Eat well
The idea that our immune systems rely on a healthy diet to keep our digestive tract in balance has always been a guiding principle for our approach to health care. Our caregivers can help you plan and shop for wholesome, nutrient-rich foods so you can get through cold and flu season.
Your specific needs, including gout, diabetes, heart disease or arthritis, can be addressed through a combination of traditional medicine as well as through food choices.
As an example, if you have an allergy, you’d generally avoid the allergen. Likewise, if you suffer from arthritis, eating certain foods can cause inflammation, so you’d also avoid them and find alternatives.
Learn more about anti-inflammatory foods
Safe food handling
Our reliance on antibiotics to fight infection has created a problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that our resistance to the antibiotics that treat diseases like pneumonia and E.coli infections has increased considerably.
This development means that we need to help our bodies stay healthy using lifestyle choices so that diseases find us inhospitable hosts for disease. We need to pay attention to how we handle food, choose immune-boosting foods like citrus, kale and healthy oils.
Keep moving!
In addition to eating well, regular exercise can help keep your immune system in check. We read an article on the BBC recently about a scientific study that says doing lots of exercise in older age can prevent the immune system from declining and protect people from infections.
When the scientists say: “do lots of exercise” and refer to an octogenarian who does marathons, we realize that most of us do not fit into that category. However, we know that most of us can do some form of exercise. Remember to always talk to your doctor before you start any exercise program.
- You may take a daily walk to enjoy the fresh air or socialize with a friend.
- Consider taking up swimming (we work with the folks at WorkFit and they have some fun Pool Programs!)
- Invest in a bicycle or a stationary bike, or use the equipment at your residence. Cycling is a low-impact exercise to help your cardiovascular health.
- You could also have a physiotherapist come into your home to help you safely gain strength in your muscle groups.
My mother loves going for walks, but during the colder days, she will spend 30 minutes on the stationary bike. It took some time to adjust the seat to her liking, but now she has options and looks forward to her daily exercise. Her joint pain has reduced and her mood is happier because exercise releases endorphins.
How can Milestone Health Services Halton help?
Home care in Halton is accessible and we can work with you to customize a health care plan that you and your family can afford. We can help you understand the OHIP benefits for which you qualify, and how you can maximize your private insurance benefits.
If you have difficulty getting around, we can help organize your transportation to medical appointments. We can also bring you physiotherapy to the comfort of your own home.
If you live alone, our Client Care Managers can show you how having a Connect Care Medical Alert system can help you get assistance if you’ve fallen and can’t reach a telephone.
- mobile physiotherapy (through the Work-Fit Total Therapy program)
- Connect Care Medical Alert
- Nursing care services
- Personal Care services
- Home Support and Housekeeping services
We provide home care services in the following areas: Halton, including Georgetown, Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Mississauga North. If you would like to discuss your individual needs (whether or not you’re a senior) contact Milestone Health Services Halton for a complimentary in-home consultation at 1-888-509-9394 or 905-864-9020. You can also use our online contact form or our live chat option.