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What About Fiber?Dietary fiber is found in foods thatcome from plants—fruits, vegetables,beans, nuts, seeds, brown rice, and wholegrains. It is the part of plant foods thatyour body cannot digest. Eating morefiber might help you avoid intestinalproblems like constipation, diverticulosis, and diverticulitis. It might also lowercholesterol and blood sugar and helpyou have regular bowel movements.

If you are not used to eating a lot

of fiber, add more fiber to your diet

6 7

much is not good, however, and canmake your blood pressure go up.

Most people eat a lot more sodium

than they need. If you are over age 50,aim for 1500 mg of sodium—about2/3 of a teaspoon of table salt. That

includes all the sodium youget in your food and drink,not just what you add whencooking or eating. If yourdoctor tells you to use lesssalt, cut back on salty snacksand processed foods.
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plenty of liquids like water, juice,milk, and soup. You have to replacethe fluids you lose every day. But checkwith your doctor if he or she has toldyou to limit how much you drink.

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to

start drinking. With age you may losesome of your sense of thirst. In addition, medicine can sometimes causeyou to lose fluids. If you are drinkingenough, your urine will be pale yellow.If it is a bright or dark yellow, you needto drink more liquids.

Do you have a urinary control

problem? If your answer is yes, don’tstop drinking a lot of liquid. But, talkto your doctor for help with yoururinary control problem.What About Fiber?Dietary fiber is found in foods thatcome from plants—fruits, vegetables,beans, nuts, seeds, brown rice, and wholegrains. It is the part of plant foods thatyour body cannot digest. Eating morefiber might help you avoid intestinalproblems like constipation, diverticulosis, and diverticulitis. It might also lowercholesterol and blood sugar and helpyou have regular bowel movements.

If you are not used to eating a lot

of fiber, add more fiber to your diet

6

7

When adding fiber, remember:✦ Eat cooked dry beans, peas,

and lentils often.

✦ Leave skins on your fruit and

vegetables if possible.

✦ Choose whole fruit over fruit juice.✦ Eat whole-grain breads and cereals.✦ Drink lots of fluids to help the fiber

move through your intestines.

Should I Cut Back on Salt?Salt (sodium chloride) is the mostcommon way people get sodium.Sodium is naturally present in mostfoods, and salt is added to manycanned and prepared foods. Thebody uses sodium to keep the blood,muscles, and nerves healthy. Toomuch is not good, however, and canmake your blood pressure go up.

Most people eat a lot more sodium

than they need. If you are over age 50,aim for 1500 mg of sodium—about2/3 of a teaspoon of table salt. That

includes all the sodium youget in your food and drink,not just what you add whencooking or eating. If yourdoctor tells you to use lesssalt, cut back on salty snacksand processed foods.
ested by the

he DASH

r Dietary

nsion. See

his Age

n DASH.

d

y

s taste.

avor.

food may

dicines

e or make

you have

ody needs

ng is diffi

need to be

ms need

nt to pick

milk, and soup. You have to replacethe fluids you lose every day. But checkwith your doctor if he or she has toldyou to limit how much you drink.

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to

start drinking. With age you may losesome of your sense of thirst. In addition, medicine can sometimes causeyou to lose fluids. If you are drinkingenough, your urine will be pale yellow.If it is a bright or dark yellow, you needto drink more liquids.

Do you have a urinary control

problem? If your answer is yes, don’tstop drinking a lot of liquid. But, talkto your doctor for help with yoururinary control problem.What About Fiber?Dietary fiber is found in foods thatcome from plants—fruits, vegetables,beans, nuts, seeds, brown rice, and wholegrains. It is the part of plant foods thatyour body cannot digest. Eating morefiber might help you avoid intestinalproblems like constipation, diverticulosis, and diverticulitis. It might also lowercholesterol and blood sugar and helpyou have regular bowel movements.

If you are not used to eating a lot

of fiber, add more fiber to your diet

6

7

g 

, 

✦ Eat cooked dry beans, peas,

and lentils often.

✦ Leave skins on your fruit and

vegetables if possible.

✦ Choose whole fruit over fruit juice.✦ Eat whole-grain breads and cereals.✦ Drink lots of fluids to help the fiber

move through your intestines.

Should I Cut Back on Salt?Salt (sodium chloride) is the mostcommon way people get sodium.Sodium is naturally present in mostfoods, and salt is added to manycanned and prepared foods. Thebody uses sodium to keep the blood,muscles, and nerves healthy. Toomuch is not good, however, and canmake your blood pressure go up.

Most people eat a lot more sodium

than they need. If you are over age 50,aim for 1500 mg of sodium—about2/3 of a teaspoon of table salt. That

includes all the sodium youget in your food and drink,not just what you add whencooking or eating. If yourdoctor tells you to use lesssalt, cut back on salty snacksand processed foods.
ested by the

he DASH

r Dietary

nsion. See

his Age

n DASH.

d

y

s taste.

avor.

food may

dicines

e or make

you have

ody needs

ng is diffi

need to be

ms need

nt to pick

plenty of liquids like water, juice,milk, and soup. You have to replacethe fluids you lose every day. But checkwith your doctor if he or she has toldyou to limit how much you drink.

