Elder Care Pacific Beach CA
Despite popular belief, cholesterol problems are not something that just suddenly occur, nor are they totally linked to what you eat. In fact, only approximately a quarter of the total amount of cholesterol in the blood is dietary cholesterol. This means that 75 percent of it does not come directly from food, but rather from the liver where it is produced and then carried through the bloodstream by bonding to lipoproteins.
It is also important to realize that there are two different types of cholesterol. Low-density lipoproteins, or LDL, is often referred to as “bad cholesterol”. This is the type that carries cholesterol throughout the body via the bloodstream but does not return it to the liver, potentially resulting in cholesterol building up as plaque in the arteries. The other type, high-density lipoproteins, or HDL, is often referred to as “good cholesterol”. This is the type that returns the cholesterol to the liver so the body can eliminate it rather than letting it build up. Understanding these two types of cholesterol is important for making managing your elderly parents’ cholesterol part of your regular elder care plan.
Having high cholesterol, which generally means having too much of the LDL version in the bloodstream, puts your senior loved ones at risk of developing atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of deposits on the interior walls of the arteries. When this happens it restricts the blood flow, potentially leading a serious complications such as:
- Chronic chest pain
- Stroke
- Heart attack
High LDL levels in combination with other risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes put your elderly parents at even greater risk for developing heart disease. If your parents’ doctor told them that they have high cholesterol, or that they need to work on lowering their cholesterol to a healthier level, incorporate some of these tips into your elder care plan to help them achieve this health goal:
- Set a goal. Just saying “lower your cholesterol” can be too vague of a pursuit for many seniors. Having a specific goal gives your aging parents something to shoot towards and something they can measure as they make lifestyle changes so they can actually note their accomplishments and know how much further they need to go.
- Get active. Being more physically active can greatly improve cholesterol levels. Something as simple as heading out for a daily walk with their elder home care provider can make a major difference. For goal-minded seniors, purchase a pedometer or download a pedometer app on their phone and encourage them to take 10,000 steps each day. This little challenge can lead them to find times to “sneak” in extra steps, such as walking around during commercial breaks or accompanying you to the mailbox
- Reduce saturated fat. It was once accepted belief that eating cholesterol-rich foods such as eggs was the main contributor to high cholesterol. Doctors now realize that while excessive consumption of high-cholesterol foods can worsen high cholesterol, it is actually saturated fats that are the highest dietary risk factor for developing high cholesterol. Make simple modifications to your parents’ diets such as using olive oil rather than butter or margarine in cooking and swapping out red meat for fish a few times per week.
- Increase fiber intake. Soluble fiber is a fantastic friend in the fight against high cholesterol. Dietary fiber absorbs cholesterol within the digestive tract so the body can easily eliminate it. Fiber also helps you to feel fuller, longer so you are less likely to indulge in high fat foods. Add more soluble fiber to your parents’ diet with oats, dried beans, fruits, vegetables, and barley. You can also try adding a fiber supplement such as flavorless powders to increase daily intake.
La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Costa, CA, and the surrounding communities."]” data-sheets-userformat=”[null,null,767,[null,0],[null,2,10667209],[null,[[null,2,0,null,null,[null,2,0]],[null,0,0,3],[null,1,0,null,1]]],[null,[[null,2,0,null,null,[null,2,0]],[null,0,0,3],[null,1,0,null,1]]],[null,[[null,2,0,null,null,[null,2,0]],[null,0,0,3],[null,1,0,null,1]]],[null,[[null,2,0,null,null,[null,2,0]],[null,0,0,3],[null,1,0,null,1]]],2,2,null,0]”>For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable elder care Pacific Beach, CA, and the surrounding communities.
Today we are the oldest and most experienced private duty agency in San Diego County.She saw a need for quality private duty home health care and she worked diligently to build an agency that filled that need.I am proud to say, her vision is carried on today with our dedicated staff.
I believe our tenure in the community speaks well for us.We have had the opportunity to be of service to countless interesting individuals, including local and worldwide celebrities.It is the people we care for that makes this a fascinating industry.Whether high profile or a more ordinary citizen, we are proud that thousands have entrusted us with their care or the care of their loved ones.Our Mission is to provide high quality, very secure and the most compassionate home health care.We believe that patients heal faster and are happiest when they can stay in their homes.”
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