Exercise

The benefit of moderate exercise on overall health is not a new medical revelation. However, we have come to learn that exercise is not just a helpful supplement, but a powerful antidote to illness. The effects of exercise can be seen throughout the functioning of every aspect of the human body. Only nutrition and hydration come before exercise in the hierarchy of health.

There are many reasons why the aging might find it difficult to get the proper amount of exercise needed for maintaining optimal health. The act of exercise puts one into a state conscious awareness of one’s body. If there is discomfort with the aging body, self-conscious about not having the body of twenty years ago, or absence of a healthy exercise pattern earlier in life, exercising may be an emotional trigger that is avoided by becoming sedentary. At the other extreme, if physical fitness was used to retain an illusion of youth throughout life, the body’s inability to withstand the impact of high level exercise as it ages may become a problem. In this case, excessive exercise can become a health risk. As in most things, moderation is the key.

For many older adults exercise presents physical and emotional challenges that inhibit the determination to take action. Issues like fear of damaging the body in a permanent way, of spending money on a gym with unfamiliar equipment, and feeling self-conscious around younger people, all have a discouraging effect. The truth is every older adult can do some form of physical activity at little or no cost. It is not necessary to be in public if that is a preference. Exercising with others, however, may be a way of avoiding potential isolation.

Walking is one of the best exercises for any age. Balancing on one foot and then the other increases stability. Stretches increase flexibility. Household chores can be a form of physical activity that double as exercise. The goal is to appropriately increase physical activity, regardless of the activities chosen.

Endurance, strength, balance and flexibility are the four areas in which older adults lose ground. There are many creative ways to improve in each of these categories. In doing so mood is improved and a sense of self-esteem is maintained.