Boosting Your Senior Loved One’s Health in Longmont, CO and Surrounding Areas with Simple Dietary Changes
March is National Nutrition Month! This month, consider hiring home care providers from Visiting Angels of Boulder County to help your loved one eat a balanced and nutritious diet
While adequate nutrition is important for any age group, it is especially important for older adults who often need to maintain proper weight and good health to manage or ward off chronic conditions and medical complications commonly associated with aging.
The following dietary suggestions, compiled by home care providers from Visiting Angels of Boulder County, can help your aging mom or dad eat well and reap a plethora of health benefits.
Combat Slow Metabolism through Protein-Rich Diet
It is not uncommon for people to gain weight in their senior years. This is because metabolism tends to slow down as we age, reducing the body’s ability to burn calories as it used to. Additional reasons for slower metabolism may include sedentary lifestyle, decreased muscle tone and sleep deprivation.
Your loved one can boost their metabolism by switching to a diet rich in protein, eating more frequent smaller meals instead of overeating three times a day and adopting a physician-approved exercise regimen. To increase protein intake, our professional home care providers in Boulder County recommend eating plenty of tuna, salmon, chicken breast, cottage cheese, beef, quinoa, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, eggs and shrimp.
Increase Calcium Intake for Strong Bones
Maintaining healthy bones is critical for aging adults as it helps prevent falls and fractures. However, seniors are often calcium and vitamin D deficient, and our bodies need vitamin D to absorb calcium. For this reason, our home care providers typically advise seniors to increase their daily calcium intake through diet and supplements.
When it comes to nutrition, your loved one can opt for tasty dishes and smoothies, which include a mix of fortified cereals, fruit, dark leafy greens, canned fish and milk.
Power Up with Super Foods
Everyone knows some foods are healthier and more nutritious than others. Your loved one can consult with their dietitian or our professional home care providers to develop a meal plan based on certain super foods known to provide a plethora of benefits for healthy aging.
Some of them include:
- Blueberries – Packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and dietary fiber, blackberries are a natural remedy helping seniors defend the body from diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular conditions and more.
- Beans – Beans are a great source of antioxidants too. With so many different varieties and recipes to choose from, beans make a good low-calorie substitute to hearty red meat.
- Greek yogurt – This full-flavored dairy product promotes digestion while providing a good source of protein.
- Fiber – Groceries such as vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruit are rich in fiber, which can lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels and help normalize bowel movements.
- Fatty fish - Salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines and shellfish are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, which are also beneficial in reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol, warding off the risk of heart disease.
- Spinach – Thanks to Popeye, we all know about the health properties of spinach. This vegetable can help fight infections and strengthen the immune system.
By adhering to these simple nutritional guidelines, your loved one can completely cut out unhealthy or processed foods from their diet, take in essential nutrients such as protein and calcium and enjoy a healthier lifestyle in their golden years.
If your loved one struggles to follow a healthy diet or prepare their own meals, Visiting Angels of Boulder County can help. Our home care providers can assist with planning meals, preparing nutritious meals and snacks, shopping for healthy ingredients and so much more.
To learn more about our home care services, contact our Longmont, CO office today.
Visiting Angels provides meal preparation and many other in-home senior care services for families in Allenspark, Boulder, Eldorado Springs, Erie, Hygiene, Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Lyons, Nederland, Niwot, Pinecliff, Ward and the surrounding areas of Boulder County, CO.