The number of cancer diagnoses is expected to grow by 40 percent by 2030, which means there are going to be more than a few seniors working hard to prevent cancer or defeat the disease after being diagnosed. Because many seniors will want to fight cancer naturally, here are a few suggestions your aging loved one may want to consider.
Shed a Few Pounds
Few people realize just how much of an impact obesity has on various types of cancer. Overweight seniors have much higher rates of pancreatic, kidney, and bowel cancer. Though losing a few pounds won’t cure cancer, it can enable the body to fight off cancerous cells as efficiently as possible. The easiest way to track your loved one’s weight is to have his or her BMI tested at least once or twice a year. A healthy senior should have a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.
If your loved one needs help adopting healthier lifestyle habits to prevent cancer and other serious conditions, a home caregiver can be a wonderful asset. If you’re the primary family caregiver for a senior loved one living in Livingston, live-in care is available if your loved one’s health has become too difficult to manage without professional expertise. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we take measures to help seniors prevent illness and injury by assisting with exercise and mobility, preparing nutritious meals, helping with bathing and other personal hygiene tasks, and much more.
Make Dietary Changes
According to Cancer Research UK, unhealthy diets cause between 10 and 30 percent of all cancer cases. Red and processed meats have been studied for decades, and researchers found these food products often contain nitrites. When consumed in large quantities, nitrites create carcinogenic substances within the body. Some of the foods that should only be eaten sparingly or completely removed from your loved one’s diet include processed deli meats, bacon, pâté, and ground beef.
Home caregivers can help seniors maintain optimal health and prevent a variety of illnesses. Home care service agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. Our caregivers encourage seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy.
Eliminate Environmental Toxins
Seniors who live relatively sedentary lifestyles within the confines of their homes are often exposed to environmental toxins for dozens of hours every single week. Substances such as radon and asbestos drastically increase the risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma. Testing kits can be purchased at most major home improvement stores, and they can tell you if any of these substances are present in your loved one’s home.
Treat Vitamin & Mineral Deficiencies
Even with a healthy and varied diet, many seniors still have deficiencies simply because their bodies cannot process the nutrients properly. A high-quality multivitamin containing high doses of vitamin E, vitamin D, and other nutrients can combat cancer-causing free radicals, but make sure your loved one checks with the doctor before taking any new vitamins.
If you have a senior loved one who needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of home care Livingston families can trust. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. Call us today to create a customized in-home care plan.
