Jul 6

These statistics are appalling. Only three out 10 adults are active enough to stay healthy and fit. Almost four out of 10 admit they are not active at all, despite reams of research proving that exercise is a powerful defense, and sometimes an antidote, for disability and illness.

Regular physical activity makes an enormous difference to the quality and length of your life, a fact underscored by hundreds of concrete studies. Briefly, exercise does the following:

1. It lessens the likelihood of getting heart disease. Exercising regularly may increase the number of blood vessels feeding the heart, help prevent plaque buildup by striking a healthier balance of blood lipids, and help arteries retain resilience despite the effects of aging. Even if you already have heart disease, exercise lowers your chances of dying from it.

2. It lowers blood pressure, a benefit for many body systems. Long-term high blood pressure doubles or triples the odds of developing heart failure and helps pave the path to other kinds of heart disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm, and kidney disease or failure.

3. It helps prevent diabetes by getting rid of excess weight, modestly lowering blood sugar levels, and boosting sensitivity to insulin so that your body needs less of it. If you have diabetes, exercise helps control blood sugar.

4. It reduces the risk for developing cancers of the colon, breast, uterus, and prostate. By helping you attain a healthy weight, exercise also lessens your risk for other cancers in which obesity is a factor.

5. It helps support bones, which reach peak density and strength during the first three decades of life. Over time, bones become lacier and weaker as density slips away. When combined with calcium, vitamin D, and bone-saving medications if necessary, weight-bearing exercises such as walking, running, and strength training helps ward off bone loss. Balance-enhancing activities, like tai chi and yoga, help prevent falls that may end in fractures.

6. It helps protect joints by easing swelling, pain, and fatigue, and by keeping the cartilage healthy. Strong muscles support joints and lighten the load upon them. Activities that boost flexibility, including stretching, yoga, and tai chi, extend range of motion.

7. It may limit and even reverse knee problems by helping you control your weight, which is a big deal because for every step taken, each additional pound of body weight translates to four additional pounds of load on the knee.

8. It lifts spirits by releasing mood-elevating hormones, relieving stress, and promoting a sense of well-being. It also helps ease mild to moderate depression as effectively as medications. Combining exercise with medications, therapy, and social engagement is even better.

9. It may boost your ability to ward off infection since it prompts a modest, short-term upswing in natural killer cells and white blood cells, which help kill infection.

10. It adds years to your life. Studies show that moderate activity can add 1.3 years of life to men and 1.5 years of life to women. Raising the bar to high activity added 3.7 years for men and 3.5 years for women. Even current couch potatoes cannot wiggle out of this. A separate long-term study of 10,000 men ages 20 to 82, who were examined and given two fitness tests at five-year intervals, found those who made the attempt to shift status from unfit to fit cut their likelihood of dying by 44% compared with those who stayed inactive.

Jan 24

In our 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond, it is not always easy to stay upright. That is because after age 25, our balance begins to decline. Falls in the later years often result to wrist and hip fractures, which can have a devastating effect on our lifestyle or even threaten our life.

We juggle many activities, responsibilities, and people in our lives with grace. But sometimes we can be physically tossed off balance by a wet floor or uneven pavement. Falls can occur anytime, anyplace, and to anyone while doing everyday activities, such as climbing stairs or getting out of the bathtub.

As we age, our sight, hearing, muscle strength, coordination and reflexes change, weakening our balance. Also, some health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and circulation problems, affect balance. Even some medications have been known to make people dizzy.

Unfortunately, all of these factors make falls more likely. But then, you do not have to be one of them. You can take simple steps to improve your balance and reduce your risk of falling.

And since balance tends to erode over time, regularly performing balance exercises is one of the best ways to protect against falls that lead to temporary or permanent disability. Balance exercises take only a few minutes and often fit easily into the warm-up portion of a workout. Many strength-training exercises also serve as balance exercises. Balance-enhancing movements may simply be woven into other forms of exercise, such as tai chi, yoga, and pilates.

Balance exercises can help us maintain our balance and confidence at any age. This can also improve our coordination. For older adults, balance exercises can promote independence.

Balance may be improved with exercises that strengthen the ankle, knee, and hip muscles, and with exercises that improve the function of the vestibular system, which regulates ones balance.

Nearly any activity that keeps us on our feet, such as walking, can help us maintain good balance. You can also include balance exercises in your daily routine. Try balancing on one foot while waiting in line, or stand up and sit down without using your hands. For a more targeted approach, try specific balance exercises. If you have severe balance problems or an orthopedic condition, get your doctor’s approval before doing balance exercises.

Once a physical therapist has reviewed a complete medical history and thoroughly examined you, he or she will develop a personalized plan. This may include a walking regimen with balance components such as changes in surfaces/terrains, distance, and elevations. The physical therapist may also teach specific strengthening and balance exercises that can be performed at home.

Exercise A:

* Stand directly behind a table or chair and place your feet slightly apart.

* Lift one leg six inches out to the side.

* Hold this position for 10 seconds.

* Repeat with the opposite leg.

Exercise B:

* Stand directly behind a table or chair and place your feet slightly apart.

* Slowly bend one knee toward your chest lifting your foot six inches off the floor.

* Hold this position for 10 seconds.

* Repeat with the opposite leg.

Exercise C:

* Stand directly behind a table or chair and place your feet slightly apart.

* Lift one leg straight back, keeping your knee straight.

* Hold this position for 10 seconds.

* Repeat with the opposite leg.

The above exercises should be performed two to three times a day.

Balance Exercise Safety Guidelines:

* Be aware of your posture. Try to maintain your weight over your ankles.

* Avoid fast movements including quick turns or changes in position.

* Use a chair as a place to not only perform seated exercise but also to hold on to while standing.

* Always get up slowly when rising from a chair.

* Don’t close your eyes when exercising or standing from your chair.

* If you are taking medications, ask your doctor if there are any side effects which may cause light-headedness or decreased balance.

*** Lost your balance and fell? Visit www.doability.co.uk. We might be able to help you.