Proper Exercise for a Longer Life
How Exercise Can Help You Combat the Effects of Aging
As a society, we are raised to believe that aging brings with it aches and pains as well as the inability to function as we did when we were younger. This is simply not true. The actual truth is that many of the declines of aging are not actually related to the aging process at all, but to an overall unhealthy lifestyle. Leading a sedentary lifestyle can cause much more damage to your overall health than the aging process. In fact, you can significantly reduce your risk of injury by simply exercising.
By not exercising regularly, you eventually lose strength, agility and muscle mass. In addition, you will add fat to your body. These conditions will make you much more likely to sustain serious injuries. According to research conducted by the government, most Americans live an average of seventy-three years. They also tend to spend their last eleven years in a sedentary state. By adding exercise to your weekly routine, you can reduce the number of years that you may lose due to dependency issues.
Most people today realize the benefits of eating properly and getting the proper amount of needed exercise. Exercise not only has its health benefits, but it can make you look and feel younger as well. When you exercise, you have much better blood circulation and your body is better equipped to absorb needed nutrients. Better blood circulation can ward off wrinkles, which can give you much more confidence in your golden years. Studies have shown that exercise is crucial in senior citizens for promoting functional independence, good overall health and a good quality of life. Exercising can slow the normal aging process and is also believed to help prevent or reduce chances of certain diseases and disabilities.
Most seniors worry about heart disease and osteoporosis. Studies have proven that exercise has positive effects on both these health conditions. It can help to regulate blood pressure as well as boost the levels of HDL, the good cholesterol in your system. Since older adults are at a higher risk for osteoporosis, exercise is especially important to help prevent this disease, which can result in easily broken bones.
Cardiovascular exercise is especially important for seniors. Experts suggest at least fifteen to sixty minutes of aerobic exercise from three to five days each week. Of course, it is important that you check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen. One of the best ways to get in your cardiovascular workout is to take a walk. One walk or thirty minutes or three walks of ten minutes each day can actually add years to your life. Water aerobics is also a good choice, since the water gives you support and helps to protect your joints while you are exercising.
Strength training for seniors is also important. While lifting weights in the traditional way may not be possible, there are ways that you can add strength training to your weekly workouts. In fact, experts agree that elderly women who strength trained gained a one-percent more bone density in their hip and spine areas. Those who did not engage in strength training tended to lose almost three-percent of their bones density.
For the most effective results from strength training, you should strive to work all of the major muscle groups at least two times each week. You may want to begin with very light weights until you have built up the strength to handle the heavier ones. Your body will need time to adjust to this new regimen. Begin lifting a weight that you can maintain for twelve to fifteen repetitions. Once you have grown accustomed to this weight range, or when your body gets used to the weight and it becomes easier to do more than the fifteen reps, increase the weight. It is important to remember to only do weight increases in increments of five pounds. It is also important to remember to always stretch after you have completed each exercise to prevent injury to the muscles and tendons.
Again, be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine. Once you have the go-ahead from your physician, get up and start moving. Exercise is the best way to increase your longevity, make you feel and look younger and generally give you a much greater quality of life.
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