Preserve leftovers to avoid affecting the digestive system of the elderly

NDO - Elderly people often suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, digestive diseases, etc., so they need to pay attention to their diet and preserve leftover food to avoid serious illness during Tet.

Ensuring health for the elderly during Tet

During the Lunar New Year, there are many nutritional issues that we should pay attention to for the elderly: Eat on time, absolutely do not skip meals; limit dishes containing a lot of animal fat and saturated fat such as cold and pre-processed foods: meat jelly, head cheese, Chinese sausage, as well as traditional dishes such as banh chung, etc.

Elderly people should limit their intake of salt and foods containing a lot of salt such as pork soaked in fish sauce, beef soaked in soy sauce, pickles, pickled vegetables, etc.; limit sweets such as cakes, jams, dried fruits, etc.

Avoid forcing the elderly to drink alcohol because it affects their health, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, stomach problems, etc.

Avoid eating too much as it can affect digestion, and do not abstain too much and lose the joy of Tet; increase vegetable intake to help digestion and avoid constipation; prioritize soft, easy-to-chew, easy-to-digest foods, eat slowly and chew thoroughly.

Make sure your body takes in about 1.5-2 liters of water per day, including filtered water, soup, water in fruit...

Elderly people often have the habit of saving leftover food that they cannot finish eating during Tet, so they put it in the refrigerator, then take it out to reheat and eat again. Even reheating it many times is not safe for health, easily causing food poisoning.

In addition, Listeria is a type of bacteria that can grow at low temperatures. They are found in smoked meats and fish, pasteurized cheese/yogurt, ice cream, pate, sausages and cold cuts (ham, ham, etc.). Listeria is one of the common causes of illness: digestive disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc.

The immune system of the elderly is often weaker than that of normal people, so it is necessary to pay attention to food safety issues. Therefore, specialist doctor I Dinh Tran Ngoc Mai, Department of Nutrition - Dietetics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City recommends that food when stored in the refrigerator should be divided into sufficient amounts for one meal, when taken out, it should be reheated immediately and used.

According to Dr. Truong Hong Son, Director of the Institute of Applied Medicine, the elderly need to have common experience when attending a Tet party, which is not to eat too much in one meal; put vegetables on the plate first to create a feeling of fullness. To control food portions, people need to use small plates and choose dishes according to health needs. Drink alcohol and beer in moderation, alternating with filtered water. Take a light walk after the party to aid digestion.

People with chronic diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease need to pay more attention to their diet during this Tet holiday. Overindulging in unhealthy food groups can make the disease worse and affect the overall health of the patient.

Therefore, you should avoid large meals, divide them into many meals including 3 main meals, 1-3 snacks; should eat regularly and on time, do not skip meals even when seriously ill or do not want to eat; should eat slowly, chew thoroughly, should not eat too much; choose foods with low glycemic index GI

You should not be too restrictive but need to supplement adequate nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber...

Limit eating foods of animal origin that contain a lot of cholesterol (fatty meat, lard, butter, animal organs...). Limit eating fried foods, because high temperatures can destroy unsaturated fatty acids.

Avoid eating starchy foods at 9pm. You can also cook your own food so as not to affect the taste of the whole family. Limiting salt intake will help improve heart disease and blood pressure significantly.

People with chronic diseases should maintain a low-sugar, low-fat, stimulant-free diet. Instead, they should eat lots of green vegetables and fruits, drink water, and maintain light exercise even during Tet to ensure good health during the happy days of reunion.

How to properly preserve leftover food during Tet

The first thing to note is that perishable foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and beans need to be cooled quickly and not left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Do not put hot food in the refrigerator as it will cause the temperature to rise, affecting the preservation of food quality and safety because it affects the temperature of surrounding foods.

Divide the food into small containers that can be eaten at a time. If you feel that you have a lot of leftover food and cannot use it within 3 days, you can divide it into many small containers and can store it for 1-2 months.

Food must be stored in covered containers or food wrap to ensure the taste and quality of the food.

When reheating food, make sure leftovers are boiled. If reheating in the microwave, stir or stir the food while reheating to distribute the heat evenly. After the reheating time is up, do not remove it immediately, leave it in for about 3 minutes before removing it.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/bao-quan-thuc-an-thua-de-tranh-tac-dong-len-he-tieu-hoa-cua-nguoi-cao-tuoi-post857463.html