Foods Your Elderly Loved One Should Eat to Reduce Stress

By Jamie Shapiro | April 29, 2021 | Comments Off on Foods Your Elderly Loved One Should Eat to Reduce Stress

Everyone experiences stress at some point or another. Sometimes, it can get so bad that a person feels they are at their breaking point. Your elderly loved one might be feeling extremely stressed right now. If this is the case, you and their elder care providers should get them to eat different foods. There are studies that have shown particular foods could help ease stress and anxiety for people of all ages. Keep reading to learn more about what your elderly loved one can eat to help reduce their stress.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Some studies show foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent a person’s stress hormones from flaring up. They can also lower the risk of someone getting heart disease and help fend off depression. A few of these foods include the following:

  • Shrimp

    Elder Care Glenview, IL: Stress Reducing Foods

  • Tuna
  • Catfish
  • Cod

As a family caregiver, you might want to encourage your elderly loved one to add these foods to their diet. If you can’t be around to remind your elderly loved one to eat these foods, you can have elder care providers remind them.

Whole Grains

Many experts recommend eating whole grains for a number of reasons. They are a good source of magnesium, folic acid, and serotonin. They can also help ease stress and reduce anxiety attacks. The basic guideline is to make sure half of the grains a person eats are whole grains. However, your elderly loved one should speak with their doctor to get specific directions on how many whole grains they should consume every day.

Berries and Citrus Fruits

Studies show berries contain vitamin C. This vitamin can greatly lower stress levels. In addition, citrus fruits can give a person’s body a boost of antioxidants. This is great for the immune system. Research has shown that stress can harm a person’s immunity to various illnesses and diseases. Taking this into consideration, it makes perfect sense that your elderly loved one might want to include berries and citrus fruits into their meals and snacks.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal often makes a person feel relaxed. It can also boost a person’s mood and ease stress. Most experts recommend old-fashioned and steel-cut oats over instant oatmeal. If your elderly loved one isn’t really fond of oats, you or an elder care provider can have them add nuts or seeds to the oatmeal.

Conclusion

There are many foods that can help reduce stress. If your elderly loved one starts eating more of these foods, they might notice their stress levels declining almost immediately.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elder Care in Glenview, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

Sources

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322652

Jamie Shapiro
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