Being a caregiver can be stressful and draining work. As well, we sometimes forget that the person being cared for, especially seniors, can also experience stress and discomfort. Whether or not we’re aware of it, we often carry stress in our bodies. If we’re not careful, that stress can quickly lead to physical side effects, like poor mood, headaches, muscle tightness and colds, and long-term issues like cancers, and potentially, dementia.
More immediately, stress can affect our moods and cloud our days. There are many ways to help keep our stress levels low, like support groups, meditation, therapy, exercise and diet, to name just a few. Here we’ll focus on foods that actually help lower stress and help keep everyone’s mind and body in shape and provide a healthy diet for seniors.
Water! Staying hydrated keeps your system well-functioning and helps carry nutrients throughout the body. It also helps prevent and reduce headaches, a common side effect of stress.
Folic acid and vitamin B12: foods rich in these nutrients promote health nervous system functioning and help increase mood. Look for foods like meats, beans and greens!
Greens: One of the most powerful foods we have. Amongst many other nutrients, greens (like kale) are high in calcium, fiber and vitamin A, as well as antioxidants that lower blood pressure, are anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant.
Selenium: This mineral acts like an antioxidant in the body and may help decrease negative moods by lowering the presence of oxidative stress in the brain. Selenium is found naturally in beans, lean meats, dairy, seafood, nuts and seeds.
Omega 3 fatty acids: This heart-healthy fat has been in numerous studies and has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression in a wide spectrum of folks who ingest it, either as a supplement or by eating diets high in fish. It’s particularly high in fatty fish like salmon, herring, rainbow trout, tuna or sardines.
Vitamin D: Those with regular levels of vitamin D (a hard nutrient for older folks to get enough of, as they often don’t get enough sun) have lower occurrences of depression and mood disorders. Vitamin D is particularly high in fatty fish, cheese and eggs. Milk is often fortified with this nutrient.
There are many other vitamins and foods that help increase our moods, too. Stay tuned for more on a healthy diet for seniors, and in the meantime, drink plenty of water and don’t forget the value of an apple a day!