A chronic disease is one that lasts 12 or more months and requires regular medical care. Some chronic conditions impact how well someone can perform activities of daily living. High blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes are three examples of chronic health conditions.
If your dad wants to improve his health. There are four habits he should break right now.
Smoking or Being Around Smoke
Does your dad smoke? Does he spend time with smokers? Does he have a fireplace or wood stove? Does he like to go camping or have an outdoor fireplace/fire pit? Smoking and secondhand smoke raise the risk of many chronic conditions. Lung cancer, COPD, and asthma are just a few of the diseases and health conditions where smoking is a factor.
Lack of Exercise
If your dad avoids exercise, he needs to change that behavior. He needs 30 minutes of moderate activity every day. A brisk walk outside or on a treadmill, swimming laps in a pool, or joining a fitness class are ways to get exercise.
Your dad may not like exercising. If that’s the case, find fun activities. He could go walk on a nature trail with his grandchildren and point out different types of flowers, trees, and birds. He could walk along the beach with the surf lapping at his toes. He could join an orienteering club and get exercising while finding the hidden location.
Poor Diet
Maybe your dad already eats well. If not, he needs to cut excess sugar, saturated fats, and excess salt. Processed foods should go. He needs to focus on lean proteins and seafood, whole grains, and fresh vegetables and fruits.
When it comes to a meal, your dad should aim for half of his plate to be covered in vegetables. A quarter of the plate should have his broiled or baked fish, egg, or poultry option. The remaining quarter should have a whole grain such as a farro pilaf.
Drinking Too Much
Guidelines for alcohol intake are no more than two servings per day for men. A serving isn’t what you’d think. A pint of beer is more than one serving. The correct serving size is 12 ounces of a normal beer with an ABV of 5 percent or less.
Heavier double and triple IPAs and other craft beers often have an ABV more like that of wine, so smaller pours are important. A serving of wine is 5 ounces as long as the ABV is 12 percent or less. The serving size of spirits like rum, whiskey, and vodka is 1.5 ounces.
If your dad is among the 60 percent of adults with chronic condition, home health care providers can help him with his activities of daily living. Don’t let him struggle. Stress impacts the body and can worsen many health conditions. Hire home health care providers to help him with daily tasks and support while he’s trying to stick to his new goals.
Sources: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm
If you or an aging loved one are in need of Home Health Care Services in Great Neck NY or the surrounding areas, contact the caring professionals at Star Multi Care Services today at (631)956-8835. We are the Right Choice for Home Health Care Services!
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