Nutrition hits home for me

SHBoss1673

Its funny, especially with older people, that nutrition is a subject that some refuse to believe is an issue until the unthinkable happens, serious medical problems.

My mother, last Thursday, was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. This was brought on by many things including asthma and of course advancing age. The one thing the doctor stressed, besides my father not ever smoking near her again (we've worked on that for her) is her nutrition.

She has been eating terribly for a while now, she loves her salt, she loves her baked goods, and at 75 years old, she has very little concept of healthy baking.

She has never taken any of the (very gently put) nutrition advice I have given her over the last two years. maybe because I'm her youngest and she still thinks of me as a child, maybe because she was in denial, maybe because she didn't think she had long enough to need to worry about something as silly as nutrition, more likely a combination of all three things (and other things), but I have watched both her, and my father gain large amounts of weight in the last 3 years while performing essentially no activities that required movement.

It breaks your heart to see this, but the one good thing that comes out of it, is I finally get to talk to her about nutrition and have her listen to me.
I have one brother who is physically fit but his cholesterol is through the roof, a diabetic sister (type 1 diabetes since she was 2), and another brother who is about 150 lbs overweight and has chronic sleep apnea, has panic attacks, and eats terribly fat filled, high sodium foods. This is daunting to me. I feel like I'm fighting up hill. Very strong willed family who doesn't want their little brother explaining to them how to eat. None of them want to admit that they are unhealthy. Very frustrating to me!

But, at least one person will now want my advice, now I get to show my mom what a REAL low sodium, heart healthy diet looks like. I'm not a victim here, nor is my family, if this is how it must be, this is how it must be.

My mom was released from the hospital on Saturday night, but she's still on oxygen and will be for the near future, she's weak, and tired, and depressed. But I'll be over there tonight with a bag of groceries to show her that healthy doesn't mean nasty tasting. I just hope it's enough.

BrenNew

I'm so glad you're there for her Banks! My best of wishes that she'll get healthy and live for a long, long time!
Maybe once you get her good and healthy, your dad and siblings will smarten up and jump on the health wagon too!

lulabellewoowoo

Good for you in not giving up on your family members. Sometimes it is too easy to say "fine, they don't want to listen, let them figure it out themselves". But you are a great example to all of us and I know you will be a huge influence on your mom, and hopefully that will trickle down to the rest of your family. The two of you may be more influential than just you. I hope she is able to get her energy back soon. She is very fortunate to have you.

XFitMojoMom

Wow, at least she has you!
I've tried time and again to show my mom that she doesn't need to cook in lard for food to be tasty. She grew up on mustard and lard sandwiches during the great depression, so in her mind, that kept her alive so therefore, good for you. Strangely however, my mom has been in "good health" while my father has suffered many health set-backs.
My Father is a health fanatic, a tennis pro, never smoked, has an occasional drink, ate a macro-biotic diet for 10+ years, but suffers from heart disease, arthritis, psoriasis, diabetes etc...

khskr1

Good for you! Just try not to get too frustrated. Until people are ready to make the change themselves, advice can fall on deaf ears. Just be gentle and know that you can't want more for others than they want for themselves. Good Luck!!

lotusfromthemud

And that, Banks is why you kick so much *kitten*.

My thoughts and prayers go out to you.

SHBoss1673

Touche viv!

PJilly

My thoughts are with you and your mom, more than you know. My dad lived a number of years with congestive heart failure, mostly because he took it seriously and made the necessary changes to his diet. (He also lived 20 years with diabetes and made huge changes because of that too.) He died in August, and we all miss him so much. He is my inspiration to get my health in the best shape I can. If he'd taken care of himself before the diabetes and heart disease, imagine how much longer he would have been with us.

My mother takes terrible care of herself, and she is morbidly obese. I worry about her very much. She understands, but still she is unable or unwilling to make any changes.

Right now, my mother-in-law is in the hospital, directly related to her poor nutrition choices (she refuses to eat or drink anything; no one knows why).

I hope your mom appreciates how much knowledge you have and that she actually listens to you. Keep us posted, please.