Most of us are stuck with the belief that our nutrition needs will remain more or less same throughout our lives. But the fact is that as we age, our nutrition needs also tend to change. The kind of repair work our body needs is dependent on our age. Some nutrition needs to be taken in a heavier quantity than the others. Though some of us are aware about the increasing nutritional demands of the body, what we do not know is the precise age to change them. Ideally, we should revise our nutrition chart, by the time we are 30. Once we are done with our 30’s, it could be too late. Some of the nutritions that should be changed:

• Vitamin B12- This is an important vitamin in terms of its functions. Vitamin B12, as a vital nutrition never gets its due. This vitamin handles some very important functions such as production of blood cells, improving concentration and helping in nerve functioning. It cannot be produced by the body and needs to be taken through external sources. People who follow a non-vegetarian diet do so by taking vitamin B12 along with eggs and meat. But even the vegetarians can consume it in the form of dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt. The catch in this is that a person needs to have vitamin B12 along with proteins. A people age, this becomes a tough task for the body to achieve as stomach acid decreases. Post the age of 50, the need becomes much higher. Under such circumstances, people can opt for fortified foods such as fortified cereals and supplements.

• Bananas- The poor man’s fruit is rich in nutrition and much needed as we age. Hypertension (blood pressure) is one of the most common ailments to afflict us as we age. To ensure that we can control this disorder we need to decrease the intake of sodium and increase the intake of potassium. Though both the salts serve as important electrolytes, we need potassium in higher quantities. One can also have broccoli and baked potatoes in their skin as a replacement.

• Have more spice- Another factor that is common with age is a drop in the functioning of taste bud power. So we miss the typical spicy flavor that we are so used to. In such cases, people tend to add more salt through the salt shaker. But then again, you are only adding to you hypertension woes. In place of that, add some other spices that do not include sodium. It could be the perfect excuse to experiment. Another good fact with over spicy food is that it can help a person have more milk and water.

• Get hydrated- Another thing that you can do is start having more water. As it is, when we age, it takes a toll on the skin with added wrinkles and decrease in muscle quantity. With age, we don’t even realize that our sense of thirst is decreasing. Besides, by the time you are that old, intake of drugs for age related disorders increases. Such drugs tend to dehydrate the body by stripping it of fluids. Hence, it is important to have more water.  Along with that, one should also limit intake of coffee tea and alcohol as they are diuretics.

• More calcium- This vital nutrient gets credit for gaining maximum attention as people age. Calcium is extremely important for the body as it an increase bone density and make it strong. One of the best sources of calcium is milk, something that almost everyone consumes in the form of tea or coffee.  Despite that, calcium deficiency is high. In case, one is suffering from calcium deficiency, they can take supplements to combat.

• Get more Vitamin D- Vitamin D aids calcium absorption. But getting this vitamin can be a tough job as it can only be procured from natural sunlight so if you live in a regions that remains cold for a major part of the year, vitamin D deficiency may be unavoidable. But one can have it is the form of fortified foods or milk that is high in fat content.

• Have more fiber- As we age, we tend to become more prone to constipation and gastric issues. In such cases, one should have more fiber as it can help people pass stool easily.

People who read above article also read the following...