GETTING OLDER POSITIVELY
What do we mean by ‘older’? Passing the traditional retirement age of 60 or 65 is perhaps the first milestone. But we no longer think of ourselves as ‘old’ in our 60s. In the twenty-first century we may enjoy up to 40 or more retirement years. Although we hope this handbook will be helpful to all older vegetarians and vegans, it is focused more on the needs of people in their 80s and 90s than those in their 60s.
With a little luck - and if we work at it – our retirement years can be active, exciting and full. 85 year olds are probably less physically active than when they were 65, but that doesn’t mean that life has to be any the less full.
One important aim is to delay the need for expensive residential care for as long as possible. Unfortunately, in our ageing society, ever-more people end up suffering from dementia, often Alzheimer’s disease. In Vegetarian Living we explore ways to make our later years more fulfilling and how to try to avoid, or delay, dementia.
The typical vegetarian or vegan is more likely to enjoy good health, less likely to be obese and likely to live longer than average – so our chosen lifestyle gives us better prospects for an active and enjoyable old age. But, how do we maximize those prospects?
A POSITIVE APPROACH TO RETIREMENT
There is no one ‘right’ way to live our retirement years. As we move from our 60s through to our 80s and beyond, change is inevitable, but, because each of us is an individual, a personalised approach and ‘choice’ are important.
Some people retire in their 50s; others work full-time into their 70s or beyond. What’s important is to be flexible, and open to change, viewing retirement as one of life’s major opportunities.
We don’t pretend to be offering new advice. But, experience has shown us that some people do forget the ‘obvious’ as they get older. So, we feel it’s worth reminding you of a few ways to make the most of your retirement.
* Part-time work – try something new
* Consultancy - make the most of your skills and experience
* Voluntary work – ‘put something back’- there are many opportunities
* Community involvement – be active in your neighbourhood
* Family & friends - take an interest in others and have an active social life
* Child care – be involved with children to keep younger
* Use the internet – email is a great way to keep in touch
* Learn computer / internet skills - if you don’t already have them
* Day / evening classes – take art, music, languages or practical skills
* Adult education - follow courses at your local college or the Open University
* The University of the Third Age - provides educational, creative and leisure opportunities in a friendly environment
* Culture - go to theatres, concerts, galleries, and the cinema
* Take advantage of your free bus pass – for extra outings
* Exercise your mind - keep abreast of current affairs; visit your library; read widely; join a book or bridge club; do crosswords, su doku and other puzzles
* Exercise your body - keep your body active for better health in later years. Swimming, golf, tennis, table tennis and some gentler forms of exercise like yoga and Tai Chi are perfect for older people
* Walk or cycle regularly – take your bike to the shops; cancel your newspaper delivery and walk to the newsagents instead
* Combine fresh air and exercise – it makes you feel better
* Nature’s own therapy - visit the park, the beach, the river or a nature reserve; walk in the hills. Walk your local ‘patch’ regularly and note the seasonal changes to the birds, insects and flowers
* Feed your garden birds - then just sit back and watch the fun
* Meditate – meditation is a life-enhancing tool for many
FOOD & COOKERY
* Grow your own - gardening is one of life’s most rewarding activities. If you don’t have a garden, you may have a balcony or yard where you can grow salad leaves or herbs in pots; tomatoes or courgettes in grow bags. Grow herbs or cress in pots on the window sill.
* Sprouting – is another way to provide your own food. Buy a simple sprouting kit and quickly produce highly nutritious sprouted alfalfa, lentils, beans etc.
* Perhaps the single most life-affirming thing we can do every day is to prepare and cook our own food. In retirement it makes a lot of sense to spend time in the kitchen; the rewards are enormous.
* If you are a novice, cookery may seem daunting, but the basic techniques are easy to master, and there are thousands of simple vegetarian and vegan recipes available.
* Why not consider a cookery course? (It’s possible for VfL to organise cookery courses for groups of older people, in conjunction with the Cordon Vert Cookery School, either in Altrincham or out in the community. Please contact us if you’re interested.)
Convenience Foods
It’s good to be involved in preparing our own food for as long as we can. But as we get older we may need to rely more on convenience foods, meals on wheels or home-delivered meals which are chilled or frozen.
If you have access to a large supermarket you will find a good range of vegetarian convenience foods. If you are less mobile or live in a rural location your choice may be more restricted. Smaller convenience stores usually have a limited veggie choice; and delis and health food shops usually stock some vegetarian and vegan ready-made foods.
