If you are providing care for a senior loved one, then knowing how to keep them healthy is of the utmost importance. This includes making sure that they have a healthy gut. Gut health is actually a very important part of providing care for seniors, but it is something that often gets overlooked.
So what does it mean to have a healthy gut? For seniors, it means having a balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut as they can help with overall health and the gut’s ability to digest foods. When seniors eat a poor diet, it can immediately start to cause issues with their gut. Other things that can cause an unhealthy gut include yeast, parasites, diarrhea, stress and infection.
When providing care for seniors, it is important to look for some of the different signs of proper gut health and to be aware when issues with an unhealthy gut are forming. Here are some of the most common symptoms of an unhealthy gut in seniors:
- Bloating after eating
- Abdominal pain
- Acid reflux or heartburn
- Excessive gas
- Diarrhea
- Irritability
- Constipation
- Excessive weight gain
- Food sensitivities
Unhealthy guts can also cause a number of bowel-disorders. These can include celiac disease, leaky gut and irritable bowel syndrome. Other conditions that can go along with an unhealthy gut include neurological disorders, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune issues, eczema and more. The best thing that you can do when providing care for seniors to ensure a healthy gut is to make sure seniors are eating a healthy diet.
The more you know about gut health while providing care for seniors, the better off you and your loved one will be. At the first sign of an issue with gut health, it is important that seniors see a medical professional right away, as these gut issues can have serious repercussions if left unattended.
You can get dependable care for seniors from Comfort Keepers of Madison, WI | 579 D'Onofrio Drive #10, Madison, WI 53719
