Vitamins and minerals are an essential part of everybody’s diets.  So why do elders often have to keep extensive track of the vitamins and minerals they consume?  The answer is quite simple.   Seniors don’t need nor want to consume as many calories as younger people.  Their bodies, however, still need an adequate amount of vitamins to maintain good health.  Every bite of food seniors consume needs to have many more vitamins and minerals than just about anybody else. Seniors face many changes as they age regarding digestion.  As people age, they don’t metabolize food as quickly, which means that they don’t burn as many calories as they once did.  As we know, many seniors face multiple health issues which lead them to take many medications.  These medications can lead to weight loss, which is dangerous as you age.  Decreased appetite and trouble burning calories lead many of our elders to simply not eat.  This then can lead to malnutrition and many other problems.  It is important that seniors go to the doctor often and are honest about their weight, medication, and digestion issues.  People often cannot taste as well when they age.  If a certain food contains salt or other unhealthy ingredients, the elders often don’t can’t taste these parts.  Increased salt intake will often lead to high blood pressure which is detrimental to someone’s health.  There are numerous problems that can easily arise as we age, however, there are many vitamins and minerals which are recommended for the well-being of seniors.  Here is a list and their benefits:

Vitamin B12:

• Found often in fish, eggs, and milk, this vitamin is essential in the creation of red blood cells.
• Aids in the formation of cells. Also beneficial in creating a healthy immune system

Folic Acid:

• Often found in fruits and vegetables. Folic acid is beneficial in helping the body maintain and produce cells.

Calcium:

• Calcium is an important part of everyone’s diet. Calcium helps strengthen our bones and as we age, bone strength is essential to keeping good health
• Found in milk, eggs, and fish.

Iron:

• Seniors need to consume iron in order to stay clear of anemia and other health issues.
• Iron is found in many meats.

Vitamin C

• Helps with the formation of bones and cartilage.
• Enables body to efficiently use fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
• Decreases risk of stroke.
• Found in oranges, broccoli, peppers, strawberries, and many other fruits and vegetables.

In conclusion, it is essential that our seniors take good care of their bodies and this all starts with taking adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. We all need vitamins in order for our bodies to function. As we age, it is common to take more medications due to an increase in diseases or conditions which affects our body’s overall health. This increase in medication can make people lose their appetites, which means people don’t consume as many vitamins and minerals as they should. Without them, seniors could become weak and this could lead to health problems.  It is important that we take care of our elders and supply them with the vital nutrients they need to survive. Make sure to visit a doctor and if recommended, take a daily multivitamin to stay healthy.