La Jolla Senior Care News

The Undeniable Connection between Diet and Health

Elder Care Coronado CA: Is Your Aging Loved One Getting Proper Nutrition?

Elder Care Coronado CA One of the first steps towards maintaining good health is to have a healthy diet. This becomes even more obvious in the case of seniors. Regular exercise and a healthy eating plan can make them much more resistant against disease. The elderly should avoid foods that have “empty calories” such as chips, soft drinks and alcohol. They do not provide the necessary nutrients, but can affect weight. To substitute for these, they could have low-fat popcorn.

If your senior parent or loved one is thinking about making some changes for their health, keep reading. You can help them by finding out more about getting regular exercise, eating good food, and keeping up their energy. It’s important that your parent has the help they need, and often family members aren’t enough. You can hire an elder care provider to take care of daily needs.

Eating Healthy

A healthy diet consists of a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole-grain foods, and low-fat milk products. It also includes lean meat, fish, shellfish, eggs and nuts. Seniors should eat food low in saturated fats, cholesterol and sugar. In some cases, they need to intake a certain number of calories per day, so they need to be careful not to exceed this number. If a person is having troubles with daily input of vitamins and minerals, instead of a proper snack, they can have protein shakes and dietary supplements.

Dietary supplements cannot change the meal completely, but can be beneficial in between meals. They usually come in the form of powder or pills. However, not all of them are healthy and your senior should consult their doctor before including them in a regular diet. Supplements can also interact with medication and cause dangerous side effects.

Steps to a Healthier Meal Plan

Seniors are advised to follow these rules:

  • Include a lot of fruit and vegetables in the diet. They provide the body with different types of nutrients it needs.
  • Eat foods high in fiber. This especially helps if a person is having weight problems or high blood pressure. High-fiber foods also reduce the appetite for longer periods of time. They can be found in beans and whole-grain products.
  • Eat poultry and lean meat. Remove the skin before cooking and trim the excess fat, as this can up the levels of cholesterol.
  • Portion sizes are also important, no matter if the food is healthy or not. It is important for seniors not to over eat.
  • Instead of using butter and salt, it is recommended to spice the food with lemon juice, herbs and spices.
  • Avoid large portions of fried food.

For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents get to their annual appointments, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in Coronado, CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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