QA Forum
Nutrition for a Happy Healthy Life
We were discussing Nutrition for a happy, healthy life
With Jacinta Dugbaza, Sarah Flanagan and Vinni Dang
‘Nutrition’; it is a much better word than ‘diet’. ‘Diet’ tends to suggest something that is short lived, so let’s focus on ‘nutrition’ and exploring a healthy and sustainable way of everyday eating.
As we enter into different phases of life, the needs of our body may change. Living in a country like Australia, we are blessed with a large variety of fruits, vegetables and cooking from all cultures. So, it is important to make sure that we are treating ourself well and giving our body the various nutrients that it needs.
Healthy eating goes hand-in-hand with an active lifestyle. In this Q&A forum we are focusing on nutrition for people over 50, ‘Nutrition for a happy healthy life’. During the months of December and January you will be able to ask our panel of experts any question that you may have about nutrition.
If you would like to ask one of our panel members a question on any aspect of nutrition, please do so. You can also have a read through the following questions and answers and view a short background to each of our panel members: Jacinta Dugbaza (Department of Health and Ageing), Sarah Flanagan (Nutrition Australia) and Vinni Dang (Nutritionist). There is a list of useful resources for further information and available services to help you find the information that you are looking for.
The following questions were answered:
| Question 1: | I have a physical disability which precludes me from exercise. How can I burn more calories? I am 6kg over my ideal weight and just can't move them. | View Answer |
| Question 2: | My mother of 70 years has been advised to change her diet to a diabetes style of eating. She needs to exercise to as she is overweight. Please advise the best links for information on diet plan. Also, are you able to provide any voluntary contacts that can assist with transporting her to pools to do water aerobics. She is located in Stirling, Canberra. | View Answer |
| Question 3: | What is the difference nutritionally between fresh and packaged frozen fish? | View Answer |
| Question 4: | Could you please help plan a week's menu for my husband who has very high (though helped with medication) cholesterol. | View Answer |
| Question 5: | I care for my grandmother and she has always refused to eat green vegetables. Lately she has taken to refusing anything I cook for her. I believe as she is quite frail, controlling her food is the only thing left for her to control but I am worried she doesn't get even basic requirements for health. Are there some high nutrient foods I should try to feed her, or continue the hopeless quest of trying to entice her to eat the healthy food I cook? | View Answer |
| Question 6: | Advise please on diet for fibromialgia and osteoarthritis | View Answer |
| Question 7: | I have recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol. What should I do now? | View Answer |
| Question 8: | Which is the best cooking oil to use? | View Answer |
| Question 9: | I am 67 years old and have recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis. How much calcium should I be taking and how do I get that much from food? | View Answer |
| Question 10: | I have high blood pressure and my doctor has recommended I use less salt, but I can’t taste my food without it. Is it really important to cut out salt? | View Answer |
| Question 11: | I suffer with arthritis and have heard that I should avoid certain foods. Is this true? | View Answer |
| Question 12: | Is there a nutrition checklist to help me determine if I need to improve my eating habits? | View Answer |
| Question 13: | Why is good nutrition important for me when I'm older? | View Answer |
