Maintaining proper nutrition is essential to age healthily. Good nutrition provides you with energy, helps you control weight and prevents certain diseases like high blood pressure, osteoporosis and heart disease. One diet modification which is necessary for older adults is the reduction of salt, which can be challenging to adhere to since many pre-packaged foods or restaurant meals already have high salt content. As you age, changes in your home living situation, health status and medication can affect your ability to cook or feed yourself. Therefore, moving into a senior living community can help ease the transition and ensure that you can conveniently consume a healthy diet. Here is how senior living in North Valley, NM has programs that cater to finding healthier salt alternatives for your diet.
The Impact of High Salt Consumption on Your Health
High salt intake is associated with various health conditions like hypertension, with high blood pressure being the most prominent. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and blindness. Salt sensitivity increases with age, making individuals even more prone to these diseases. To maintain good health, professionals recommended a daily sodium intake of 1500-2000mg.
To reduce your salt intake, consider using salt alternatives such as herbs and spices to flavor your food instead. It is also best to avoid processed foods and opt for fresh ingredients to make meals from scratch. When snacking, you can also choose low-salt snacks such as unsalted nuts or homemade fruit bars.
Salt Alternatives
Spice up your dishes with a variety of fresh herbs and spices such as basil, rosemary, cumin and turmeric, which can add complex flavors without the need for salt. Many of these ingredients also contain essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Garlic is another excellent ingredient that can add depth to savory dishes, but do skip garlic salt when you are trying to limit your salt intake.
Often, a bland dish can be remedied with acid instead of salt. These comprise acidic liquids such as citrus juices or vinegar. Citrus zest can provide intense flavors, and infused oils like truffle oil or garlic-infused oil can add complexity to dishes.
Beer and wine can also be used to add flavor to soups, stews and braised dishes. Nutritional yeast is a vegan alternative to salt that provides a nutty, cheesy taste and is a good source of vitamin B12.
Dining Programs in Senior Living Residences
Senior living communities aim to provide nutritious meal plans for all residents. Our chefs use fresh, hand-picked ingredients to ensure that our residents receive the vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. Our Senior Living Restaurant-Style Dining program caters to the dietary needs of our residents, producing meals that are free of preservatives and suitable for those with medical concerns such as diabetes, heart disease or hypertension. Our chefs work together with nutritionists to gain an in-depth understanding of the unique needs of our residents, so that they can design a customized menu for you.
