Father's Day celebrates all the incredible fathers and father figures who fill our lives with love. Sri lankan culture, no matter what the religious background is, always teaches to respect and care for the elders. Even though father’s day is not an inherent part of the culture, if it can bring happiness to the man who gave us everything, why not?
Sri Lankan fathers are heroes. They do not think twice to protect and provide for their families and children without thinking about themselves. Therefore, this article is for every child who wants the best for their fathers who loved them endlessly.
Do you have an idea on how to manage your father’s nutrition? If not, here are some tips for you.
First of all, let’s get to know why proper nutrition is important for your elderly father.
Importance of proper nutrition for elderly and maturing fathers in Sri Lanka
It is a fact that good nutrition is important to everyone, no matter the age. But as we or our loved ones age, the focus on nutrition shifts to younger family members, who are still growing up. Therefore, it is a common thing for adults and elderly people to suffer from nutrient deficiencies. Good nutrition is one of the most important factors for healthy aging in Sri Lanka.
Good and proper nutrition during elderly age,
- Can give energy
- Can help control weight
- Help prevent diseases like osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart diseases and type 2 diabetes(1)
- Help recover from illnesses
- Eating together can be a huge factor in improving their nutrition
First of all, our parents' biggest wish is to spend their time with their children and grandchildren. Social connections become way more important for elderly than any gifts or wealth. Beyond the cards and gifts, what else can make them happy other than a delicious and nourishing meal? Eating together with your aging father can give multiple benefits for them.
- It can improve their quality of life.
- It can improve their overall health.
- It can control their food intake and they tend to make more healthier food choices(2).
- They are less likely to suffer from depression in the long run.
- It makes them happier.
- It can help reduce the risk of diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes (3).
- Involve your father in meal planning
As they get older, as arthritis, gradual vision and taste loss kicks in, it becomes harder for them to move heavy tools, taste food and cook aesthetically pleasing food. But without sending him out of the kitchen, you can make him help you in the kitchen as needed.
Begin by selecting recipes together. Ask if there is anything he likes to eat. This can be an opportunity for both of you to look back on your childhood memories with your father on your favourite recipes growing up.
Make your father the official taste tester for the kitchen.
You also can ask help from him to set the table for the meal. Make him feel welcomed and included in the household work.
- Make mealtimes fun and engaging for your father
Meal time conversations are always a game changer in making elders happy, always. When they eat together with family and friends, they tend to eat more and make healthier food choices even if they are picky eaters.
If you can, invest in comfortable seating for your father with appropriate lighting in the dining area. This will help him to have proper posture and will minimize visual changes and make food look more appealing.
- Focus on small and sustainable changes
If your father did not follow a quiet healthy eating style, you can start making small changes in his diet. It is never too late to adapt for a good, healthy and a filling diet. As always, you can increase the variety of his diet, including fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, eggs and dairy. Try to spread these food types throughout the day. It is good and important for you to choose foods with little added sugar, saturated fats and sodium.
- Add sliced fruits and vegetables to meals or snacks.
- Always read the food ingredients. Make sure to give him food with/ fortified with vitamin B12.
- Reduce sodium intake by reducing salt amounts. It is a fact that our kitchen cabinets are filled with different herbs and condiments. So try seasoning your father’s foods using those and reducing the salt used (5).
But if your father is at risk or already has different diseases, make sure to comply with food guidelines given by health professionals.
- Seek nutritional support with Nestlé Health Science products
As our fathers age, they naturally lose their ability to digest food and absorb nutrients over time. This can result in nutritional gaps, tiredness, knee and back pain etc.
Nestlé Health Science Sri Lanka has a variety of products that can help your aging father with different conditions.
Nestlé® BOOST®
This is a nutritional supplement that can be included as a part of a healthy diet. It can provide calcium to support bones, protein to support muscle mass and extra energy to wipe out tiredness.
Nestlé® BOOST® contains,
- 45g of protein per 3 servings
- 16 vitamins and minerals
- Low fat amounts
- Low GI
Sustacal®
Sustacal® is a nutritionally complete supplement for people who need extra nutritional support. It can help you get back your fathers energy to let him enjoy being active again. Therefore, this can be given to elderly with malnutrition, cancer, low weight and to recover from surgeries.
Sustacal® has a unique combination of high quality protein, vitamin E, prebiotics and probiotics that helps to reduce infections by 41%.
Resource® whey protein
This is another nutritional supplement offered by Nestlé Health Science. It contains 100% high quality whey protein (88g of whey protein per 100g). This can be given to patients with malnutrition or patients with increased protein intakes. The speciality of this product is that it is neutral in taste. Therefore it can be added to foods like soups or beverages to increase the protein intake of elderly.
Resource® Diabetic
As the name implies, this supplement is specifically formulated for people with diabetes. It can be used as the sole source of nutrition or as a supplement. It also can be a part of a healthy diabetic meal plan. It is also
- Lactose free
- Gluten free
- Low in cholesterol
- GI is 28
Celebrating Father's Day with a delicious and nutritious meal cooked with love is a perfect way to show Father that you care. By focusing on family meals, incorporating healthy Sri Lankan dishes, and potentially using Nestlé Health Science products to address any nutritional gaps, you can promote Father's well-being and create lasting memories.
References
- MedlinePlus. Nutrition for Older Adults [Internet]. medlineplus.gov. 2019. Available
from:
https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html#:~:text=Good%20nutrition%20is%20important%2C%20no - Eto K, Sakamoto T, Ainuki T. A Review on Eating Together and Its Health, Diet, and Lifestyle Influences among Japanese. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. 2022 Nov 30;68(Supplement):S52–4.
- contractor. How Eating Together Improves Senior Nutrition | Heritage [Internet].
Heritage Senior Living. 2021 [cited 2024 May 21]. Available from:
https://heritagesenior.com/blog/2021/11/17/benefits-of-eating-together/ - Ways to Involve Your Loved One in the Kitchen [Internet]. Artis Senior Living. 2019
[cited 2024 May 21]. Available from:
https://artisseniorliving.com/blog/5-ways-to-involve-your-loved-one-in-the-kitchen/ - Healthy Meal Planning: Tips for Older Adults [Internet]. National Institute on Aging.
Available from:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-eating-nutrition-and-diet/healthy-meal-planning-tips-older-adults#:~:text=Older%20adults