New Year Nutritional Goals: Eat More Antioxidants

The calendar year changed but this fact won’t: antioxidants are good for your health! When the holiday feasting subsides, all sorts of healthy eating resolutions emerge. But most people don’t have the support to maintain motivation to keep eating healthy throughout the year. The experienced home care specialists at Best Home Care suggest that senior home care patients ask a trusted caregiver to help hold them accountable all year long.

Why should you care about antioxidants? The Mayo Clinic explains that these powerful substances may protect your cells against the harmful effects of free radicals, molecular bad guys that your body accumulates. Consuming antioxidants can provide protection for individuals receiving at-home care against:

• Heart Problems
• Various Cancers
• Other Diseases

Fruits, vegetables, and dark chocolate are the best sources of antioxidants. Make sure to be realistic with food choice goals. Try incorporating fruits and veggies into your diet slowly. Start by eating one serving a day, then two, and eventually the recommended five. Antioxidant-rich foods include:

• Colorful Blue/Black/Rasp/Straw Berries
• Apples or Pears (Especially the Peel)
• 100% Pomegranate or Cranberry Juice
• Sweet or Red Potatoes (Especially the Skin)
• Broccoli or its Albino Counterpart, Cauliflower

Flip through an old cookbook or browse your favorite celebrity chef’s website with your home care aide to find fun recipes that call for antioxidant-rich foods. Please contact your doctor or a home healthcare professional before making any drastic diet changes. For even more motivation to eat healthy in 2017, read Best Home Care’s recent blog post about probiotics.