ORANGE —
Q. Mom has been on medications for a mild heart attack since 2010. She’s 80, lives alone, still eats junk food and expects the medications alone to prevent any potential heart problems. I told her I didn’t think it worked that way with food. I think she needs to make an effort to walk more, too. Medication shouldn’t be the only line of defense for heart problems, right?
A. Your mother should know that a recent study of seniors with cardiovascular disease has found those who ate a heart-healthy diet significantly decreased their chances of future cardiovascular events. And their risk of dying from such an event was reduced by 35 percent.
“At times, patients don’t think they need to follow a healthy diet since their medications have already lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol. That is wrong,” said Dr. Mahshid Dehghan, Ph.D., study author and a nutritionist at the Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. “Dietary modification has benefits in addition to those seen with aspirin, angiotensin modulators, lipid-lowering agents and beta blockers.”
The study report was published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
A diet rich in vegetables and fruits with a higher ratio of fish to meats appeared to be more beneficial for preventing heart disease than for preventing cancer, fractures or injury. “Physicians should advise their high-risk patients to improve their diet and eat more vegetables, fruits, grains and fish,” Dr. Dehghan said. “This could substantially reduce cardiovascular recurrence beyond drug therapy alone and save lives globally.”
Perhaps your mother would benefit from the assistance of her local Home Instead Senior Care® office with healthy meals and other chores around the house. A local Home Instead CAREGiverSM could help with meal preparation and medication reminders in add to light housekeeping, transportation and errands. One valued service is companionship. A CAREGiver would be available to take walks with your mom and encourage her to participate in doctor-recommended exercise.
And those positive changes could lead to a healthier heart.
For more information about Home Instead Senior Care®, contact 409-892-7494 or go to www.homeinstead.com. To read more about the study, visit http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/126/23/2705.full?sid=bacbf53c-8b60-4037-b20a-f578980fff30 .
Lifestyle
Heart-Healthy Diet Helps Seniors, Research Shows
- Lifestyle
-
-
Orange resident becoming king of ‘Ts’
It all started with a dollar.
-
Gnats, dead roaches lower score for Senor Toro
Senor Toro Mexican Restaurant located at 2308 Lutcher Drive in Orange, received a 70 out of a possible 100 during a recent health code inspection.
-
Celebrating 104 years young
Inez Turner, left, celebrated 104 years on Saturday, May 17.
-
Book Review: Adopting Darrell
The number of cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are only estimates as many cases are misdiagnosed.
-
At 81, Oklahoma alumnus finally attends graduation
The IBM 650 computer system kept Harold Newland from his University of Oklahoma graduation.
-
Serving our country 5.18.13
Airman 1st Class Andrea K. Rhodes
-
How civilians can lend military families a helping hand
The 3rd Saturday of May is Armed Forces Day
-
Orange County concluded divorce proceedings 5.18.13
The following divorces were reported by the office of Vickie Edgerly, Orange County District Clerk, for the week of April 20 - 26, 2013:
-
Orange County marriage licenses issued 5.18.13
The following couples were reported to have obtained marriage licenses in the office of Karen Jo Vance, Orange County Clerk, during the week of May 13 - 17, 2013:
-
Details of Jolie's breast treatment revealed
Angelina Jolie's mother had breast cancer and died of ovarian cancer, and her maternal grandmother also had ovarian cancer — strong evidence of an inherited, genetic risk that led the actress to have both of her healthy breasts removed to try to avoid the same fate, her doctor said Wednesday.
- More Lifestyle Headlines
-
