Worried About Senior’s Overall Health? Healthy Eating Tips to Follow

As people age, their metabolism slows down and they are more likely to suffer from multiplechronic conditions. Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet can help maintain the overall well-being of your loved one and stave off some conditions. Here are some of the healthy eating tips that your senior family member should consider for overall good health.

• Consume more liquids – It is important for seniors to drink an adequate amount of water to stay hydrated throughout the day. Fat-free milk and fresh fruit juices are other options that seniors can consider besides water that have many benefits.
• Eat a variety of foods – Make sure your senior family member eats a variety of foods, including fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
• Minimize the use of salt - Consuming too much salt can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure can give rise to other health problems, such as heart diseases, kidney diseases, and strokes.
• Reduce sugar consumption –Make sure your senior family member limits theright amount of sugar in their diet. Instead of sugary treats, they should eat items like fruits and sweet peppers that are naturally sweet.
• Follow a diet plan – Make sure your loved one follows a proper diet plan. You can consult a doctor to get a diet plan according to your senior family member’s health and ensure that they follow it religiously.

If you are unable to keep tabs on your loved one’s eating habits, consider hiring an experienced caregiver. An in-home care provider will look after your senior family member’s safety and ensure that they eat a healthy and nutritious diet.

If you are looking for an in-home senior care provider in Bel Air, contact Always Best Care today. They are a leading senior care organization that has highly trained, bonded, and insured caregivers who provide compassionate care giving services. For more information, call (410) 877-3787.

“Healthy” Foods that Just Aren’t Healthy

All of us want to strive to be as healthy as we can be, whether it’s taking on an exercise regimen, eating right or doing our best to get a good night’s sleep. But did you know that some foods on the market that most of us think of as “healthy” are quite simply not? In your quest to become as healthy as possible, take note of these foods that you should probably avoid.

• Most breakfast cereals. It’s quick, it’s easy, and all you have to do is pour milk over it. But is it the healthiest breakfast choice? No. Anything with high-fructose corn syrup should be avoided, and (most) breakfast cereals fall firmly in this category. A better option? Fresh fruit, homemade or steel oat oatmeal or muesli.


• Fruit juice. Can you spot where they get you? Yes, the word “fruit.” Fruit juices are really just fructose juice, and fructose is, of course, sugar. This fructose might be natural and from the actual fruit, or from high fructose corn syrup, either way, when you drink fruit juice, you’re drinking a bounty of sugar. A great alternative? Eat a piece of fresh fruit and drink some water!


• Bottled water. Most people think bottled water is a healthier option to tap water, but this just isn’t the case. Only 30-40% of bottled water brands are regulated by the FDA, leaving a large portion of the market untested. Phthalate from the plastic can leech into the water. Phthalate is a cancer-causing agent. Try installing a good filter on your kitchen tap instead.


• Microwave popcorn. A substance called Perfluorooctanoic acid (also known as PFOA) is used in microwave popcorn bags. When heated, this chemical leeches into the popcorn. It’s been connected to several health problems. What’s better than microwave popcorn? Stove top popcorn! It’s more fun and definitely healthier. Instead of regular vegetable oil, try using coconut oil for a light, fluffy alternative.
  

For the past 20 years, Always Best Care has been providing superior, compassionate care to seniors all over the United States and Canada. Seniors living in the Fallston area, who are interested in receiving detailed information about in-home senior care in Bel Air, or in-home senior care in Aberdeen, are invited to call the Always Best Care Fallston location at 410-877-3787 to set up a free care consultation.

The Pros & Cons of Alzheimer’s Testing

Alzheimer’s disease strikes one in nine people over the age of 65. This is a current and terrifying statistic that makes many people shiver with dread over the prospect of growing older. With more than 5.4 million people in American currently suffering from Alzheimer’s, it’s natural to consider the idea of testing for Alzheimer’s disease.

While there are plenty of medical tests that one can have done to determine risk factors of a certain disease, many people are against medical tests on healthy people for Alzheimer’s disease. The real question is – is the information worth knowing ahead of time?

Here are some reasons why Alzheimer’s testing might not be feasible for healthy people:

• Most health insurance companies won’t even cover brain scans or genetic testing involved to determine an Alzheimer’s disease risk. Plus, it’s possible that life insurance companies, along with long-term care insurance companies could deny coverage if they know about the individual’s risk. 
• Most people who develop Alzheimer’s disease don’t display any genetic markers, so, although genetic testing can reveal the risk, it isn’t definitive. Environmental and lifestyle factors also play a role in developing the disease, so probability and predictions cannot be made on genetic testing alone.
• Once a person is tested, the knowledge can cause undue stress on that individual. Likewise, if a person tests negative for increased risk, they may still develop it because other factors are involved.

On the other hand, an individual who finds out that they are at a greater risk of developing the disease may want to take the time to learn more about it, talk to their families about it and, as they say, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. It isn’t a life sentence, but some people might feel better armed with the knowledge.

Always Best Care has been in the caregiver industry since 1996. During the past two decades they have assisted over 25,000 seniors maintain their independence and improve their quality of life. If you live in the Upper Chesapeake area and are interested in finding out more information about in-home senior care in Bel Air, or senior veteran’s care in Baltimore County, you can call the Always Best Care Fallston location at 410-877-3787 and set up a free consultation.