, leafy greens, walnuts, salmon, and other sources of “good fat.” If your senior is still active, incorporating some of these foods will help protect against muscle deterioration and inflammation. It’s not just about protecting the body against wear and tear, either. When an elderly adult is ingesting good sources of lean protein and healthy fats while keeping their sugar intake low, life expectancy increases by about ten years. That’s nothing to sneeze at.

Mix It Up

As with everything, moderation is key. While some “good fat” is great for the body, overdoing it in any area can just as quickly undo all the hard work a senior has done for their health. Try keeping mealtimes regular and finding new ways of integrating leafy greens, vegetables, and proteins into your senior’s diet for healthy results.