Key To Senior Fitness

Are you over the hill when you reach the age of 65?  How about age 70.... are you ready for the rocker? 
Not these days.  We are living longer now and doing more things at our later years.  One of the main reasons is exercise. 

"Perhaps the most debilitating influence in people's health as they age is a sedentary life," said Dr. Richard Brassard, president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). "Exercise of some type is all but mandatory."

If you don't exercise, you set yourself up for broken bones or circulation problems which are caused by  atrophying blood vessels.  Not to mention a many other physical problems associated with aging.

"Exercise, however, can improve a person's mobility, digestive processes and circulation. It can also reduce anxiety. Add proper nutrition and you have the makings of a naturally healthy lifestyle," said Dr. Brassard. "Following a healthy diet is another way of extending your golden years as long as possible."

Here are some tips from the American Chiropractic Association to help seniors maintain a healthy lifestyle:

Walking

• Walking improves elasticity in blood vessels, which makes them less susceptible to formation of aneurysms or rupture.
• Start with one-third of a mile per day - one-sixth out and one-sixth back. (Measure the distance with your car.) Do that three days a week for a month, then double the distance, working gradually up to at least one mile a day, three days a week.
• Expect a little soreness in the thighs and calves for the first week or two. If you experience more than soreness, check with your chiropractor.

Stretching

• The average person should stretch to prevent the bowing or stoop caused by shortening of ligaments. A stoop can inhibit normal breathing.
• Stretch the groin muscles by sitting on the floor and bending one leg to the side and back as far as possible. Or sit Indian fashion on a cushion and watch television. A relaxed stretch is the goal.
• Stretch the back leg muscles by putting your hands on a wall, one foot flat on the floor behind you. Then lean into the wall. Or stand up straight and bend over. Or sit with one foot on an ottoman and bend forward.

Eating Right

• Make sure you have a properly balanced diet. If you take vitamins, take them with a meal. Drink 10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day to help keep the kidneys active, dilute and remove toxins from the body, and replace lost fluids. (Coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcohol are diuretics. Don't substitute them for water.) 

- information provided by the ACA
- image by Ambro