Your Health
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What are the essential vitamins for people over 50? by Sean M. Crosetti, MBA, PharmD, Crosetti Health & Wellness Last week I had the pleasure to speak to a group of people about the needs of supplements for people over 50 years of age; it included specific supplements for people taking certain classes of medications and the vitamins essential for that age group. In that spirit I will discuss with you the vitamins/minerals that are essential to those people (daily amounts based on a person with normal body functions): Vitamin D Without this vitamin, the body is not able to efficiently absorb Calcium; so this vitamin is essential for the maintenance of bone density and health. Vitamin D may also help reduce the risk of heart disease, inflammation, and diabetes. You can get this from fatty fish, fish liver oils, fruit juice, dark green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, fortified dairy, and fortified cereals. The other way to get Vitamin D is through sunlight on the skin. The amount received is dependent upon the strength of the sunlight, the use of sunscreen, the amount of time in the sun, and the degree of pigmentation of the skin. As we are spending more time
in inside instead of outside the need for supplements has increased. The daily recommended amount of Vitamin D if you are age 51–70, is at least 15 mcg (600 IU) each day, but not more than 100 mcg (4,000 IU). If you are over age 70, you need at least 20 mcg (800 IU), but not more than 100 mcg (4,000 IU). Calcium As stated above, this mineral is essential for the maintenance of bone density and health. Something to keep in mind, it is much, much, much easier to maintain good bone density than to try to repair bone loss (actually it is almost impossible to repair bone loss). You can get calcium from milk and other dairy, some forms of tofu, darkgreen leafy vegetables, soybeans, canned sardines and salmon with bones, and calcium-fortified foods The daily recommended amount of Calcium for men 51-70 is 1,000 mg and for men over 71, it is 1,200 mg per day. For women, no matter the age, is 1,200 mg per day. One other thing, if you are being treated at all for bone weakness/low bone density/osteoporosis and not taking a Calcium and Vitamin D supplement, you are wasting your time/
effort/money. Your current intake of Calcium got you to this state of poor bone density, only an increase in Calcium absorption will allow the other changes to take affect. Vitamin B12 This Vitamin keeps the body’s nerve and blood cells health which can help with anemia, Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, etc. You can get this vitamin from meat, fish, poultry, milk, and fortified breakfast cereals The daily recommended amount of Vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg for both men and women Vitamin B6 Vitamin B6 aids in the production of neurotransmitters. These help brain and nerve cells transmit to each other with key benefits to metabolism, immunity, memory loss, arthritis, and diabetes. Vitamin B6 is found in a wide variety of foods including: fish, beef liver, starchy vegetables, and fruit (other than citrus). The daily recommended amount of Vitamin B6 for men is 1.7 mg. For women 1.5 mg per day.
Plants on your plate: Tomatoes by Denise Sullivan, University of Missouri Extension America’s most popular home garden plant happens to be my favorite (and most successful crop) as well. It doesn’t matter if it is fresh from the garden or prepared into a favorite sauce or salsa, the versatility of the tomato makes it easy to understand why it is America’s favorite. Tomatoes belong to the Solanaceae family, more commonly known as the nightshade family. Other members of the Solanaceae family include peppers, potatoes, tomatillos, eggplant, and even tobacco. For centuries, the association with the nightshade family coupled with the strong scent given off by the plant, led to the myth that tomatoes were truly poisonous. Long before it was considered fit to eat, it was grown only as an ornamental garden plant, sometimes called "love apple." Tomatoes are native to the Andes of Peru, where they first grew in the wild as a bright red, marble-sized, cherry-
type tomato. Gradually, they would spread throughout South America and north into Central America but then the trail goes cold until Christopher Columbus’ travels to and from the ‘new world’, which would eventually land the fruit in Spain in the mid-16th century. Over the next several decades, different cultivars spread through Spain, France and Italy and became a widely accepted food in the Mediterranean region. As the tomato varieties spread north and east through Europe, they were not as widely accepted among the English and German and were thought to be poisonous. As the colonies established in the United States, the tomato became less feared. One of the earliest notable growers of tomatoes was none other than Thomas Jefferson, a remarkably progressive Virginia farmer as well as a statesman, who grew them in the late 1780’s. By the early 1800’s, tomatoes had become a common enhancement in the Creole gumbos and jambalayas of Southern cooking. By 1850, the tomato
had made its way into most American urban markets and today is grown world -wide, where the temperate seasons allow. California, Florida, and Georgia lead tomato production in the US. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. They are also one of the richest sources of lycopene, a phytonutrient that shows great promise in cancer prevention. It’s worth noting that the amount of lycopene increases when tomatoes are cooked, as in a sauce. Regardless of that fact, salsa is still my favorite way to enjoy tomatoes. This Greek salsa recipe is a twist on the southwest favorite and gives a nod to the Mediterranean region who first accepted tomatoes. Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, visit https:// extension.missouri.edu/counties/urbanwest-region
Vitamin B9 Studies have shown the Vitamin to slow or prevent memory loss, helps convert carbohydrates in energy, protect skin from premature aging, and increase red blood cell production. Vitamin B9 can be found in vegetables and fruit, such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, and oranges. It can also be found in nuts, beans, and peas. The daily recommended amount of Vitamin B9 is 400 mcg DFE (400 mcg as food, 667 mcg as supplement with food, 800 mcg as supplement without food) Almost all these essential elemental needs can be met with a good daily vitamin taken every day. Please remember each person is different and the required dosing to maintain efficient body function may differ from what is written in this article and to consult with your care provider when you are going to start/stop/ change any prescribed medication or over the counter supplement. Please feel free to reach out to us at Info@Crosettis.com, or your care provider, with any questions about this article. Let me know if you would like me to write about a topic of your interest.
Greek Salsa with Pita Chips 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. sugar ¼ c. red wine vinegar ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil 2 c. tomato, diced 2 c. cucumber, diced ½ c. pitted Kalamata olives, chopped ½ c. red onion, diced ½ c. Feta cheese, crumbled 8 pita rounds 1. Wash hands and preparation surfaces. 2. To make dressing, combine garlic, oregano, sugar, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a small jar and shake to combine. Set aside. 3. Wash tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. Dice tomatoes, and onion and place in a large bowl. Add the olives and toss with dressing to coat. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Add feta cheese just before serving with pita chips. 4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut each pita round in half, then split to separate halves. Cut each pita section into four wedges. (Each pita round will make 16 wedges.) Place wedges on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Nutrition information: Calories: 157, Total Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 262mg, Carbohydrates: 20g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 4g Recipe adapted from delish.com, analyzed by verywellfit.com
