WALK DAILY? TRY THESE “EXTRA STEPS” Many of us seniors get our exercise by taking a daily walk. This is excellent for your overall health. Yet, you can get even more benefits by adding a few “extra steps” to your walk. Here are excerpts from the May 1, 2023 Harvard Health Letter by Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Get more out of your daily walk. Incorporate balance exercises, weight training, and vigorous activity into your routine Regular, brisk walking helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, control blood pressure, strengthen muscles, burn calories, and lift mood. Walking can also help ward off...
WALKING WISELY For the next couple of weeks I’m ultra-occupied with presenting a virtual art festival: Sacramento Arts Festival Live! Still, I want to keep up my weekly posts. Because I don’t have the time to do any in-depth research I’m going to pass on to you a couple of recent short articles that Harvard Medical School sends me regularly as part of a subscription. This week I’m sharing their article on proper walking to protect your neck. (For a more thorough look at walking please refer to my post from 2 years ago, The Benefits of Walking.) Next week...
EXERCISING IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS So, most of us will be housebound for at least the next few weeks. Which probably means we’ll spend more time sitting at our computers (for work or play) or watching TV. But we all—especially us older adults—need to exercise. It’s good for our heart, it’s good for keeping our blood pressure and cholesterol levels down, and it’s great for curing mental stress. Especially important, in this time of coronavirus, exercise gives the huge benefit of building up our immune system. If you’ve been exercising regularly you’ll want to keep it up. Yet you...
EASE INTO GETTING IN SHAPE Let’s say it’s been “forever” since you exercised. And now you want to get back into it again. It’s never too late to start a workout program. But before you begin, consult with your doctor. Your heart and joint health may influence what types of exercises are safe for you. For most older adults, probably the best way to ease into getting in shape is through regular walking followed by a minimum amount of strength training. Walking For the walking portion, here are excerpts from the Mayo Clinic Staff in their online article Get walking...
THE BENEFITS OF WALKING There’s no physical activity more natural than walking. And I can’t think of any activity better for our overall health. Still, I usually save going out for a long walk for the times I can’t run or bike because of an injury. For instance, a few days ago I stubbed my little toe so hard that I broke it. Running would be a hindrance to it’s healing and getting into my bike shoe was painful. After I splinted it to the adjoining toe the next day, I was able to get into my walking shoes and...
