Media Impression: Today's Geriatric Medicine

Chimed in on an article in Today's Geriatric Medicine titled "Nutrition for Arterial Health" written by Judith Thalheimer, with contributions from David Becker, Alice Lichtenstein, and Rena Zelig











​Quotes include:

• "The USDA has done an excellent job of taking all of the latest research and making it accessible to the public using MyPlate," says Angel Planells, MS, RDN, CD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Ensuring seniors living in the community make healthy food choices presents a bigger challenge. Planells recommends referral to a registered dietitian (RD) when possible. "RDs have knowledge, resources, and the experience to help guide behavior change," Planells says. "Unfortunately, access to a dietitian for older adults in the community is very rare. Insurance coverage really varies. Medicare covers medical nutrition therapy only for diabetes and chronic kidney disease, so a lot of the basic nutrition education falls to the primary care providers."
• "Activity trails off as we age," Planells says. "I advocate going for a walk or gardening or doing house work, anything that gets the heart rate up a little bit. If they have pain, a stationary bike or swimming pool are good choices. Ten minutes of activity here or there can easily get people to the recommended minimum 30 minutes a day."
• "Change is hard for everybody," Planells says, "and older adults have years of habits to break. But it's never too late. We want to work toward the highest possible quality of life at every age."

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