Several points that the elderly must pay attention to in their diet

     First, temperature: elderly The mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract becomes thinner, the glands and small villi gradually shrink, and the gastrointestinal tract is very sensitive to food stimulation. Eating food that is too hot or too cold will irritate the gastrointestinal tract and affect the digestive function. Therefore, the appropriate temperature of food for the elderly should be 20 to 40 degrees Celsius.

     Second, saturation: If the elderly eat too much, all the food cannot be digested, and many undigested chyme masses will stay in the intestines for a long time. After bacterial fermentation, more gas will be produced, making people feel abdominal distension and discomfort. Overeating puts a heavy burden on the gastrointestinal tract. The hepatogastric ligament and gastric diaphragm ligament that support the stomach in the elderly will relax due to traction, and they may also suffer from gastroptosis.

     Third, speed: The elderly have thinner teeth and reduced digestive function. If they do not chew thoroughly, it will affect the digestion and absorption of food. Some elderly people have dentures. If they eat too fast, they may swallow the dentures into their esophagus and stomach. The thin metal wires in the dentures may also scratch the walls of the esophagus and stomach, causing gastrointestinal bleeding.
 
     Fourth, hardness: The secretion of digestive juices such as salivary amylase, gastric acid, gastric amylase, pancreatic lipase and amylase in the elderly is reduced. In addition, intestinal peristalsis is weakened and the digestive function is poor. If you eat hard food that is not cooked or easy to chew, it is easy to cause gastric ulcers, gastritis and other gastrointestinal tract diseases. disease。