If your elderly family member has found out that her cholesterol is higher than she wants it to be, the best way to start approaching the problem is by changing her diet. Here are some foods her doctor is likely to recommend to her.
Foods High in Fiber Content
Fiber is one of the best nutrients for people to be eating, but it’s not talked about as much as other nutrients. Fiber improves digestion and it feeds the good bacteria in your senior’s gut. It can also help your elderly family member to feel fuller for a longer period of time, which can be really helpful if she’s changing her eating habits. Doctors also find that fiber helps with cholesterol by binding to “bad” cholesterol and helping to move it out of the body.
Foods that Contain Plenty of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Your senior’s brain needs omega-3 fatty acids, but so do her cholesterol levels. These are a healthy form of healthy fat that your senior needs to make sure she’s including in her diet regularly. Taking a fish oil supplement might be helpful if your elderly family member doesn’t like any of the foods that would help her to boost her intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Nuts, fish, and even red meat all contain some degree of omega-3 fatty acids.
Other Foods with Healthy Fats
Cholesterol is a type of fat, which makes people think that avoiding fat is what they need to do to lower their cholesterol levels. But the reality is that there are plenty of healthy fats and your senior’s body does need those in her diet on a regular basis. Foods like olive oil and avocados are excellent sources of these healthy fats. In the case of avocado, there’s the added benefit of higher fiber content, too.
Slow Carbohydrates Are Better than Fast Carbohydrates
Something else to consider is carbohydrates. There are two main types of carbohydrates and your senior needs to focus on one of them. Fast carbohydrates are things like junk food, cake, and sugar. Those might be tasty, but they don’t offer your senior’s body what she needs. Slow carbohydrates are what you find in fruits and vegetables. These are digested more slowly and are often high in fiber and other nutrients. These slower carbs can help your senior to reduce her cholesterol.
Changing your senior’s diet isn’t easy to do. She might resist more based on the work involved than the fact that she’s eating healthier. Having some help from Caregivers in San Diego, CA to take over the heavy lifting part of the process can be a huge benefit.
For more information about hiring 24 Hour Home Care in San Diego, CA, call the friendly caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare who can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, at 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Jolla, CA, and the surrounding communities.
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