Senior Home Care: Join Your Parents in Their Goals to Eat Healthy

Dietary changes can improve many of the more prevalent chronic health conditions. Your mom and dad are working on changing their eating habits to lower their blood pressure, blood sugar levels, or cholesterol levels. Support them by joining them in their goals. What steps can you take together to eat healthily? Here are some of the areas where you and their senior home care providers should focus your goals.

Lower Sodium Intake

Senior Home Care Ventura CA - Senior Home Care: Join Your Parents in Their Goals to Eat Healthy

Senior Home Care Ventura CA – Senior Home Care: Join Your Parents in Their Goals to Eat Healthy

Sodium is something that many people get too much of. Guidelines are that you shouldn’t ingest more than 2,300 milligrams per day. Yet, most adults eat around 3,400 milligrams.

To lower sodium intake, you need to read nutrition facts on the items you purchase. It can be surprising to see just how much sodium is found in favorite foods. A whole can of tomato soup should provide just over two meals, and each serving contains almost 500 milligrams of sodium.

Using herbs and citrus juice adds flavor without relying on salt. Cooking foods from scratch helps lower sodium intake.

Watch for Added Sugar

Sugar gets added to so many things. Current guidelines are for women to limit daily sugar consumption to six teaspoons (25 grams), while men can ingest nine teaspoons (36 grams).

Going back to the popular tomato soup, a serving has 12 grams of sugar. Some of it is naturally found in tomatoes, but eight grams is added sugar. If your mom eats a full can during her meal, that’s her daily allowance of sugar in one sitting.

Lower Saturated Fat Intake

Saturate fat is one fat to avoid. Your parents should focus on whole foods and not packaged foods. Making things from scratch is best as it gives you control over the ingredients. Instead of having a pasta dish that’s made with a lot of cream and butter, you could have pasta tossed in extra virgin olive oil.

Stick to Whole Grains and Lean Protein

Whole grains are healthier options than items made with all-purpose flour. Fiber is essential for colorectal and heart health. Plus, high-fiber diets can help lower the risk of diabetes.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are also important. They’re high in antioxidants, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals.

Finally, fish, seafood, and other lean proteins are important in your daily diet. Fish that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids are vital to your health.

Hire Senior Home Care Services

Once your parents are embracing changes to eat healthier meals, how do you support them? Have you considered the many benefits of caregivers? Having a senior home care aide with them in grocery stores helps them understand nutrition facts and pricing. Caregivers can cook meals that meet their requirements. Call our senior home care agency to learn more.

Sources:  https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/how-much-sugar-is-too-much

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Senior Home Care Services in Ventura CA, please contact the caring staff at Assisting Hearts Home Care today. Proudly Serving the Los Angeles & Ventura County. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! (805) 371-0033, (818) 593-0094.