Are you worried that your elderly loved one has or will get high cholesterol? Maybe it runs in their family or they just don’t eat very well. If you want to help your elderly loved one prevent high cholesterol, there are many tips to do this. Before using these tips, however, if there are concerns that your elderly loved one’s cholesterol is too high, you should have them go to their doctor.
No Smoking
While it is best to never smoke cigarettes, if your elderly loved one is a smoker, you should try to help them quit. Smoking is one of the leading factors for high cholesterol. If your elderly loved one has tried quitting but can’t seem to stick with it, they should ask their doctor for a medication that can help them. This might include a patch or another type of smoking cessation product. It is also important to break the habit. You or a home care provider can help to keep your elderly loved one busy. This can help to take their mind off of their cravings.
Healthy Weight
Your elderly loved one should be at a healthy weight, as well. People who are overweight are much more likely to have high cholesterol. However, if you can help your elderly loved one lose weight, this could potentially bring their cholesterol levels to what they should be. Even losing 5 or 10 pounds can be enough to help your elderly loved one reach healthy cholesterol levels.
Keeping Active
Another way that your elderly loved one can prevent high cholesterol is to keep active. Research shows that people who are more active are much less likely to have high cholesterol. Moderate intensity workouts are great for preventing high cholesterol. If you and the home care providers can get your elderly loved one to exercise for a minimum of 2 ½ hours each week, this can significantly help to manage their cholesterol levels.
Conclusion
Do you want to help your elderly loved one prevent high cholesterol? If so, these are the tips that you need to help them do this. The more of these tips that your elderly loved one uses, the more likely they will be to have healthy cholesterol levels. It is also important to remember that if you or your elderly loved one thinks they have high cholesterol, you should have them see their doctor. If their cholesterol levels are too high, this can increase their risk of having a heart attack.
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/index.htm
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Red Lodge, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
