Nutrition and medications
Nutrition is all about eating a healthy diet. This means you get an adequate supply of nutrients to help your body have a healthy diet that gives away a healthy mind and body. Good nutrition is an essential aspect of our life, regardless of age. Our bodies can heal themselves, provided we practice proper nutrition. Also, we must understand that good nutrition is essential for strengthening our immune system.
Making good choices
Making good food choices can go a long way in keeping our bodies healthy and free from various kinds of diseases. Furthermore, with age, there is a drastic change in our immunity levels. Making us fall prey to a variety of infectious diseases. This makes our loved ones dependent on medications to keep themselves healthy and free from ailments. While medications help cure and manage several conditions. Our foods are also quite effective in protecting our bodies against various infections. You may want to get with your physician to discuss a way to make better choices with your medications.
Food is essential when it comes to our health.
Mindful eating can reduce the need for most medications, which would, in turn, help us from the side effects of drugs. Proper nutrition can be the best medicine if we eat the correct way. However, it is always easier said than done because eating healthy has not always been easy. With so many unhealthy foods, eating healthy can be difficult with each passing day.
Immunity and our loved ones- the role of nutrients and medications
With increasing age, there is a marked decrease in our loved one’s immune systems. Furthermore, it can make them susceptible to infections and inflammatory diseases. A robust immune system is necessary for protecting the body against foreign bacteria and viruses. Unfortunately, we live in a world that is constantly exposed to various infectious agents. And this can play havoc if not controlled in time. While age is just one factor for a poor immune system, there are several other factors, such as:
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Poor dietary habits
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Improper nutritional status of the individual
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Existing chronic medical conditions
All of this can contribute to low immunity.
Foods that boost the immunity of our loved ones
Let us look at some of the essential nutritious foods that can boost the immunity of our elderly loved ones:
Garlic
This is one food that not only adds flavor to the food but also can improve the immunity of your elderly loved ones. Garlic contains an active ingredient,t alliin, which strengthens the immune system. When crushing the garlic, it converts the alliin to allicin. This, in turn, stimulates the immune cells. Studies suggest that garlic supplements can help decrease flu symptoms in older adults.
With age, your loved one may find it challenging to cook a nutritious meal alone, especially if they live alone. However, you can help them and educate them about the foods they need to include in their daily meals. Also, various services can deliver healthy, nutritious meals to your loved ones if they can no longer cook for themselves.
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes are rich in Vitamins A and C. This strengthens the immune system and helps fight off viruses and bacteria.
Almonds
Almonds are also a rich source of various vitamins and contain many good-quality proteins. All these macro and micronutrients,s in combination,n are necessary to build a robust immune system.
Pumpkin seeds
Pumpkin seeds are rich in fiber, protein, and zinc, which makes them an excellent source for building strong immunity in elderly individuals. In addition, pumpkin seeds are pretty good for evening-time healthy snacks, as there are low in calories.
Eating healthy can be a tricky affair for our loved ones. The knowledge about nutritious foods and the task of cooking a nutritious meal can become overwhelming.
Essential nutrients for our loved ones
Getting the right amount of nutrients can become challenging as our parents get older. With age, the desire to eat decreases. Also, there is a lack of calories combined with a deficiency in other nutrients. Furthermore, as one ages, their capability to absorb nutrients is diminished. All these are also prominent decrease factors that make nutrient deficiency a common problem among the elderly.
B vitamins
Vitamin B12 and folate are essential for healthy nerves to create function in older adults. Encourage your loved ones to eat a more fortified breakfast cereal to get adequate B vitamins.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium and vitamin D, in combination, are essential for healthy bones in old age. Unfortunately, as our parents period, their body loses the capability to store enough calcium. Dairy and low-calorie seafood are some of the prominent sources of calcium.
Potassium
Potassium is also necessary for healthy bones and plays a vital role in cell function. Getting adequate potassium levels from the diet also helps check blood pressure levels. You need to give your elderly a good 4 – 5servingsg of fruits and vegetables daily to keep their potassium levels up to the mark.
Fiber
A rich fiber diet keeps the gut healthy and prevents the elderly from constipation and other gut-related problems. In addition to fruits and vegetables, whole grains, cereals, and nuts also form good sources of fiber.
Omega – 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for our elderly. It helps delay early or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression.
Magnesium
Magnesium is not only crucial for strengthening the immune system. But also vital for maintaining strong bones and heart health. Many medications our elderly take may interfere with the absorption of magnesium, causing its deficiency to set in. Ensure your elderly get enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and beans.
Conclusion
There are many natural ways to help manage this problem and learn to feed your loved one. Use the above tips and suggestions to help. And talk to your healthcare provider for more advice. In addition, several foods lower heart rates as part of an anti-inflammatory diet, especially fiber-rich vegetables and all kinds of fruits, herbs and spices, beans, and legumes. Nutrition can play a significant role in better health and reducing many medications. Finally, It can be challenging to attend to your loved one with too many drugs, but it’s not impossible. With the proper knowledge, you can do this. Remember to care for yourself and keep your business going while caregiving. I’m here to assist you on this journey; schedule your planning session with me so we can look at how to keep your life and your business running smoothly. Also, I can help create a weekly meal plan to help incorporate all of this.
