Studies have shown that geographic areas where there have been trans fat bans initiated are now having fewer hospitalizations related to heart attacks and stroke. The study was conducted by the University of Chicago Medical Center, and has helped to substantiate the controversial laws that have banned the public selling of goods with trans fats in some parts of the United States.
The study found that when at least three years had passed after the implementation of a trans fat restriction, hospital admissions in those areas dropped by an average of 6.2 percent. And while many people argued that these laws were unconstitutional, the evidence that they have begun to save lives is now convincing. Hopefully, these healthy trends continue and those that have seen issues with the law see that they are having a positive impact on their communities.
The most surprising part of this study was not its findings–the dangers of trans fatty foods have been well documented over the years. The most surprising part of this was the fact that the study focused on areas where trans fats were banned only for public consumption, such as at restaurants. Grocery store and other private food consumption sales were not investigated. This implies that even small reductions in trans fat intake goes a long way toward helping to improve health. Just like smoking restrictions, trans fat restrictions play a large role in overall public health.
Poor die is harmful to everyone, but the elderly suffer most severely from this. Not only are immune systems and other supports often weaker in the elderly, but the elderly usually have had bad habits for far longer. In these instances, there is a greater chance that health will be poor if only because there has been more time for the negative effects to add up. When it comes to things like obesity, high cholesterol, and blood pressure issues, the elderly are at a huge disadvantage. Add in other factors, like poor medication management, and there is a lot of potential for things to go wrong.
When an elderly person has a history of cardiovascular illness, care is often a necessity. In-home care works well for some, and it can be a cost effective solution in many cases. However, be sure that you are checking what your family’s unique needs are. In-home care might be ideal for some, but not everyone. These things need to be accounted for on a case by case basis. Strokes and heart attacks can cause permanent disability in some individuals, and the needs that arise from these will vary from person to person.
If your mom or dad has had a stroke or a heart attack, then it’s important that you take the steps necessary to ensure that they have high quality senior care. If they are currently healthy, then we can help them to stay healthy by making small adjustments in diet. Eliminating trans fats has had far more benefits than many estimated, and this is an area of easy improvement in the diets of most people.
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