How to Boost Immunity of the Elderly Through Nutrition at Home
Immune Function in the Elderly
Keeping our immune system as strong as possible throughout our lives is essential to living well and staving off bugs and more serious illnesses. Everyone wants to live as long and as well as possible and to achieve that we’re all aware that we need to eat a varied, balanced diet to ensure we get the vitamins and minerals that we need for healthy living. Boosting our immunity can be achieved in various ways, including:
Healthy diet
A diet rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients is essential to boost our immunity and stay healthy for as long as possible
Stress management
Excessive stress can have a negative impact on our immune system and every part of our lives, so relaxation is vital
Sleep
Getting enough sleep is vital when it comes to maintaining a tip-top immune system so aim for eight hours a night or as much as you need
Exercise
Being physically active is essential to maintain mobility and keep us moving in older age. Exercise is often a great opportunity to be sociable too!
Stopping smoking
Quitting improves your physical and mental health and your general wellbeing, according to the NHS. It’ll be better for your pocket too!
Stay hydrated
Hydration “lubricates the joints and eyes, aids digestion, flushes out waste and toxins, and keeps the skin healthy” according to Age UK
Connect with others
Positive relationships help to lower blood pressure, improve heart function and boost wellbeing, so keep chatting and laughing!
Garlic
Whether you love it in your meals or take it in supplement form, garlic is a superfood that may help boost immunity, fight infections, and improve cognitive health
Wash hands
Washing hands regularly, but especially after using the toilet or handling certain foods, can help reduce the spread of potentially dangerous bugs
A Balanced Diet for Immunity
If you have mobility difficulties or age-related frailties that may prevent you from being as active as you once were, you may be relying more on your diet to try and keep you as healthy as possible. But how can we achieve that if we’re being cared for at home? Seasonal vegetables and fruit are a great way to try and get more vitamins and minerals into your diet, and because they’re in season, they should cost less too. We’ve been conditioned to believe that we can have anything we want at any time of the year nowadays; however, eating non-seasonal produce doesn’t just burn a hole in your pocket, it also contributes to climate change by burning up air miles. Therefore, making wholesome recipes from local produce such as soups and stews can really boost your vitamin intake, and many producers now offer doorstep delivery of fruit and vegetables fresh from your nearest farm.
The Importance of Immune-Boosting Foods
According to the British Heart Foundation, while “there are no single foods or specific diets that will ‘boost’ your immunity” in the UK, “The nutrients that keep our immune system working well include vitamins A, B6, B12, C and D as well as copper, folate, iron, selenium and zinc.”
Taking supplements shouldn’t be necessary though, and companies charging a premium while making outlandish promises about their products’ benefits should definitely be avoided. Getting nutrients from a diet focussed on fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, dairy (or fortified non-dairy) products, pulses, meat and fish should help to keep us as healthy as possible, boost our immune system and be in a position to fight off bugs effectively.
Hydration
Bupa UK tells us that “Water is essential for life. It helps with everything from transporting nutrients around your body to controlling your temperature.” Most adults need around eight glasses of fluid a day, most of which will be consumed through drinks, however some liquid will also come from the food we eat. This can include foods such as fruit, vegetables, soups and stews. Fluid that we lose each day through sweating, going to the toilet, and even breathing has to be replaced, and if your lifestyle is more active then you’ll lose more fluid than someone who is sedentary. Older people often sit still for large parts of the day, which can make them feel the cold more, but putting on the heating can raise their temperature, which can result in further lost fluid. Older people are often reluctant to drink additional liquid because they worry about the impact on their continence, which can leave them at further risk of dehydration.
How Meal Planning Can Help
Planning what you are going to eat each day can make the difference between eating well and eating poorly. This is because having the ingredients to hand or the prepared meals in your fridge will encourage you to eat a more balanced diet, rather than relying on what you have to hand. Some people don’t have the energy to cook meals either and end up eating less nutritious alternatives that are easier to prepare. This is one of the areas where having support at home from Helping Hands can make such a huge difference to your life. Our carers undertake so many aspects of your daily routine for you, including preparing food and ensuring you drink plenty of fluids. Even if you don’t enjoy preparing nutritious meals or your health condition prevents you doing so, your carer will be happy to shop for groceries and prepare you food that will appeal to your tastebuds at every mealtime.
Discover Expert Advice From Helping Hands
Our exceptional standards of home care make us the UK’s most trusted visiting and live-in care provider. Since we were established in 1989, we’ve been delivering support across England and Wales in the comfort of our customers’ own homes, which is why we’re held in such high regard across the industry. Our carers are special people who we carefully select to deliver our values and who have natural qualities of compassion for others and kindness at heart. They’ll work tirelessly to ensure that our customers get to live as well as possible in the home they love as well as making the most of the community they love. They’ll also help you with your nutrition at home and take care of every other aspect of your daily routine.
