| Fast answers for Seniors with health issues |
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Q1: What special needs do Seniors have that I should be aware of?
A: Taking care of an elderly relative can be a wonderful thing, but it can also be a challenge, especially when it comes to maintaining health, energy, and eating healthy foods.
Problem: Elderly people drink less water becauses they lose their sense of thirst.
Solution: Flavor their water with small amount of juice or add a few drops of stevia or xylitol. Make your own vitamin water that is much superior to the products currently on the market, putting Fulvic and Super Multi in water that they sip throughout the day.
Hydration Check: Check the skin for hydration. Gently grasp a small amount of skin on the forearm, thigh or abdomen; slowly pick it up and then suddenly let it go. If it easily falls back into place, they are adequately hydrated. If it stays bunched up, returning to place slowly, they need water.
To eliminate night time trips to the bathroom, make sure they drink most of their water before 4:00 in the afternoon.
Problem: Many elderly folks can't eat very much in one sitting
Solution: To avoid malnutrition, keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand that are ready to eat. Washed fresh fruit, vegetable sticks in a container, nuts, olives, yoghurt, hard boiled eggs, cheeses, and healthy snack crackers (read labels to make sure you’re getting natural, healthy ingredients).
Problem: As we age, we lose our sense of taste for meats and vegetables. The last thing to go is our ability to taste sugar and salt.
Solution: Make sweet sauces for meats and vegetables using fruit juices, coconut or chunks of fruit. Honey and butter with a touch of cayenne pepper are excellent on roasted chicken. Use a little extra sea salt (the excipients in free flowing salt are the damaging culprits). Experiment with spices to see which ones they can taste and enjoy. Put fruit in their salads, like mandarin oranges, pears, blueberries or apples. Use a salty/sweet dressing like Balsamic.
Problem: Elderly people crave junk food. 90% of Americans of all ages crave junk food because they are mineral deficient. As we age our bodies compound the deficiency by slowing down production of digestive enzymes. Without enzymes, we cannot extract or process the nutrients in our food, leaving us even more mineral deficient.
Solution: Replace minerals by taking Fulvic Mineral Complex. For severe deficiencies 3 or 4 doses (ounces) can be safely taken throughout the day.
Solution: Supplement with digestive enzymes. Find a health food store that has a Nutritional Counselor or knowledgeable staff to advise you on which ones to buy. Fulvic will help here also, as it also boosts enzyme production in the body.
Solution: Read our article on Nutrient Robbers.
Solution: Read our article on Acidity – The Energy Zapper.
Please see our complete articles that may help, or all our information in the "All Articles" Section of the website. |
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Q2: Why is digestive health is crucial for the elderly?
A: A healthy digestive system produces a proper balance of hydrochloric acid ... or HCI. HCI kills unhealthy bacteria and fungi that are present in the food we eat. If the HCI concentration is too low, food cannot be processed, resulting in a chronic condition called hypochlorhydria.
Problem: The immediate symptoms of hypochlorhydria. can include indigestion, bloating, belching, and stomach burning after meals. Long term symptoms can include food allergies, weak, cracked fingernails, candida infections, hair loss and general poor health and energy.
Solution: Supplement with 525 milligrams of Betaine HCI taken with meals. Buy it in “enteric coated” form, so it bypasses the stomach and dissolves in the small intestine.
For a better understanding of the digestive system please see our articles and information in the "All Articles" Section of the website.
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Q3: What tips can I do for planning meals Seniors will enjoy?
A: Healthy, Home-Cooked Meals
Elderly folks need foods high in nutrition. Your best bet is to prepare fresh fruits, vegetables and meats (particularly fish and chicken) from scratch. Avoid pre-packaged foods that are loaded with toxic preservatives, flavor enhancers, chemicals and fillers as they actually deplete nutrients.
Avoid Chewy Foods
Many elderly people have trouble chewing tough meats and other chewy foods. If you are preparing steak or something else that might be difficult to chew, make sure to cut it up into small bites so that your elderly relative can chew and digest it properly. This is especially true for elderly folks who wear dentures.
Check Medications
Many medications are not appropriate when combined with certain foods, so make sure you check the instructions on all prescription bottles before planning meals. If you anything is unclear, call the doctor of pharmacist to clarify. You should also make sure to ask about allergies because allergic reactions are much more devastating for the elderly.
