By Shannon Wygant, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and owner of the Waterford and Walled Lake, Michigan franchises of Home Instead Senior Care.
Q. High cholesterol tends to run in my family and when I went for my last physical, I noticed that it was up. My doctor said to watch what I eat and gave me a diet to follow, but it’s difficult since my wife died. What can you suggest?
One of the easiest ways to stay out of trouble at the grocery store is to start reading labels. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI: www.nhlbi.nih.gov), it’s important to choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. The government has worked to make this easier for all of us.
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule went into effect in January 2006 requiring that food labels list the amount of trans fat together with saturated fat and cholesterol. What makes trans fat so dangerous? Trans fat is a type of fat that is formed when vegetable oil is hardened through a process called hydrogenation. The process actually helps to prolong the shelf life of food. Unfortunately, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol work together to raise the level of LDL “bad” cholesterol in the blood. And those factors contribute to disease such as coronary heart disease (CHD), the main form of heart disease and a leading cause of death, illness and disability in the United States, according NHLBI. Check the “Nutrition Facts” panel of the food label.
Choose foods lower in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. One way to determine saturated fat and cholesterol is by checking the “Percent Daily Value” (or %DV): 5% DV or less is low; and 20% DV or more is high. There is no %DV for trans fat. All of this can still be overwhelming—so it might be useful for you to have help.
Consider hiring a non-medical caregiver. Home Instead Senior Care hires CAREGivers who are trained to help seniors shop for food, prepare meals and even clean up afterwards. A CAREGiver could assist you with your food plan, as well as provide companionship and support. Begin today to make a change.
—Editor’s Note: This is a continuation in a bi-weekly series which will be emailed every other Monday to regional press affiliates to help promote health, welfare, and advocacy for our senior population. Bert Copple, Director of Community Relations, can be reached via email at dcrcommerce@inspireseniors.com, or via cell at 248-953-9916.
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