A holistic approach to eating
The The Australian government’s Eat for Health website has some helpful and easy to follow recommendations on how we can nourish our bodies as we age. These guidelines focus on eating nutritious foods that satisfy our energy needs and promote overall wellbeing and encourage us to embrace a diverse range of foods from the five recommended food groups. It is important to remember that we are not aiming for perfection (which is not a realistic goal). It isn’t necessary to consume from every food group daily; instead, try finding foods that work best for us individually.
Think about using the guidelines as a way to embrace a holistic approach to eating that supports our wellbeing and celebrates the diverse pleasures of food – not as a rigid set of rules.
We have outlined here some of the recommendations made by the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
Consume nutritious food and drink that meet our energy needs and keep us feeling satisfied. This can help to maintain muscle strength and better manage health problems. The best way to do this is by eating a variety of foods from the five recommended food groups and to follow the recommended number of serves.
Enjoy a variety of foods from the five food groups every day. This includes:
- A variety of types and colours of vegetables, legumes and beans
- Fruit
- Grains, preferably wholegrain or grains high in fibre, such as breads, rice, pasta and noodles
- Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu and nuts
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese or alternatives such as plant milks with added calcium, and nuts high in calcium such as walnuts and almonds.
Drink plenty of water every day. Some studies have found that because our appetite and thirst tends to reduce as we age, we may not realise our bodies are craving water. It’s also common for us to be taking medication regularly that dehydrates us.
For these reasons it’s important to know how to recognise the signs of dehydration – some of them are:
- Dark-coloured urine or urinating less frequently
- Fatigue or feeling weak
- Irritability
- Dizziness or headaches
- Muscle cramps in arms or legs
- Dry mouth
- Confusion or lower cognitive function
Try to limit the amount of food high in saturated fat, salt or sugar, and alcohol. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend replacing these foods with other alternatives to help increase the nutritional value of the foods we eat.
While it is important to keep this in mind, limiting our relationship to food to being just about energy intake misses the nuance of what leads to unhealthy relationships with food. Making drastic changes to what we eat can also be challenging and hard to maintain for long. If you are wanting to make some changes to what you eat, start small and pick one or two achievable goals first. Talk to your doctor about your personal health needs.
More resources on nutrition for older women
- Eat for Health Calculators can help you work out your daily energy needs and nutrient requirements
- The Risk Checker can help you assess your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease and give you tips on how to lower your risk
- Nutrition Australia outlines special considerations for older adults
- Better Health Nutrition needs when you’re over 65
- If you’re interested in reading more about the link between diet and arthritis, Arthritis Australia have lots of resources.