Anti-aging exercises
Anti-aging exercises to keep mind and body fit
Anti-aging exercises. Research shows that you can 'age proof' yourself with exercise. A regular program for being fit and healthy is important after age 40. And it becomes more and more important each and every year after that.
We have grown up in a world of labor saving devices. Few of us engage in hard manual labor each day. We drive almost everywhere and we seldom carry our own packages home from the store. Ours is a sedentary culture.
But the human body was made for exercise. Researchers tell us that our ancestors were hunters and gatherers. They did not live in big cities, nor did they have motorized transportation. There human beings walked 7 to 18 miles each day in search of food and/or firewood. When was the last time you walked even 7 miles a day bending to pick fruit or digging up roots?
Even after agriculture developed and human beings settled down, most work was done by hand or with rudimentary plows. Crops were planted and harvested by hand. Butter was churned. Firewood (or peat) was gathered in prepartation for winter.
Our human bodies were made for such work. Our modern mechanized and electronic world brings us many benefits BUT it does not meet the basic need of our human bodies for excercise and/or manual labor. That is why we need Anti-Aging exercises. We need to do these exercises several days a week if we wish to keep fit and healthy as we age.
Althought there are more articles about 'keeping fit' many of us are not quite sure just what sorts of exercise they need. Business have taken advantage of our confusion. Many people want to sell us things - a gym membership, an exercise machine or some new program for keeping fit. You know that some of this is just hype. You want to know what really works - what the scientific research says. Well, ....
Scientific Research shows if you are physically fit:
- You will be more resistant to stress and disease.
- You will remain alert and retain your brain power as you age
- You will enjoy better moods and resist 'old age depression'
- You will experience fewer falls or fractures than those who do not exercise
A pretty extensive list of benefits.
AND what many people do not realize is that there is NO ONE EXERCISE that will bring about all these benefits. We need different kinds: aerobic for heart and brain health, weight bearing to keep bones strong and prevent frailty in old age and balance and co-ordination exercises to prevent falls.
So let's look at the three basic forms of Anti-aging exercises
First is aerobic exercise. This kind of exercise causes your body temperature to rise, gets your heart pumping into your target heart range. (If you need information about target heart ranges, click on this link for help: Target heart Rate )
The most common Aerobic exercises are bicycling, cross country skiing, fast dancing, jogging, jumping rope, rowing, skating, walking etc. (Yes, walking has been found to be a good aerobic exercise. To see how read: Anti-aging Exercise Walking
Second are the exercises for balance and co-ordination. Many people have serious falls when they reach their late 70's or 80's .
Did you know that we lose about 1% of balance and co-ordination each year after age 45 ? This means that by the time you are 70, you may lose 25% of your co-ordination and balance. And by age 85 the loss is 35%! No wonder older persons people fall!
BUT this does NOT have to happen to you. This loss of co-ordination and balance can be prevented if you do just 10 minutes of balance and co-ordination practice 4 or 5 days a week. And what is exciting is that even if you have already lost some of your balance, you can regain much if not all of it with these same simple exercises.
Test your balance and co-ordination right now. Then use this exact same test exercises as a daily balance practice. If you are like most people, you will find your balance and co-ordiantion results imporving each week. Click for Balance and Co-ordination
Research studies have shown that Tai Chi improves both balance and co-ordination. (You can read this short article: Tai Chi and it many benefits . If you are want a good Tai Chi program that you can do at home, take a look at this one Tai Chi Click Here!
Some people prefer Yoga. It, too, has real benefits for balance and co-ordination. But there are some cautions about doing YOGA if you have Osteopenia or Osteoporosis. Please read them. Click here to read Exercise Warning
The third kind of Anti-aging exercise you need is weight bearing exercise. There are the exercises that strengthen muscles and prevent excessive bone loss
This kind of exercise is mportant if you have bone loss. You do not need to join a gym to do these. But weight bearing exercise should be part of your weekly physical fitness program. Leasrn more at: Weight bearing exercises
And here is a special article at Exercises Older Women which reviews much of this same information.
Finally, you may want to check this Senior Citizen Fitness page
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