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Proper nutrition and exercise in a well balanced combination are the most important factors for maintaining youth and optimal health. The entire body benefits from this formula, both physically and psychologically.
Regular exercise improves digestion and elimination, increases endurance and energy levels, promotes lean body mass while burning fat, and lowers overall blood cholesterol while increasing the proportion of "good" cholesterol (HDL) to "bad" cholesterol (LDL). Exercise also reduces stress and anxiety, which are contributing factors to many illnesses and conditions. In addition to the physical benefits, studies have shown that regular exercise elevates mood, increases feelings of well-being, and reduces anxiety and depression.
The power of exercise in maintaining health was underscored by the continuing Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, which was designed to examine the effects of different fitness levels. According to the report, low fitness may pose a great risk to health as smoking, and a greater risk than high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or obesity. It was reported that smokers who are moderately physically fit, but have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, live longer than nonsmokers who are healthy but sedentary. Moderate fitness, it was stated, can be achieved in ten weeks through many different forms of exercise, including daily sessions of walking, bicycling, or even gardening.
Exercise includes a variety of movements and different activities. Recreational exercise is meant for enjoyment and relaxation, while therapeutic exercise is intended to alleviate or prevent a particular problem. Sometimes an exercise can be both recreational and therapeutic. Take swimming, for example. With careful attention to arm and shoulder movements, swimming can meet both the recreational and therapeutic needs of someone who has arthritis of the shoulder.
FUEL YOUR WORKOUTS
By Susan Crandell
From AARP Magazine, March & April 2010
HOW TO PICK FOODS THAT BUILD STAMINA AND BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY
What you put into your body before and after a workout may be as important as the kind of exercise you do. Research has shown that if you are not properly fueled, vigorous exercise can compromise your immune system rather than boost it - by breaking down muscles instead of building them up and by depleting your body of essential nutrients. Here is a simple plan to optimize your performance.
BEFORE YOU EXERCISE - POWER UP
What To Eat: To avoid cramps or nausea, have your last full meal three to four hours before exercising. Then, an hour before your work out, eat a small snack - 100 to 200 calories - that's predominantly carbohydrates. Carbs are key, says Wendy Bazilian, Dr.P.H., R.D., coauthor of The SuperFoodsRx Diet, because "they go into the bloodstream faster than protein or fat." Good choices are half a banana, a handful of grapes, a piece of toast with some jam.
What To Drink: To ward off dehydration, drink 8 to 16 ounces of water within an hour of working out.
DURING YOUR WORKOUT - AVOID A CRASH
What To Eat: Exercising for an hour or less? You probably do not neet to eat during your workout - you have enough glucose in your blood and glycogen stored in your muscles, says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. A boost if you need one is a 100-calorie, high-carb snack, such as half an energy bar.
What To Drink: Bazililian recommends 6 to 8 ounces of water every 15 minutes of exercise. If you end up exercising more than an hour, try downing a sports drink such as Gatorade or Powerade.
AFTER YOUR WORKOUT - BUILD MUSCLE
What To Eat: Your post-workout snack (100-150 calories) should include protein for muscle repair and recovery. Jackie Buell, Ph.D., R.D., director of sports nutrition at Ohio State University, says the recommended ratio of carbohydrates to protein is about 3 to 1. Some good after-workout snacks include low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit, apple slices with low-fat peanut butter, or half a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread.
What To Drink: Start with 16 to 24 ounces of water. "You want to be rehydrated within an hour," says Gerbstadt.
FITNESS NEWS BITS
Cut Cancer Risk: In a Duke University Medical Center study, men who exercised regularly (akin to moderate walking several hours weekly) lowered their risk of prostate cancer by 65 percent. Exercisers who got the disease also had lower-grade tumors than those who did not work out.
Play Wii, Get Wee: Wii Video sports games like tennis and boxing can ward off or lessen obesity - and may even prevent ailments such as heart disease and diabetes, report researchers at Japan's National Institute of Health and Nutrition.
Ease Arthritis Pain: Older adults who do one hour of tai chi twice weekly cut their pain from knee osteoarthritis considerably in a 12-week study conducted at Tufts University School of Medicine.
Fitness News was written by Chai Woodham, AARP Magazine, March & April 2010.
EXERCISE TYPES
There are a number of exercise types, each of which has a specific purpose:
- Aerobic or endurance exercise: Improves the body's capacity to use fuel and oxygen. Swimming, bicycle riding, jogging, and power walking are examples of this type of exercise. The body's cardiovascular system benefits through increased blood supply to the muscles and enhanced oxygen delivery throughout the body. Just 20 minutes a day of sustained aerobic activity can lower blood pressure and strengthen heart function.
- Range-of-motion exercise: Helps maintain a joint's complete movement by putting a body part through its maximum available range of motion. Extending and moving one's arms in wide circular motions is an example of this. Some degree of flexibility is required to perform range-of-motion exercises, so stretching is recommended beforehand.
- Strengthening exercise: Helps a muscle's ability to contract and do work. Doing sit-ups, for example, is a way of strengthening abdominal muscles.
EXERCISE SUMMARY
One exercise rarely achieves two goals. For instance, a strengthening exercise will not significantly affect endurance, and range-of-motion exercises will not necessarily improve strength. A total exercise program must consider the individual's goals and include activities designed to achieve those goals.
Exercise should not be looked at as a chore. Try to select activities that you enjoy and look forward to doing. Whatever you choose, start out slowly, listen to your body, and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workout.
A word of caution: If you are over 35 years old and/or have been sedentary for some time, consult with your health care provider before beginning any new exercise program.
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