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Healthy Habits for Family Caregivers to Embrace

When you’re a family caregiver, it’s easy to do so much for others that you push your own needs aside. While that makes sense at the time, it’s also going to impact your health and happiness over time.

Make sure you care for yourself while also helping your mom. You need to embrace these healthy habits to ensure she gets the best of you when you’re helping out.

Diet

When you’ve had a busy day, cooking a full meal is not appealing. Takeout or fast food seems like the best option as you drive home from your mom’s house. While it’s easy, it’s not always healthy. Aim for lean proteins, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy.

Instead, make sure you have quick meals on hand at home. Spend one day a week making meals that are ready to reheat. Grain bowls are one of the easiest. Have quinoa, brown rice, barley, and farro cooked and stored in the freezer.

Reheat the grains in the microwave and top with some lean protein, such as a grilled chicken breast. Add raw and cooked vegetables like avocado, sauteed kale, roasted carrots, and red pepper strips. Drizzle with a mixture of Greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and fresh dill.

Exercise

Get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Mix up the types of exercise throughout the week so that all areas of the body get a workout. Consider taking a yoga class twice a week, going for three walks a week, and riding a bike on the other days.

Weight-bearing exercises are important to help with balance and joint health. Walking is one of the better options for that. You also want strength training, such as using a rowing machine, and exercises that help your body ease stress, such as Yoga or Tai Chi.

Self-Care

Don’t forget to care for yourself. You must focus on your emotional, physical, and mental health needs. If you’re feeling stressed, take a day off. Use that day off to catch up on sleep, do things you enjoy, and try to push all worries and fears out of your mind. It’s hard, but it’s important.

How do you take a day off when your mom depends on you? Talk to a home care agency about respite care. Respite care is a service where a caregiver goes to your mom’s home and helps her out while you have the time you need. Learn more about having caregivers help out by making a call.

If you are considering Caregiver Services in Alachua FL, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts Home Care. Call today: 352-225-3727.