home health care

It’s official: we’ve approached the season of sweet treats! From frosted cookies to pecan pies to candy canes and whip cream topped cocoa, it’s impossible to ignore the variety of holiday sweets that bombard us, and the lovely memories they stir up. But what end result does this rise in sugar consumption have on our overall health, particularly for the elderly?

Sugar’s habit forming qualities are widely known. It releases dopamine while triggering the reward portion of the brain, and whenever too much is consumed, people develop a tolerance to these effects, requiring even more sugar – a vicious cycle.

And as if that were not worrisome enough, added sugar (as opposed to naturally-occurring sugar) has been described as a toxin that elevates inflammation and increases risk of obesity, heart disease, and maybe even breast cancer. For the aged, an excessive amount of sugar can increase cognitive impairment and develop into complications with the chronic conditions that a great many have trouble with.

Although we most definitely don’t desire to steal the holiday joy from older adults, it’s important to recognize that there are healthier, yet still festive alternate options. Click here to learn more about nutrition for seniors and how home health care can help older adults maintain a healthy diet. Call on Live Free Home Health Care, the Franklin home care experts, for support in making nourishing, appealing foods that follow dietary plans without compromising one’s wellbeing.