Our dads will always hold a special place in our hearts. He is the superhero who fought the bad guys so we could sleep at night, the coach who patiently taught us how to fly a kite and ride a bike, and the best friend who always made us feel special even after a long day at work.
Fast forward today, age is taking its toll on them. Our dads are slowly approaching their twilight years. As adults, we are often so immersed with our own lives that we overlook the fact that our once strong and active dads are ageing. It is now our turn to take care of our fathers and assess if their health and nutrients are still optimized. It's our responsibility to look after their health and wellness as they grow older and weaker because when we are younger, they do everything to protect us and ensure that we are always in the pink of health.
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| Opt to be active with your dad this Father’s Day |
Keeping up with grandkids
Every dad dreams of seeing his children have kids of their own. They long for the day when they could give their grandkids piggyback rides, take them to the park, and teach them the things they taught their sons and daughters when they were young.
Although enjoying quality time with their grandchildren is a welcomed activity, tasks like running around and picking up after the kids could be both challenging and physically exhausting. Like in the case of my father who is a dialysis patient, he can no longer run because he get fatigue easily. He's not allowed to carry heavy things or his grandkids because the fistula inside his arm will suffer.
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Opt to be active with your dad this Father’s Day
My father who recently celebrated his 55th birthday with my siblings and the kiddos |
The mere idea of health problems is something most of us prefer not to entertain. In the Department of Health's list of leading causes for mortality in the Philippines, six of the 10 are non-communicable diseases, which includes cardio vascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.
DOH defines non-communicable diseases as lifestyle-related diseases that are linked with smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and stress.
Are your dad’s nutrients optimized?
If you'll ask me my answer to this is NO. I regret that I was not able to pro-long his chronic kidney disease. But it's not to late because I can still do so many things to make him feel stronger and better each day. As we honor our dads this coming Father's Day, let us remember the importance that nutrition plays in the quality of his life.
Helping our dads commit to simple lifestyle changes like choosing healthier options and optimizing nutrient intake can be their body’s best defenses against ageing and lifestyle-related diseases.
“Ageing is an everyday occurrence. As early as now, we need to remind our parents to start thinking about their health and how it affects their loved ones,” said Dr. Bautista. “It is important to incorporate a nutritionally optimized oral supplement into their diets to help enhance immune defenses and regain strength.”
For oral nutritional supplements to be optimized, they should contain high quality whey protein, a heart-friendly fat blend, and moderate levels of carbohydrates, prebiotic fibers, probiotics and high amounts of key micronutrients.
By making proactive choices such as embracing an active lifestyle, keeping a positive outlook, and regularly taking a nutritionally optimized oral supplement, Filipino dads can fully enjoy fatherhood, be their family’s bedrock, and watch their children and grandchildren achieve their dreams.
