Home Care San Francisco wants all seniors to know that they should always talk to their doctor before starting a new exercise or diet program.
When seniors face high blood cholesterol levels and increased risks of heart disease, a senior citizen may long for those days when their hearts were healthy. All is not lost. Seniors can change their diets and in the process lower cholesterol and eliminate that dreadful threat of heart disease.
• Saturated Fats—To follow the Heart Healthy Diet, only 8% to 10% of a senior’s total daily calories should come from saturated fats. This percentage is based upon the percentage of calories you actually eat. In other words, the amount will vary depending on how many calories you consume.
• Fats—A senior’s total daily calories from fat should be 30% or less. Once again, this percentage is based on the percentage of calories you eat.
• Dietary Cholesterol—Seniors should keep their daily dietary cholesterol intake under 300 milligrams if they want to stick with the heart healthy diet.
• Sodium—Sodium consumption should be limited to 2400 milligrams a day.
• Eating Habits —Seniors should not deprive themselves of calories or over eat. It is important to always eat enough calories towards maintaining or achieving a healthy weight. Also, a healthy calorie intake should help reduce blood cholesterol levels.
If you are a caregiver, or know anyone with a heart condition, you could benefit from watching the following clip, which features a modified form of CPR called CCR that is easier to learn, easier to do and can save even more lives!
If you want to make the most out of your retirement, proper nutrition goes a long way to improving your quality of life. If you eat a well-balanced diet during your senior years, you’ll have more energy which will give you more time to play with your grandchildren, to see the world, and to relish in your hobbies. So what should a healthy diet look like to give you optimal energy levels?
1. Eat raw foods – some nutrients can be best digested when in raw form and they are rich in fiber. Make sure that at least one of your daily servings of vegetables are consumed raw either on their own or in a salad
2. Choose whole grain carbs – unprocessed carbs that are whole grain provide energy , choose brown rice, and whole grain breads and pasta. White carbohydrates are starchy and can make you feel tired and bloated
3. Stick to lean proteins – limit red meat and instead go with lean sources of protein like poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts which will give you the fuel to get through you day and are also very health conscious
4. Incorporate low fat dairy items into your diet – calcium is crucial for senior health so drink low fat milk, and make sure you stock up on yogurt and cheese
5. Don’t avoid all fat – there are some good fats that should be part of your diet; make sure you get the positive benefits of healthy fats and oils through olive oil, avocados and nuts
6. Stay hydrated – remember to drink plenty of water and choose foods that have a lot of water content