Lots of Calcium
If your elderly loved one did not take calcium supplements when they were young, and was not attentive to calcium absorption, they probably have brittle bones that are easily broken. Although it is difficult to turn around a lifetime of abuse, every little bit can help.
First, make certain their diet is not compounding the problem by depleting even more calcium from their bodies. Read the Calcium article on our web page. Read article Pay special attention to the paragraph titled “The foods and lifestyle factors that can destroy calcium ....”
Give them a complete liquid calcium / Magnesium supplement. Vital Earth’s Cal Mag Liquid and Cal Mag Capsules contain all the most absorbable forms of nutrients to maximize absorption.
Ask How You Are Doing
Don’t forget that all of the five senses can deteriorate with age. It’s really hard to get excited about even the most delicious food if we cannot smell or taste it. Combine that with the fact that your relative may love you dearly and try not to be a burden, so they may not speak up if they don’t like what you are cooking for them.
So ask frequently if their meals taste good to them, what spices, flavors, textures they like best, and what they don’t care for. You'll also find that preferences can change from week to week, so ask on a regular basis, and be patient with frequent changes.
Dr Nadine Sahyoun, Associate Professor of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has studied the impact of dental health, social support and depression on senior’s diets. According to Sahyoun, “The inability to shop and cook can create major challenges for older adults, especially among those recently discharged from the hospital”
"Without good nutrition, health can deteriorate very quickly, making seniors more susceptible to disease and infection".
For more information on Baseline Nutrition Read more
Also, call us, or download a free copy of our Grocery Watch List. It is a handy way to remember what not to buy at the market.
Please see our following articles that may help, or all our information in the "All Articles" Section of the website.
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Q4: What can I do that helps them take their medication?
A: Many elderly individuals do not have caretakers to assist them with this problem. Others have difficulty because of memory problems or confusion. Some people take the wrong dosage, overdose, and sometimes do not take medications at all. It is a serious problem that results in numerous emergency room visits and hospital admissions. It can also cause serious complications in an illness that could be easily controlled with medication. However, there are options for the elderly person and family members that are concerned.
Some elderly have difficulty opening pill bottles due to arthritis and weakness. Others may have difficulty reading the directions on the pill bottle or even confuse the directions resulting in taking the wrong dosage.
To remedy this problem a simple but effective idea is to use a medication planner. These planners can hold a week or a month's worth of medications for the person to take on a daily basis. Some planners are even sectioned out into three times a day which is helpful for people who take medications several different times a day. In addition, some medication planners are equipped with an alarm that can be set to go off when the person needs to take a dose of the medication. They can be filled by family members or even some pharmacies offer this service.
Please see our following articles that may help, or all our information in the "All Articles" Section of the website. |
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Q5: What can I do about Seniors with skin problems?
A: Dry skin is another issue to be aware of, which is more prevalent in the winter months but can also occur year round. The elderly are prone to a condition called xerosis, which is characterized by dry, rough, scaly, and itchy skin. Finding just the right treatment can be hard because different treatments work for different people at different times of the year
Coconut oil is one of the best treatments available. Since xerosis is often caused by skin inflammation, the anti-septic properties of coconut oil result in better outcomes than many traditional moisturizers. Coconut oil can be used in two ways. It can be applied to the skin to treat a variety of skin conditions, and it can be consumed as a cooking oil or in salad dressings. Coconut oil has been used as a skin moisturizer in the tropics for centuries.
There are also many herbal remedies and essential oils such as frankincense that are excellent healthy moisturizers. Whatever your choice is, make sure the moisturizer is creamy and absorbs into the skin rather than lying on top of the skin
For people with dry skin it is important to preserve the natural oils produced by the body. Do not bathe more than once a day, use warm water instead of hot, and use natural, gentle glycerin soaps. Apply your choice of moisturizing lotion immediately.
In Conclusion
People tell us that caring for an elderly beloved one is one of their most important life accomplishments. They consider it an honor and a privilege that leaves them with feelings of warmth and satisfaction. Looking back, you will thank yourself for being patient, kind, and understanding. It is so worth it.
Please see our following articles that may help, or all our information in the "All Articles" Section of the website. |
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