Diet and Use of Alcohol and Tobacco among Aging People

As we grow older, our dietary habits seem to become more deeply entrenched. As a consequence, deficiencies in the diet are perpetuated and can eventually cause trouble. Most people get enough carbohydrate (sugars and starches) and fat in their meals but protein is often inadequate. Meat and fish are the most important sources of protein, but dairy products and vegetables such as beans are also good sources.

All the required vitamins (except vitamin C) can be obtained each day by drinking several glasses of milk enriched with vitamin D. A glass of orange or tomato juice will provide the necessary vitamin C. Vitamin tablets should not be necessary unless the diet itself is deficient. Similarly, the widely advertised “health foods” really contribute nothing that an economical, well-balanced diet can’t provide.

Dietary excesses can be even more harmful than dietary inadequacies. Insurance statistics prove conclusively that being overweight shortens life. The overweight person is much more likely to have high blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, and diabetes, to mention a few. Although it sometimes doesn’t seem so, weight gain from fat accumulation occurs only if the number of calories consumed is greater than the number burned. Because older people tend to be less active and burn fewer calories, they often have an increasing problem with their weight.

Despite all that has been said on the subject, the only proven way of losing weight is to reduce calorie intake below output, that is, go on a reduction diet. Such diets can themselves be hazardous if they are deficient in essential foodstuffs, or if they are combined improperly with diets for other disorders such as diabetes or heart disease. For these reasons the diet should be supervised closely by a physician, and fad diets should be carefully avoided.

Use of alcohol and tobacco

The harmful effects of alcohol and tobacco are well established. Prolonged use of alcohol in excess can result in dietary deficiencies as well as changes in function of the liver and nervous system. Smoking can cause a chronic cough, reduced lung function, and heart disease. As everyone knows, the incidence of lung cancer is many times higher in smokers than in non-smokers.

The risks involved with drinking and smoking can, of course, be reduced if moderation is practiced, and they can be minimized if the habits are discontinued altogether. The decision is a personal one, but (he family doctor can be especially helpful in advising the degree of moderation necessary for a particular person. Most people who stop smoking notice a definite improvement in their feeling of well-being, as well as a real reduction in their various respiratory difficulties.