If your loved one has Osteoarthritis, she is not alone. Osteoarthritis is common in many seniors. For many people, it occurs as a natural part of aging as the cartilage diminishes around the joint and bones begin to rub up against each other. It can cause pain and discomfort and make some everyday tasks nearly impossible to complete anymore.
While there isn’t anything your elderly loved one can do to change the damage that has been done or become cured of the disease, many people have found they can manage their osteoarthritis by making some key changes to their diet. By avoiding some foods and increasing the intake of others, they can reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis and provide their bodies with essential nutrients to prevent further damage.
How Food Affects Osteoarthritis
By adding in foods rich in antioxidants and important nutrients, your loved one can give her body the resources it needs to manage the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Finding foods that reduce inflammation in addition to foods that provide joint support is a great way for your loved one to take control of what she can in the care of her osteoarthritis.
Let a Senior Home Care Team Help with Diet Changes
Learning to eat new things, or perhaps giving up or reducing some favorite food items can be tough. We all know what we like and what we don’t like, so changing a diet can be tough. A senior home care team can help your loved one find the right foods for her osteoarthritis as well as help her prepare them so that she doesn’t have to worry about whether what she is eating is good for her or not.
Best Foods for Osteoarthritis
If your loved one is unsure of any of these, that’s where a senior home care provider can first help her find them in her local market, and then discover new and easy ways to enjoy them at home.
Fatty Fish
Fish that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids can be beneficial to those with Osteoarthritis. Omega-3 fats have anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the inflammation around sore joints.
Some great examples of fish to try are:
- Salmon
- Trout
- Sardines
- Mackerel
The Right Oil
While some oils like coconut oil and palm oil are bad for arthritis, other oils can be healthy for your loved one (when used in moderation). Oils like extra-virgin olive oil and safflower oil can be helpful. Extra-virgin olive oil has oleocanthal in it, which has anti-inflammatory properties, while safflower oil can help reduce cholesterol.
Broccoli
There’s a good reason we’ve always been told we should eat our broccoli. Broccoli has sulforaphane in it, a compound that is believed to slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Not to mention, it’s also packed full of calcium, vitamin K, and C, which will all help in keeping bones strong.
Some Nuts
Adding some healthy nuts to the diet can help your loved one boost her immune system and provide needed calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Have your loved one’s senior home care provider help her find pistachios, almonds, and pine nuts to sprinkle into her diet.
It’s always important when making changes to lifelong habits that all of the changes do not need to occur immediately. Little changes that gradually boost your loved one’s body’s ability to manage its osteoarthritis is a great way to start.
If you are considering senior home care in Katy, TX for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
At Your Side Home Care, provides exceptional home care assistance for seniors and families in Houston, West Houston, Katy, Memorial, The Heights, Spring Valley, Garden Oaks, Hunters Creek, River Oaks, Hilshire Village, Galleria, Cinco Ranch, Spring Branch, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenburg, Piney Point, Bay City and surrounding areas.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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