An exciting new study in the medical journal, Lancet, showed that eating omega-3 unsaturated fats, that are found in fish, olive, rapeseed and soybean oil, helps prevent heart attacks.

We know that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and very low in fat helps to prevent heart attacks. This study compared two group of men who had heart attacks; both ate a lot of fruits and vegetables, but one ate more rapeseed oil, a rich source of omega-3 unsaturated fat. The omega- 3 group had far fewer second heart attacks. The only other dietary factor that has been shown to help prevent second heart attacks is fish oil. Diets recommended by the American Heart Association and prescribed by most physicians to people who have had heart attacks do not lower cholesterol significantly or prevent heart attacks. The authors feel that fish, rapeseed, olive and soybean oils contain omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids and that it is the omega-3s that help to prevent second heart attacks. However, the omega-3 fatty acids did not raise blood levels of the good HDL level or lower blood levels of the bad LDL cholesterol.

The most likely explanation for omega-3 fatty acids preventing heart attacks is that they prevent clotting and oxidation of LDL cholesterol. There are two steps to a heart attack. First you lay down fatty plaques in arteries and second a clot completely obstructs the flow of blood. Omega- 3's help to prevent clotting. Before the bad LDL cholesterol can form plaques in arteries, it must first be converted to oxidized LDL. LDL made from omega-3 oils are far more resistant to oxidation.

15-20% proteins, preferably of animal origin: meat, eggs, cheese;
20-25 % lipids, favoring olive oil for its optimum balance of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids;
60% carbohydrates, pasta, bread, cereals

stuffed pasta: tortellini, cannelloni, lasagna
fatty meats: pork, brains, duck
sausages and salami
fatty cheeses
lard
dried and candied fruit.

After the age of 60 caloric requirements tend to decrease, while the quality of nutrients must, on the contrary, increase. Physiologically the body undergoes changes due to aging: the mass of bone and muscle diminishes, the liver decreases in weight, body fat tends to increase.

Eating during this stage of life is tied to various factors: environment, solitude, physical activity, mental condition, social status, money, the ability to chew. Persons not particularly attracted by food will choose, whenever possible, those that are complete and compatible with their needs. Elderly persons have caloric needs that are lower than those of youngsters and younger adults. A well-balanced diet for elderly persons will contain 25%-30% of calories from vegetable fats, above all monounsaturated, to reduce cholesterol as much as possible.

Elderly persons may also experience lack of appetite, difficult digestion, bad absorption of vitamins and minerals, constipation. In each of these situations olive oil is the ideal fat. It is highly digestible, has a mild laxative effect, whets the appetite, contains a good quantity of essential fatty acids, aids the absorption of vitamins.

A great many nutritionists advise the following regimen for the elderly:

• include in the daily diet between 80 to 120 gr (2.8-4.2 oz) of animal proteins, from the meat/eggs/fish and the milk/yogurt/cheese groups;
• increase the consumption of milk products in order to satisfy the body's greater need of calcium to prevent osteoporosis and deter the progress of arthritis;
• limit the use of cooked animal fats and complicated sauces; use olive oil for its easier digestibility and for its antioxidants;
• include red meats, liver and vegetables in the diet, to assure adequate intake of iron;
• eat regularly, fresh vegetables and ripe fruit (kiwi, citrus fruits, pineapple, strawberries, etc.) rich in C and A vitamins;
• use moderate amounts of salt, because sodium chloride quickens aging of arteries and kidneys; limit the use of simple sugars;
• drink at least 1-1.5 liters (1-1.5 qt.) of water a day, above all in the morning, to help the kidneys with their function of purifying the blood, etc.
• eat every day bread, pasta and other carbohydrates, and legumes if they are well tolerated by your intestine;
• return to the habit of infancy, i.e. eat light, frequent meals, without neglecting breakfast.
• 2,200 calories per day for robust pregnant women;
• 1,900 calories per day for women beginning pregnancy, at or near ideal weight, or engaged in a moderately active occupation;
• 1,600 calories per day for pregnant women who must observe absolute rest, or for those who have put on too much weight during the first three months, or those who were markedly obese before pregnancy.