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I have posted about the importance of exercise as you age. More and more research supports this truth and tells why. Balance is critical to prevent falls which can dramatically change your health, often permanently. Walking is good for maintaining balance but disciplines like Tai Chi foruses on balance. New research demonstrates the benefits of Tai Chi in maintining balance and suggests that medication may cause loss of balance. Don’t just accept the medications your doctor recommends. Find out what they actually do and whether they might have unintended consequences.
New Advice on Preventing Falls
Walking has other benefits, another research project concludes. It an increase the size of your brain and reverse the natural shrinking caused by aging.
Walking Improves Memory and Brain Health in Older Adults
“It’s amazing that a one-year period of moderate exercise isn’t just slowing down the atrophy, it’s actually reversing it.”
Walking is an easy way to add exercise to your life with great benefits but a program of physical training can help even more. My experience with a personal trainer has been very positive but research proves that an broad exercise program involving walking, weight training and balance will reduce or reverse the deterioration of aging and protect your health.
Effects of Strength Training on Aging
Let me ask you a question. If you knew you were losing muscle mass as you age and that this negtively effected your balance and overall functionality and that a magic pill – strength training – would stop it from happening…would you try it?
Is there any excuse for doing nothing?
I am an avid walker Ralph, as I have mentioned in the past. It’s good to know that shrinkage will be reversed and my brain size will grow, hopefully I will be able to write a decent post in time.
Exercise is so important as we age, I see so many people who spend their days sat in front of the TV watching inane programmes.
I also do Krav Maga – bet you have to Wiki that one!
Bill
Still Going Strong, Ashton-under-Lyne, UK
Bill Murney’s last Blog Post ..Niche Ideas Research – Part 2
Bill,
You seem to be doing things right.Except perhaps that krav maga thing. You are right that I had to google it. I guess nobody better mess with Bill.
Falls in an older person can be devastating. A fall while going to the bathroom in the middle of the night is what started my mom’s final chapter. She landed on my dad which left his back messed up and is still in a lot of pain 2 years later.
I have managed to slip and tumble down the steps in our home once or twice while I starting thinking of something before I reached the bottom.
I go to the gym 3 times a week but don’t focus on balance. Maybe I should add that to the routine.
Bob
Satisfyingretirement’s last Blog Post ..How am I Supposed to Pay For This
Bob,
More and more I see the emphasis on balance for preventing falls. As you know falls can turn healthy people into invalids overnight and so anything that can help people avoid a fall is priceless as they say.
I have been exercising regularly for 23 years now Ralph. Mainly running, but also light weight training, core exercises, some cycling and walking holidays.
I didn’t realise the effect ageing has on balance. However I have recently had some plyometrics lessons, and that involved balancing on one leg, which wasn’t as easy as it looked.
Once I have identified some simple plyometric stretches, I will add these to my weekly routine.
John
Not as healthy as I sound, in Leamington Spa, England
John McNally@Blogging for Pleasure and Profit’s last Blog Post ..ALWAYS have a PLAN B
John,
My trainer has been having me do some hops with arm extensions. I can barely manage to keep standing. I’m not as healthy as I sound either but I am working on it.