Health & Fitness at Any Age

How have you been doing with your fitness program? Not well? Maybe you haven’t even started a health and fitness program yet. Well, you’re in luck, because it’s never too late to begin.

If your doctor is in agreement with the regimen you choose, you will be well on your way to becoming fit and healthy at any age. Some people say they don’t like the idea of joining a spa or perhaps they can’t afford the dues – well, there are many more options available.To start with, ask yourself if your weight is hindering your ability to be fit and if the answer is yes, ask your doctor to provide you with a weight loss plan or to approve a weight loss plan of your choosing. The key to losing weight is your state of mind. You may have to change some lifelong habits and enlist the support of family members and friends. Whatever you decide to do, it will extend your life and guard against illnesses associated with excess weight such as diabetes, stroke or heart attack if your cholesterol or blood pressure is too high.

Some exercises can easily be done at home and will help to build muscle, which in turn will help to reduce excess fat and provide more energy. Cans and jars held in your hands can take the place of dumbbells, leaning your hands behind you against a steady chair can work your arms. Walking and jogging are good aerobic exercises as is bicycling, jumping rope, gardening, washing windows, and many others.

Osteoporosis is a bone-weakening disease that develops gradually and makes bones so fragile that they fracture under normal use, and is a major health problem in our country. Due to its slow progression, you may not know you have it until after middle age. The most common areas include the spine, hip, and wrist and symptoms are sometimes not noticed until a fracture occurs. Spine fractures can lead to a loss of height and Dowager’s hump.”

Risk factors include gender, with women being four times more likely to develop osteoporosis because they have less bone density than men. Race is another factor, with Asians and Caucasians having the highest risk, followed by African Americans. Aging is a factor that can be reduced by weightlifting to increase bone mass, which decreases as we grow older. Smoking, heavy alcohol use and inactivity are additional contributors, as are decreased hormones and family history.
Preventions include exercise as listed above, to include weight-bearing exercises to increase bone mass and good nutrition consisting of milk, cheese, yogurt, orange juice and eating breakfast. Hormone replacement therapy approved by the FDA and prescribed by your doctor is recommended for many women at high risk for osteoporosis.