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to

start drinking. With age you may losesome of your sense of thirst. In addition, medicine can sometimes causeyou to lose fluids. If you are drinkingenough, your urine will be pale yellow.If it is a bright or dark yellow, you needto drink more liquids.

Do you have a urinary control

problem? If your answer is yes, don’tstop drinking a lot of liquid. But, talkto your doctor for help with yoururinary control problem.What About Fiber?Dietary fiber is found in foods thatcome from plants—fruits, vegetables,beans, nuts, seeds, brown rice, and wholegrains. It is the part of plant foods thatyour body cannot digest. Eating morefiber might help you avoid intestinalproblems like constipation, diverticulosis, and diverticulitis. It might also lowercholesterol and blood sugar and helpyou have regular bowel movements.

If you are not used to eating a lot

of fiber, add more fiber to your diet

6

7

When adding fiber, remember:✦ Eat cooked dry beans, peas,

and lentils often.

✦ Leave skins on your fruit and

vegetables if possible.

✦ Choose whole fruit over fruit juice.✦ Eat whole-grain breads and cereals.✦ Drink lots of fluids to help the fiber

move through your intestines.

Should I Cut Back on Salt?Salt (sodium chloride) is the mostcommon way people get sodium.Sodium is naturally present in mostfoods, and salt is added to manycanned and prepared foods. Thebody uses sodium to keep the blood,muscles, and nerves healthy. Toomuch is not good, however, and canmake your blood pressure go up.

Most people eat a lot more sodium

than they need. If you are over age 50,aim for 1500 mg of sodium—about2/3 of a teaspoon of table salt. That

includes all the sodium youget in your food and drink,not just what you add whencooking or eating. If yourdoctor tells you to use lesssalt, cut back on salty snacksand processed foods.
13

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USDA Food and NutritionInformation Center (FNIC)10301 Baltimore Avenue, Room 304Beltsville, MD 20705-23511-301-504-5719www.nal.usda.gov/fnicAdministration on Aging330 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 202011-202-619-7501Eldercare Locator:1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)www.eldercare.govThe Federal Government has severalwebsites with information on nutrition:www.nutrition.govwww.healthierus.govwww.mypyramid.govFor information on health, exercise,and aging, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-2225 (toll-free)1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)E-mail: niaic@jbs1.com

U.S. Department of Health andHuman ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthApril 2005The National Institute on Agingwebsite is www.nia.nih.gov.Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov(www.nihseniorhealth.gov), a seniorfriendly website from the NationalInstitute on Aging and the NationalLibrary of Medicine. This simple-touse website features popular healthtopics for older adults. It has largetype and a “talking” function thatreads text out loud.

14
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USDA Food and NutritionInformation Center (FNIC)10301 Baltimore Avenue, Room 304Beltsville, MD 20705-23511-301-504-5719www.nal.usda.gov/fnicAdministration on Aging330 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 202011-202-619-7501Eldercare Locator:1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)www.eldercare.govThe Federal Government has severalwebsites with information on nutrition:www.nutrition.govwww.healthierus.govwww.mypyramid.govFor information on health, exercise,and aging, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-2225 (toll-free)1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)E-mail: niaic@jbs1.com

U.S. Department of Health andHuman ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthApril 2005The National Institute on Agingwebsite is www.nia.nih.gov.Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov(www.nihseniorhealth.gov), a seniorfriendly website from the NationalInstitute on Aging and the NationalLibrary of Medicine. This simple-touse website features popular healthtopics for older adults. It has largetype and a “talking” function thatreads text out loud.

14
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USDA Food and NutritionInformation Center (FNIC)10301 Baltimore Avenue, Room 304Beltsville, MD 20705-23511-301-504-5719www.nal.usda.gov/fnicAdministration on Aging330 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 202011-202-619-7501Eldercare Locator:1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)www.eldercare.govThe Federal Government has severalwebsites with information on nutrition:www.nutrition.govwww.healthierus.govwww.mypyramid.govFor information on health, exercise,and aging, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-2225 (toll-free)1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)E-mail: niaic@jbs1.com

U.S. Department of Health andHuman ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthApril 2005The National Institute on Agingwebsite is www.nia.nih.gov.Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov(www.nihseniorhealth.gov), a seniorfriendly website from the NationalInstitute on Aging and the NationalLibrary of Medicine. This simple-touse website features popular healthtopics for older adults. It has largetype and a “talking” function thatreads text out loud.

14
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www.healthierus.govwww.mypyramid.govFor information on health, exercise,and aging, contact:National Institute on AgingInformation CenterP.O. Box 8057Gaithersburg, MD 20898-80571-800-222-2225 (toll-free)1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)E-mail: niaic@jbs1.com

U.S. Department of Health andHuman ServicesPublic Health ServiceNational Institutes of HealthApril 2005

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