Page 23 - Leisure Living Magazine Autumn 2018

Keep The Spring In Your Step: Good Reasons To Exercise After Age 50
For many mature adults, growing older seems to involve an inevitable loss of strength, energy and vigor—but that need not be, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The frailty and decreased energy associated with ag- ing are largely due to muscle loss due to inactivity. And when it comes to muscle, the old saying is true: “Use it or lose it.”
What To Do
One of the best ways to keep muscles healthy and strong, the CDC advises, is through exercises called strength training.
Why To Do It
Done regularly, strength training builds bone and muscle and helps to
preserve strength, inde-
pendence and energy.
These exercises are safe and effective for women and men of all ages, including those who are not in per- fect health. In fact, people with health concerns— such as arthritis or heart disease—often benefit the most from lifting weights a few times each week.
Strength training, the CDC adds, can also reduce the signs and symptoms of:
• Arthritis—It reduces pain and stiffness and in- creases strength and flexibility.
• Diabetes—It improves control.
depression, more self-confidence and self-esteem, and a greater sense of well-being.
Fortunately, strength training exercises are easy to learn, and have been proven safe and effec- tive through years of thorough research. What’s more, you may be relieved to learn, there are ways to train without undo strain, aches and pains. Doctor’s Advice
To help, Bob Arnot, M.D., an award-winning journalist, author of 12 books on nutrition and health, host of the “Dr. Danger” reality TV series, previously Chief Medical Correspondent for NBC and CBS News, and Chief Foreign Correspondent for MSNBC and NBC, offers this advice:
• Osteoporosis—It builds bone den- sity and reduces risk for falls.
• Heart disease—It reduces cardiovascular risk by improving lipid profile and overall fitness. • Obesity—It increases metabolism, which helps burn more calories and helps with long-
term weight control.
• Back pain—It strengthens back and abdom-
inal muscles to reduce stress on the spine.
What’s more, studies have shown that people who exercise regularly sleep better and have less
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glycemic
You can enjoy your strength training workout more when you heed a few hints to reduce your risk of
injury and relieve muscle pain.
• Find a few minutes at least two to three times a week to maintain general fitness. Try three or four five-minute bursts of activity such as walking or climbing the stairs.
• Take two or three more minutes a day for yoga breathing and movements to help your body maintain balance, usable strength, flexibility and muscular restoration.
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