My dog had always had two dishes. One for food, and one for water. But after he battled pancreatitis, I began reading about the number of bacteria which lived in water dishes. Woah! My daughter had a water fountain for their cats, and I did some research. They looked like a much better option, but would our nine-year-old Cavalier know what to do with one?
We decided to give it a try. I set it up, and he sniffed it and walked away. For most of a day, he walked by it, and I fussed that he would dehydrate before he figured it out. Then, right after dinner, I hear the sound of lapping from the kitchen. He’s never looked back.
When he was a pup, he learned to go stand at the back door if he needed to go out. We always responded immediately because no one wants accidents. Lately, he’ll stand at the door, but as soon as we get up, he runs to the kitchen and stares at his food dish. He learned that going to the door gets our attention, and then he tells us what he really wants. Sneaky guy!
My point is this: old dogs can learn new tricks. And so can people.
- It matters what you eat
We’ve been talking about healthy lifestyle choices for 2026.
The cumulative effect of a bad diet shows up later in life in every organ and joint of your body. You put on weight, you get diseases, your quality of life diminishes. Bottom line: you die earlier.
The good news is, you can counter these effects at any age. You may not be able to reverse some diseases (although this is possible with many) but you can live your healthiest life, given your present physical situation.
The Mayo Clinic likes the Mediterranean diet. This is what it looks like.
(https://oldwayspt.org/product/mediterranean-diet-pyramid-poster/)
A free recipe pamphlet called: Simple Recipes for Busy Caregivers
is available to anyone who signs up for the once-a-month newsletter
called The 5 Tips Newsletter. Click this link and sign up today!
https://mailchi.mp/0d3010c47469/sign-up-for-the-5-tips-newsletter
If you are thinking, “But I like red meat. And what is life without sweets?”
The key is to make small, consistent changes.
- Let’s start at the bottom. We talked about exercise last week, and hopefully you are finding a way to move every day. You may not enjoy a meal with someone daily, but you have some kind of interaction.
- It’s not that difficult to add fruits and vegetables to your meals. Most of us don’t eat enough of either. Make a big bowl of salad, and then divide it into serving-sized containers. Add some fresh fruit to your salad for a touch of sweetness. Make a stir fry with olive oil and as many colourful vegetables as you can. Make enough for tomorrow, too.
- I, personally, cannot tolerate beans and legumes, but if you can, try adding one meal a week that features them.
- I have started sprouting seeds to add to salads or stir fries. Mung beans (for bean sprouts), broccoli seeds, lentils etc. can be sprouted in mason jars to give a healthy, flavourful crunch to meals. (If you want to know how, ask me.)
- Try adding one fish meal a week. Even a small can of tuna added to a salad counts. When you feel able, add another.
- Chicken, and egg meals can be reduced to 3-4 times a week. Keep track. As for yogurt…okay, I practically live on plain, 0% fat yogurt, and I’m not changing that. Everyone has their vices.
- Try to reduce red meat to 1-2 meals a week. This includes all cuts of beef, pork, lamb, mutton, veal, venison and goat. Make it a treat rather than every meal.
- Sweets are a huge issue. I cut sugar out of my diet a few years ago because my gut could no longer tolerate it (which makes eliminating it a whole lot easier!) However, it is addictive. When you cut back or even eliminate sugar, your taste buds adjust, and you taste the natural sweetness in fruit.
Decide what small changes you can make this week. You can eat better and you will feel better.
Next week: Lifestyle changes you may not have considered.