Making good nutritional choices is one of the best things you can do to improve your health. The foods that you eat, according to the article, “Dietary Guidelines for Chronic Disease Prevention,” by J. Shikany, may delay or prevent chronic diseases in later life and may potentially provide years of health, productivity and high functioning. What a bonus! Make good nutritional choices now and reap the benefits for a long time. To do this, you need to know what nutrients are essential and how to incorporate them into your diet. At Retirement & Assisted Living Communities of Retirement Unlimited, Inc., we provide a healthy variety of foods in our dining menu or you can use this information to prepare your own meals in the apartment kitchens in some of our retirement & assisted living communities.

Eating a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients may help reduce your risk for stroke, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. The essentials to look for include: calcium, fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and E. When combined, these nutrients can give you the benefits for healthy aging. Let’s take a look at each of these nutrients and what foods to find them. We’ll also give you a simple recipe for enjoying some of the nutrients.

•    Calcium is essential for bones and teeth as well as the function of muscles, nerves, and glands. Dairy products, of course, are good sources of this nutrient, but so are foods such as collard greens, soy beans, and sardines
•    Fiber comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps your cholesterol and insoluble fiber is essential for a healthy digestive tract. Good sources of fiber include beans, artichokes, pears, and wheat germ.
•    Iron provides red blood cells with what they need and helps your cells function in top form. Look for iron not only in red meat, but in lentils, lima beans.
•    Potassium helps your kidneys function in a healthy manner and regulates fluid retention. You can find potassium in bananas, potatoes, and dark leafy greens such as spinach.
•    Vitamins A, C, and E help your skin, keep fatty acids from oxidizing, keep teeth and gums healthy, aid in iron absorption and can protect against infections. You can find vitamin A in orange vegetables and fruits like sweet potatoes, carrots, mango, cantaloupe, and apricots. Vitamin E is abundant in dark leafy greens, red bell pepper, and papaya. And, of course, Vitamin C is found in all citrus fruits as well as red peppers and mangoes.

Here is a simple snack that you can prepare that is rich in many of the nutrients that we’ve described. This recipe was taken from the June 2009 issue of Cooking Light. Substitute any flavor of reduced fat yogurt in this recipe. For more healthy recipes for healthy aging, you can check out Cooking Light at www.cookinglight.com.

Blueberry-Orange Parfaits (makes 4 servings)
This snack comes together in a few minutes, if you purchase orange sections from the refrigerated part of the produce section. To make ahead, prepare parfaits and refrigerate, covered, for up to four hours; sprinkle with wheat germ just before serving. The oranges provide fiber, vitamin C, and potassium; yogurt provides protein, calcium, and potassium; blueberries provide fiber and vitamin C; and the wheat germ gives you protein, fiber, vitamin, and zinc.

1 ½ Tablespoons turbinado sugar
½ teaspoon grated orange rind
2 – 7 ounce containers reduced-fat plain Greek style yogurt
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups orange sections (about 2 large)
¼ cup wheat germ
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring until blended. Spoon ¼ cup blueberries into each of 4 tall glasses. Spoon about 2 ½ tablespoons of yogurt mixture over the blueberries in each glass. Add ¼ cup orange to each serving. Repeat layers with remaining blueberries, yogurt mixture, and oranges. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon wheat germ over each serving; serve immediately

If you prefer someone else to do your cooking for you, then explore our website and see what our communities have to offer. Contact the community closest to you by phone or e-mail or stop by for a visit. Take a tour, stay for a meal, and see what healthy choices Retirement Unlimited Inc. has to offer.

During the process of normal or “healthy” aging, there are natural changes that take place if one is free of any disease. Dr. Adam Gazzaley, MD of the University of California Memory and Aging Center has stated that some changes in the ability to think are considered a normal part of the aging process. Dementia, on the other hand, is not a normal outcome of aging. Being able to recognize the difference between normal aging and dementia in you or a loved one can assist you in determining when additional help or evaluation is needed. When the time comes for the help you need, turn to the retirement and assisted living communities of Retirement Unlimited, Inc for the right care at the right time.

Normal Aging
In normal aging, you can expect a number of skills and abilities to be intact or only slightly different. You will continue to be independent in what are considered daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, driving, and working. You may notice memory loss, but you will be able to give details about those incidents of forgetfulness; and you will be more concerned about this type of memory loss than your close family members. Despite these occasional lapses of forgetfulness, your memory for recent events and conversations will not be a problem. You may notice occasional difficulty with finding the right word that you want to use, but your vocabulary will remain rich. Also, a part of the aging process will be the annoying problem of getting lost in a familiar place. You may have to give yourself a few moments to remember your way (but you WILL remember). As you age, you may still be able to operate your common household appliances, even if you may be unwilling to learn how to use new devices.

Dementia
Now, contrast the abilities and skills of normal aging stated above with what you can expect with dementia. A person with dementia depends on others for those daily activities that will keep them independent. He or she will not be able to recall incidents of memory loss and may only complain about memory problems if specifically asked. These occasions of memory loss will become more of a concern for close family members than for the person. In addition, there may be a noticeable decline in memory for recent events or the ability to maintain a conversation. A person with dementia has considerable difficulty finding and using the right word. The person may use close substitutions for the word he/she wants or may use a description instead of the actual word. The ability to find the right word continues to decline in dementia. The person may lose his/her way in what was very familiar territory and sometimes may take hours to find their way back. Also, a person who has even early dementia will not be able to use common appliances and will be unable to learn how to operate even simple new devices.

Factors to Consider in Normal Aging vs. Dementia
Dr. Adam Gazzaley identifies a number of risk factors for decline that can lead to dementia. He also points to additional factors that can contribute to healthy aging. The risk factors are:
•    High blood pressure, diabetes, poor nutrition and social isolation
•    Heart disease
•    Family history of dementia
•    Stress and depression which negatively affect the healthy aging process
The important factors that will promote healthy aging include:
•    Don’t smoke and limit alcohol consumption
•    Maintain physical activity through exercise that promotes flexibility, strength, and mood
•    Keep up with routine medical care to maintain good health
•    Keep your heart healthy; as the doctor says “What’s good for the heart is good for the brain!”
•    Maintain your social contacts with friends and associates
Retirement and assisted living communities can provide healthy meals, fitness and wellness programs, and social opportunities for seniors.

Some information in this article was adapted from the “Normal Aging” article by Dr. Gazzaley’s. For more research on the normal aging brain, visit http://memory.ucsf.edu/Education/Topics/normalaging.html.