Did you know that we become less active as we age?
Over the past 30 years, people are living longer than they ever did before, and with the population growing older, age-related changes in health are more apparent.
The Surgeon General has declared that a sedentary lifestyle is hazardous to your health. Recently, the American Heart Association has added lack of physical activity to its list of preventable risk factors for coronary heart disease, which is the #1 killer of people over age 65. As we age, here are some of the physical changes we face:
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Decreased muscle strength and flexibility
- Decreased motion in our joints (feeling less limber)
- Decreased bone density (increased risk of osteoporosis)
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Increased heart rate
- Increased resting blood pressure
- Decreased sense of balance and increased risk of falls
YOUR SOLUTION – EXERCISE
Exercise has been shown to keep older people healthier as they age. Some noticeable benefits of exercise include:
- Increased bone strength (don’t forget to include your daily dose of calcium)
- Increased physical work capacity (one’s ability to perform physical work)
- Increased joint range of motion
- Improved sense of well being
The result is a healthier you. If you are an older adult, exercising will help you with daily activities such as walking in the grocery store, lifting grocery bags, going up and down the stairs, and much more.
Remember, almost everyone will benefit from increasing their activity level. It’s important to choose an exercise program that will be interesting and enjoyable, and that fits into your daily activities.
Start slowly and gradually build up to the prescribed exertion level. This is exactly what we help you with. We teach you to always listen to your body. We help you recognize warning symptoms like dizziness, fainting, or pain or pressure in your chest. We always monitor you and are committed to your progress. We set individualized goals for you, and empower you with the tools to achieve them.
To improve aerobic conditioning, here are some recommendations. Please note that these are general recommendations, and your specific situation will vary, based on the results of our evaluation. As part of our commitment to your health and safety, we strongly recommend approval from your physician before you begin any exercise program.- Duration: 20-30 minutes
- Frequency: 3-5 days a week
- If you are not used to exercising, you may begin with short periods of exercises, followed by resting periods, and spread it throughout the day. Call us and we will help you plan this.
- Intensity: If working at a moderate level of intensity, and still able to carry on a conversation, you are working in a safe range. Consult us today for a prescribed safe heart rate range for you.
- Type of exercise: aerobic, repetitive in nature exercise
- Examples: walking, water aerobics, bicycling, gardening, dancing, playing golf (if you leave the cart behind), or yoga.
Include a 10-minute warm-up, then the activity/sport, and a 10-minute cool-down. A cool down or recovery period is important to minimize muscle soreness.
Moderate exercise is beneficial for everyone, no matter what age! Call us today and we will determine the most effective exercise plan and design it specifically for you.