Have you noticed that your elderly loved one has a ton of sugar cravings? Maybe you have been trying to get them to eat healthier, but they keep slipping and eating unhealthy food. This is more common than you might think. It isn’t just your elderly loved one giving you a hard time. Unfortunately, eating too much sugar can cause a variety of health problems including heart disease. If your elderly loved one has tons of sugar cravings, there are some ways you can help.

Understanding the Triggers

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Elderly Care Kensington, MD: Sugar Cravings

One of the ways that you can help your elderly loved one to manage their sugar cravings is by making sure they work on understanding their triggers. For instance, if your elderly loved one knows that they crave sugary food when they are bored, it is important to help them find things to do to prevent boredom. There could be a variety of other triggers that cause your elderly loved one to have sugar cravings, too.

Replacing Their Cravings

After your elderly loved one understands what their triggers are, they can work on replacing their cravings. One of the things that may be causing your elderly loved one to have sugar cravings is unmanaged blood sugar. For instance, if they are craving sugar, they can exercise instead. Research actually shows that exercising can help to balance blood sugar levels. There are many other healthy replacements your elderly loved one could use, as well. These could include socializing with their elderly care provider, reading a book, or drinking water.

Being More Conscious

It is also important that your elderly loved one is more conscious of what they are doing and what they have in their home. For instance, if they have a bunch of sugary desserts in their freezer, it is going to be difficult to resist those. However, if your elderly loved one has healthier food in their home when they have a sugar craving, they can grab something healthy instead.

These are some of the many ways that you can help your elderly loved one to manage their sugar cravings. While it is alright to have some sugary treats, going overboard with eating them can lead to many health problems. These could include diabetes, heart disease, sleep issues, and more. If your elderly loved one struggles with sugar cravings, be sure you encourage them to follow these tips every day.

 

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Elderly Care in Kensington, MD please contact the caring staff at Nest & Care today at (240) 226-3310. 

Sources

Eating too much added sugar increases the risk of dying with heart disease

https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/older_adults/