The Secret to Senior Health
Senior Health > The Secret to Senior Health
Seniors have a lot of excuses to explain their inactivity and poor health. They say old people aren’t meant to be health or active. They say they are too sickly or tires to get out of the house. Maybe you’ve used one of ’t out and about.
The truth is that these excuses are all bunk. Doctors know it is far more unhealthy to stay at home, no matter how old you are. They know that the best cure for fatigue is exercise. And they know that one of the
When Excuses Are Unhealthy
Maybe a simple look at the facts and statistics about exercise will get you to stop all of the protests and excuses.
First off, doctors now know that physical inactivity, combined with poor diet, make up for the number two reason for death in western countries.
Second, experts have proof that senior health improves with exercise. Exercising seniors seem to have a more positive outlook on life and
If that doesn’t get you out walking, consider how exercise on a regular basis can prevent or ward off chronic disease like diabetes, depression,
Independent seniors should listen up, too. Exercise is one of the best ways to keep up your strength, balance, and endurance, all of which are necessary for you to stay self-reliant and free of long-term care.
Exercise Made Easy
Perhaps your main obstacle is the misunderstanding that exercise is a big ordeal. You probably have images in your head of shirtless meatheads pumping iron on the beach, or scantily clad girls bopping around in an ’s exercise.
But for other people, exercise can be taking a walk to the local corner store. It could be raking the leaves or shoveling the snow. It could
The truth about exercise is: it’s easier done than said. Anything that essentially tests your muscles, gets your heart beat up, and gets your joints moving can be considered a form of exercise. Of course, there are different levels of intensity and difficulty, but for seniors,
The Four Horsemen of Exercise
Instead of all things bad, these four types of exercise bring cheer, goodwill, health, and long life.
The first “horseman” is endurance training. This involves any activity that gets your to breathe harder. It could be a fast stroll through your neighborhood or taking the stairs at work. One good indicator that you’re working hard enough is trying to talk. If you can talk without a ’re not breathing hard enough.
You should shoot for 30 minutes of endurance almost every day of the week. It doesn’t have to be all at once. You can split up 10 minutes in the morning, 10 after lunch, and 10 before dinner. However you want to do
The second horseman of senior health is strength training. This can involve lifting weights in a gym, or could be lifting a broom to sweep the basement. Just get your muscles moving, and watch their endurance and
Perhaps more than any other form of exercise, strength training may require the advice of your doctor or your physical therapist. They can recommend the proper exercises and weight amounts to maximize benefit while
For exercise type number three, get out your yoga mat. That’s right, balance exercises are all the rage with the younger generations these days. But perhaps yoga, tai chi, and other balance exercises can help seniors most. Just if Asian techniques or groups classes aren’t your thing, balance exercises can be done at home too. You could practice standing up out of a chair
Lastly, it is important for senior health to stay nimble. Old joints may creak, but there’s still some hope in them yet! Think back to old stretches from grade school. Of course, run any
A combination of all four exercise types—endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility—will help you stave off disease and the effects of age for the future. But more importantly, they’ll help you feel better in the present.