There are many ways for an elderly person to boost their immunity. Practicing regular exercise, getting 8 hours of sleep every night, and eating certain foods can all help with this. Thankfully, there are many foods available that will help a person boost their immunity. Keep reading to learn about some of these foods and how they can help your elderly loved one.
Garlic
Many experts agree that garlic can fight off infections. This is because garlic has allicin in it. There have been studies proving that allicin fights bacteria which is one cause of illness. As a family caregiver, it is helpful to know that your elderly loved one can eat garlic raw or incorporate it into their meals. For instance, garlic can be put into spaghetti sauce, hamburgers, and many other dishes. This may be something you and home care providers put into your elderly loved one’s meals a few times weekly.
Green Tea
Many elderly people often face dehydration because they don’t feel thirsty. There are some medications that cause people to experience dehydration, as well. It is important for your elderly loved one to stay hydrated. Green tea will help them to achieve this goal. You and home care providers should encourage your elderly loved one to drink a lot of water. However, you should also encourage them to drink green tea. This type of tea contains antioxidants and catechins. Studies show that catechins can help fight off viruses such as the flu.
Fatty Fish
Your elderly loved one should consider adding fatty fish, such as tuna and salmon, to their weekly meal plans. These types of fish contain omega-3 fatty acids. These types of fatty acids are known to improve the immune system because they have anti-inflammatory agents. Some elderly people have chronic inflammation which can harm the immune system. Regularly eating foods with omega-3 can help build a healthy immune system. If your elderly loved one doesn’t like fish, you and their home care providers should encourage them to eat other foods with omega-3s. Some of these foods are soybeans, chia seeds, and walnuts.
Pumpkin Seeds
Your elderly loved one should also add pumpkin seeds into their diet. These seeds have zinc. Zinc can help improve a person’s immune system. Some studies even show that pumpkin seeds help the body heal.
Conclusion
Many elderly people need to boost their immune systems. Having your elderly loved one make some changes to their diet can help improve their immune system. They can start doing this by eating more of these foods on a regular basis.
Sources
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322412
If you are considering home care in West Houston, 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.
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.
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