Oh aging. We become wiser, calmer, perhaps we keep a cleaner house… but our joints begin to ache and it feels like we gain 10 pounds if we so much as bite into an apple.

“We can’t eat the same as we used to,” says engineer-turned-nutritionist Laverne Banderk, “We’re gaining weight easier than we used to, we’re getting more digestive discomfort, things like that.”

"As we age, we don't absorb nutrients as well as we used to."

How Do Things Change as We Age?

“Nutrient requirements are the same as they were 10 years ago, like when we're 30, 40, 50, we might need the same amount, but even if you're eating the same amount, you're not absorbing the same amount.”

That’s why Laverne digs deep to figure out which nutrients might be missing in her client’s diets.

Did you know? According to the most recent U.S. Dietary Guidelines, there are seven important nutrients in food that most Americans aren't getting in sufficient amounts:

• Calcium.
• Potassium.
• Fiber.
• Magnesium.
• Vitamin A.
• Vitamin C.
• Vitamin E.

Furthermore, as we age, we might experience more digestive upset.

"We don't produce as much stomach acid to help break down foods," Laverne says, "our digestive system just is not working as well as it used to."

A research-based, organized nutritionist

“I love the research part of nutrition,” says Laverne, “If someone comes to me with a problem they're having, they just can't figure it out and they don't have the time to go on Google and go through all the information,” Laverne explains, “Because you can just get lost in it.”

But what should clients DO with this new-found information? And does meal planning even help?

Naturally, this need led her to Meal Garden.

“After using Meal Garden, I was able to accomplish a lot just in the seven day free trial because it was very user-friendly. I've had some older clients request meal plans, but I've had some younger ones as well, who like that structure, cause they're very busy as well.”

Tackling Specific Conditions and Symptoms

While we often rush to the conclusion of “age” as a reason why we’re not feeling well, Laverne wants to dig deeper.

She remembers a specific client who wasn’t sure if she was sick … or just aging.

“We went through a lot of symptoms she was experiencing, bloating, being tired a lot, and just things that were synonymous with age,” Laverne says. “We talked a lot about what she was eating, but also took a holistic approach to it. And what else she was doing? Is she exercising? Is she sleeping enough? Does she have time for herself?”

You can find Laverne through her website www.lavernebanderknutrtion.com, on Instagram @lavernebanderk_nutrition, and through email at info@LaverneBanderknutrition.com.

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