Elderly have poor appetite, what to do Try this if you can’t eat

Improving strategies for elderly appetite decline. As age increases, the digestive system of elderly individuals gradually weakens, necessitating a focus on easily digestible and absorbable foods in their diet, such as high-fiber vegetables and fruits, coarse grains rich in vitamin B, and legumes to promote gastrointestinal motility. Family members can choose foods like hawthorn, tangerine peel, or fermented grains to regulate digestion in the elderly. Maintaining oral health is also crucial. Oral issues, such as tooth loss, directly impact chewing ability, reducing appetite. Encouraging timely dental care, oral hygiene maintenance, brushing teeth twice daily, and rinsing with water or mouthwash after meals can enhance their dining experience effectively. Creating a pleasant dining atmosphere is a good way to stimulate the appetite of the elderly. Dining with loved ones not only increases interest in food but also promotes digestive fluid secretion, maintains a positive mindset, and ensures balanced nutritional intake. The companionship of family members is a significant psychological comfort for the elderly. Moderate leg and foot massages, especially stimulating the ST36 acupuncture point, can enhance spleen and stomach functions, promoting digestion and absorption. Additionally, gently massaging the legs can have similar effects, boosting appetite. Zinc is an essential trace element that promotes metabolism and maintains taste perception, found in lean meat, legumes, seafood, and nuts. Adequate zinc supplementation, or stimulating taste buds through soups or warm foods, can effectively increase the appetite of the elderly. Specific dietary recommendations for the elderly include: – Certain fruits like watermelon, which are high in vitamins and sugars and help clear heat and moisten the lungs, but should be consumed in moderation by those with weak constitutions. – Certain nuts, with nourishing and calming effects, particularly suitable for elderly individuals with poor sleep quality. – Another fruit that quenches thirst, aids digestion, and regulates blood pressure with its unique glycosides. – Pineapple enzymes aid in meat digestion, benefiting elderly individuals with indigestion, also possessing diuretic properties beneficial for nephritis and hypertension patients. – Snow pear, cool in nature, moistens the lungs, relieves cough, and alleviates constipation, commonly used to make snow pear rock sugar water for cough treatment, ideal for elderly individuals with chronic bronchitis. In conclusion, addressing and resolving the root causes affecting the elderly’s appetite, combined with sensible dietary adjustments and lifestyle habits, can effectively enhance their dining enjoyment and physical health. The aforementioned foods can serve as excellent choices for daily nutrition.