Senior Health: Health Benefits of Seafood for Seniors

Senior Health: Helping your parent stay healthy as he ages is just one of the many responsibilities that comes with being a caregiver of an aging parent.

Caregiver in Beech Grove IN: Senior Health

Caregiver in Beech Grove IN: Senior Health

 

One area to help him be proactive in his senior health is his diet.

As you look for different foods to supplement his diet and increase his intake of beneficial calories, look at adding more seafood in his meal planning. Seafood is naturally rich in many important nutrients that help curtail the effects that aging can have on a person. With the summer months upon us, now is also the time when seafood is more plentiful and reasonably priced in many areas so it might be the perfect time to help your parent introduce some new items to his diet.

Grab those cookbooks, or open up those websites with seafood recipes and make it fun as you try some new seafood items. Your parent will not only reap the following health benefits but will also enjoy spending some extra time with his caregiver!

 

Improved Heart Health

The Omega-3 fatty acids can protect the heart and prevent it from damage. When people don’t eat enough food that is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, they are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Adding some fresh tuna to your parent’s diet is just one easy way to increase his consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

The nutrients found in seafood are also great for brain health. The Alzheimer’s Institute recommends that seniors increase their intake of foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids in order to reduce the risk of developing cognitive decline, which can lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.

 

Protected Vision

Seafood helps reduce the risk of chronic eye conditions, such as macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is a problem with the retina. It happens when a part of the retina called the macula is damaged and you lose vision in the center field of your vision and is the leading cause of vision loss for the elderly.

Stronger Bones

Eating more seafood will help your parent protect his bones and reduce the bone loss that naturally occurs with getting older. The combination of Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA found in seafood can help your aging parent maintain his bone density and reduce the risk of breaks and fractures. Just eating two or three meals a week that have seafood can help your parent benefit from these nutrients.

 

Senior Health: Better Joint Health

The nutrients in seafood also help to reduce inflammation and provide relief to those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

If you’re ready to increase the amount of seafood in your parent’s diet, you can look at adding either fresh seafood or canned. In fact, canned seafood sometimes has more nutrients and is much easier to “prepare.” It’s all up to your parent’s taste preferences as well as meal prep abilities. Some great seafood items to add to your shopping list are salmon, tuna (fresh or canned), trout, and even canned sardines to help in your quest for great senior health.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering a Caregiver in Beech Grove, IN, please call the caring staff at Home Services Unlimited. Serving Greater Indianapolis Area. Call for Immediate Info & Assistance: (317) 471-0760

Etelka Froymovich, RN, MHA
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