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For Women: Are 10,000 Steps a Day Necessary?

Today I am celebrating 24 years since I had open heart surgery. Yes!

Walking is a really personal gift to me.  What do I mean?  After my surgery, I asked my Cardiologist,  “what type of exercise can I do?”  He recommended that I walk, which seemed easy enough to do.

However, the truth was,  after the surgery I did not have the strength to walk across a street by myself. At that point, I promised myself and the forces that guide us that if given the future opportunity to walk, I would make sure to honor that ability.
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Baby Boomers and Dementia

 

I recently had the benefit of attending a talk about dementia and how to plan and live with this challenging condition/disease.

Dr. Tia Powell has written a book, “Dementia Reimagined …” . She weaves  in some of  her personal story as a means of inviting us to have a conversation about this  life changing condition.  Both her grandmother and mother had dementia.

Just two startling facts I learned  are that  10% of  Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964)  over the age of 65, and 50% of Boomers  85 and older  are expected to have some experience of dementia.  The longer we live, the more likely we may become subject to this condition/disease.

In addition, Dr. Powell discusses a positive approach to preparing to live with the possibility of dementia in our later years.  The glass is  half full and not a  more dismal half-empty outlook. She encourages us to “take on” this challenge to a life with “dignity and planning“.

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Smart Walking for Seniors

Once again there is good news about walking as an exercise,  which could be especially good for us seniors.  The newest information I read about this exercise is too good not to share.  That’s right.

For those of you who find it difficult to get exercise, ten minutes of mild exercise can benefit the brain by creating new cells and improve memory. This is certainly worth trying instead of being sedentary.  The exercise does not have to be intense either.  Are you feeling better about my news already?  I thought you would.  Although some of the tests referred to in the article were done on animals, it turns out that past studies also have shown that people with a larger, healthier hippocampus (essential for memory creation and storage) exercise regularly.

Not convinced?  Another study was conducted again by scientist on college students. This time the exercise was done for 10 minutes on bicycles at a gentle pace. It was very easy, according to the article. The students were given computerized memory test immediately after slow pedaling.  Then the students were given the same sequence on the bikes for 10 minutes; however, the testing took place inside an MRI machine, where their brains could be scanned.
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Taking a Time-Out from Exercise

I have to admit when I look at someone sitting in a hammock I immediately relax.  It’s a symbol for  instant gratification, reading a book, or daydreaming. It does not remind me of taking that 30 minute walk that I promised to do.  A few days ago, I listened to an orator who suggested that the 30 minute walk I take every day is an act of “self♥love”. That’s right.  He said, it takes a lot of ‘self♥love’ to exercise, when you really want to do something else. Many of us would not think about it that way.  Do you?

Let’s talk about what happens when you take a ‘time-out’ from exercise both for seniors and younger adults. I’m not referring to a day or two.  That might be OK, but if you do that for a few weeks, the consequences become much more pervasive.  Here are some of the benefits that exercising on a regular basis provides us with: works against Type 2 diabetes; heightened blood sugar; protects against heart disease; lowers “bad” (LDL) cholesterol.  As seniors, we are often reminded of these points by our doctors.  For younger people, it’s easier to reverse these issues.
♥ I try to get close to 10,000 steps a day. This includes a 30 minute walk, which is about 4,000 steps.   During the course of the rest of the day, I try to get 6,000 more steps or close to it by moving every chance I get.
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Tweaking Your Workout Activity

I realize that many of us are not  revved up about getting to a 30 minute exercise class, or walking continuously for 30 minutes.  In addition, many seniors do not have the extra income required to spend  on a health club membership.

I was encouraged by a  recent study, which finds that continuous activity is not a requirement to attain the benefits of exercise.  That is to say, you do not have to workout 30 minutes at a time to gain the health benefits! You can actually accumulate those 30 minutes of activity 10 minutes at a time.

♥ The latest studies, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association are summarized below:
– “Movement strongly influenced longevity. Men and women who exercised fewer than 20 minutes a day, were at the highest risk of premature death.  Those who moved more often, especially if they were active in a day, cut their mortality risk in half”. Continue reading “Tweaking Your Workout Activity”

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Exercising Living Senior

exercise living senior

A lot of what I’ve read recently about the aging process brings me to the conclusion that the road  to the ‘fountain of youth’ goes through the city of exercise.  That is to say, the more we exercise, the more we will keep our bodies ‘in tune’, ‘well-oiled’ for a healthful and independent future . Easy enough right?

Suppose you have physical limitations?  The answer is: ‘where there is a will, there is a way.’ And, to help us with our ‘will’ the Department of Aging has suggested certain exercises for us to do while sitting, or standing. There is  no health club cost required. Listed below are some of the disabilities, which regular exercise can help you with.

  • arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, balance problems, and trouble walking.
  • Benefits:  increased energy, lower cholesterol, prevent weight gain, bone strength, enhance mental well-being.

What’s the difference between Physical Activity and Exercise? Both terms refer to the voluntary movements you do that burn calories.

  • Physical activities are activities that get your body moving such as gardening, walking the dog, raking leaves, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
  • Exercise is a form of physical activity that is specifically planned, structured, and repetitive such as weight training, tai chi, or an aerobics class

Click here to order the book: https://order.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/order/bk004

By picking up this book and looking through it, you’ve taken an important first step toward good health. Source: Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging | National Institute on Aging

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Once you get started you will not want to stop!  Let’s get physical 🙂 !