Perhaps you can get a friend, family member or carer to venture further afield to a big store and stock your freezer up once in a while? Alternatively, with internet access you can use the home delivery services that all the supermarket groups now provide, or find the websites for more specialized home delivery services. Just search for ‘vegetarian food’ on the internet and you’ll come up with a range of suppliers. Some food delivery services take phone orders too.
The WRVS is rolling out its chilled-meals delivery service, the Tasty Food Company.Wiltshire Farm Foods deliver frozen ready-made meals nationall. Both are members of the VfL – UK List, so offer good vegetarian choices;as does Withy Kitchen, another UK List member and a vegetarian specialist.
HEALTHY EATING
Health benefits of a vegetarian diet
Over recent years research has shown that vegetarians and vegans ten to be relatively healthy, possibly healthier than their meat-eating peers.
Vegetarian diets are generally rich in fruits and vegetables, high in fibre and low in saturated fat (1), a diet encouraged by the Department of Health. The general population consumes too much saturated fat, salt and sugar, with intakes of vitamins and minerals below recommended levels (2,3). Studies consistently show that people who follow a plant-based diet have a lower risk of a number of diseases, including heart disease, hypertension, cancer (4) and diabetes (5), whereas those who consume diets high in meat and fat and low in fibre, fruits and vegetables seem to be at greater risk (6).
Surveys suggest that typical older vegetarians have a more nutrient-dense diet than meat eaters (7), benefit from being leaner than omnivores (7) and have good bowel regularity due to a high fibre diet (8). In short, a plant-based diet offers potential health benefits and can help to slow the ageing process.
Fruit and vegetables – ‘5 A DAY’
The Department of Health recommends that a minimum of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables should be eaten each day, because:
* They're packed with vitamins and minerals.
* They help in maintaining a healthy weight.
* They're an excellent source of fibre and antioxidants.
* They help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
* They taste delicious and there's so much variety to choose from.
5 A DAY portions should include a variety of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables to get the maximum nutritional benefits. This is because they each contain different combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
Vitamin and mineral supplements
The body’s ability to deal with nutrients changes with age. We get most of our vitamin D from the effect of sunlight on our skin but, as we age, our body’s efficiency at this process is reduced. People over 65 are at risk of vitamin D deficiency if they rarely venture outside. Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption (important for bones), so if a person is not having regular exposure to sunlight, a daily supplement of 10mcg is recommended (9).
Vegans, and vegetarians who eat limited dairy products, should include a source of vitamin B12 in their diet. Absorption of vitamin B12 decreases with age, so regular use of reliable B12 sources is important e.g. eggs and milk products, fortified non-dairy milks, yeast extracts and fortified cereals. The Vegan Society recommends a daily intake of 3mcg from food or a supplement of 10mcg once a day or 2000 mcg once a week.
B12 in fortified foods (such as breakfast cereals) is easier to absorb than the B12 in meat, poultry and fish sources, particularly for older people. The National Academy of Sciences in the US advises that adults aged over 50 obtain most of their B12 from supplements of fortified foods (10).
References
1. Key TJ, Davey GK, Appleby PN (1999) Health benefits of a vegetarian diet. Proceedings of the Nutritional Society 58 271-275
2. Henderson et al (2002) National Diet and Nutrition Survey: adults aged 19-64 years. The Stationery Office
3. Finch S (1998) National Diet and Nutrition Survey: older people aged 74 years +. The Stationery Office
4. Thomas B (2001) Vegetarianism and veganism pp 305 in Manual of Dietetic Practice 3rd edition Blackwell Publishing
5. Leitzmann C., 2005. Vegetarian diets: what are the advantages? Forum on Nutrition. (57) 147-56).
6. Brants HA, Lowik MR, Westenbrink S et al (1990) Adequacy of a vegetarian diet in old age. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 9 292-392
7. Dwyer JT (1991) Nutritional consequences of vegetarianism. Annual Review of Nutrition1161-91
8. Thomas B Bishop J (2007) Vegetarianism and veganism pp 383 in Manual of Dietetic Practice 4th edition Blackwell Publishing
9. British Nutrition Foundation 2004
10. Ref: Tucker K.L., Rich, S., Rosenberg I., Jacques, P., Dallal, G., Wilson, P.W. and Selhub, J. 2000 Plasma vitamin B-12 concentrations relate to intake source in the Framingham Offspring study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 71 (2) 514-22.