Affordable Nutrition for Adults
As we age, there may be a number of reasons why healthy eating becomes more of a challenge. Physical and financial limitations may make it difficult to follow a healthy diet. But, eating well at this stage of life is just as important as any other time of life, so it's important to work affordable nutrition into your meals every day.
Here are some important foods to work into your diet. Remember, good nutrition doesn't have to be expensive. If you shop smart and emphasize healthy choices, eating well on a budget doesn't have to be a challenge.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh produce from your local grocery or farmers market is best, but frozen is often an economical solution. Plus, frozen foods can always be bought in bulk.
Grains
Emphasize whole grains like whole wheat bread, brown rice, and whole wheat pastas.
Meats
Ground meat, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, and foods made with milk are all good sources of meat protein.
Be sure to pay attention to the amount of saturated fat, sodium and sugar, especially in processed foods. While processed food may be convenient, they can easily cause a negative impact on your diet and your budget, so purchase them sparingly.
Smoking and Tobacco Use
Death from smoke and other tobacco uses are the most preventable in the United States. Tobacco is responsible for more than 440,000 deaths every year according to the American Cancer Society.
Regardless of whether or not you think that smoking is bad for you, quitting has immediate and long-term effects that you can feel are good for you. Within just a few hours of quitting, your lungs breathe easier, and your heart rate returns to normal.
Over the course of several years, your risk for heart disease is no more than that of someone who has never touched tobacco. It's hard to ignore that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US.
Choose to quit, and you will sleep better, breathe easier, and live longer. There are now many different popular options to quit, and support groups that will be with you every step of the way.
Alcohol
As we get older, some of us may have to deal with the loss of a spouse, child, or family member, or other major life changes that make every day tasks seem impossibly difficult. When we're in those situations, sometimes we turn to alcohol, thinking that a brief reprieve will alleviate the emotions or stress involved.
If you think that you or a loved one might have an alcohol problem, it is never too late in life to benefit from an intervention, support from friends, or a compassionate counselor. The depression and sickness brought on by alcoholism is not permanent, and you can experience a gratifying and positive quality of life.
