Eat Seasonally for Better Health

Eat Seasonally for Better Health – The sooner you eat fresh foods the more nutritious they are.

When you eat seasonally, fresh and ripe fruit and vegetables the food is allowed to ripen fully in the field and brought directly to you- no long distance shipping, no gassing to stimulate the ripening process, no sitting for weeks in storage.

The nutrient density of these fruits and vegetables begins to decline the instant that they are harvested.

As you age your diet becomes more important, many times an older family member may choose foods based on convenience such as frozen dinners or canned foods. As a person gets older, the impact of poor diet is going to become more direct and immediate. An unhealthy dessert, too much sugar, or other unhealthy foods could lead to heart attacks, strokes, and much more.

Micronutrient deficiencies are often common in elderly people due to a number of factors such as their reduced food intake and a lack of variety in the foods they eat.

Increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables by one to two servings daily could cut cardiovascular risk by 30 %. (According to the World Health Organization)

VEGETABLES: Vary your veggies

  • Eat more dark-green veggies, like broccoli, salad greens, and cooked greens.
  • Eat more orange vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes.
  • Eat more dried beans and peas, like pinto, black, or kidney beans, and lentils.

FRUITS: Focus on fruits

  • Eat a variety of fruits, like bananas, berries, grapes, and oranges.
  • Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit.
  • Eat fruit rather than drinking juice for most of your fruit choices.

https://www.nutrition.gov/life-stages/seniors

This seasonal-produce-guide can help you explore different fruits and vegetables throughout the year.

In fact a proper diet of fresh fruit and vegetables has been proven to be so important to our overall health; Tulane’s medical school is one of the first to teach medical students how to cook healthful food, with the goal that they will share that knowledge with patients.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/12/26/460803440/if-doctors-learned-to-cook-they-might-give-better-advice

Hiring a home care aide can be one great way to help aging family member understand their diet, prepare healthier foods, and enjoy life, especially if they live alone and don’t have the ability to get out to  a farmers market – which can be a great social experience.

The Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Home Health Aides (HHAs) referred by Granny NANNIES are understanding and specialize in providing companionship, mobility assistance and transportation services that keep seniors independent. We carefully screen CNAs and HHAs for not only the essential legal requirements, but also the kindness and compassion needed to care for others. Founded in 1990, Granny NANNIES offers services that can be personalized to meet the requirements of any individual, regardless of age or need. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we provide quality, trustworthy, reliable and affordable in-home care. For more information on how we can help you, call 800-316-2669.