Good physical and mental health can improve your quality of life during your older years. In addition to promoting your independence and keeping your body strong and energized, the American Council on Exercise states that physical activity can also prevent or improve age-related conditions, such as osteoporosis and arthritis, and lowers your risk of injuries and health conditions, such as stroke and heart disease. Paired with good mental health, this combination can add years to life.
Contents
Moving the Body
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that those who are healthy and 65 or older do 150 minutes of cardio a week. You can, for instance, do 30 minutes of cardio, five days a week. Some exercises an individual can do include walking, bicycling, swimming, water aerobics and dancing. Everyday activities, such as gardening, playing with the grandchildren or cleaning the house can also be part of an active lifestyle.
Strengthening the Body
Working against resistance doesn’t just strengthen your muscles, it also strengthens your bones, reducing your risk of fractures. Your risk of falling reduces as your balance and stability are likely to improve. As you age, you lose muscle tissue, which can slow down your metabolism. Resistance training combats this. The CDC favors strength training on at least two days of the week. They suggest at least one set of eight to 12 repetitions, and if you’re up to it, slowly adding two more sets. Exercise examples include chest presses, biceps curls, overhead presses, lateral raises and knee or wall pushups. Many of these exercises can be done with dumbbells or a resistance band, and while sitting on a chair.
Exercising the Brain
In addition to keeping your body healthy and strong, you should also keep your brain active. As you age, it might take longer to remember things than it did when you were younger. By exercising and challenging your brain, you can stay sharp and prevent memory problems and cognitive decline. Solving crossword puzzles and playing word games can help, as can learning a new skill and switching around daily tasks. You can take a computer class, experiment with different recipes when you cook, take a different route to the grocery store or brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand.
Consult your doctor before starting a new exercise routine to ensure your planned regimen is safe for your physical condition. Always gradually start exercising, and as your fitness improves, slowly increase the duration and intensity. Start your workouts with a five- to 10-minute warm-up to get your blood flowing and prep your body for the work to come. Find activities that you enjoy so you’re more likely to stick to your routine. Your local community center might offer various classes, such as yoga and tai chi, which can help promote your flexibility while you enjoy the company of other health-conscious adults.
Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.livestrong.com
As people age, it’s natural for the human body to begin going through wear and tear changes along its functioning structures, occasionally developing into conditions and their respective symptoms. However, maintaining a proper fitness and wellness regimen over time, can help keep individuals active and healthy, improving their quality of life during their older years.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Professional Scope of Practice *
The information herein on "Wellness and Fitness for the Elderly" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
Blog Information & Scope Discussions
Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.
We are here to help you and your family.
Blessings
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182
Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card
