Getting Older Doesn’t Mean Slowing Down

Staying healthy as you age isn’t just about adding more years to your life. It’s also about adding more life to your years!  Daily physical activity and exercise can help ensure that you maintain a high quality of life as you get older, as well as help you reduce aches and pains and improve your mental attitude by giving your body a needed endorphin rush. Everybody has heard the phrase “move it or lose it.”

Time marches on, but getting older doesn’t mean that you’ll have to live an inactive life. Weakness and poor balance are the result of inactivity more often than just age alone. There are plenty of activities that you can take part in to avoid slowing down as you age.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few suggestions:

• Lifting Weights: Don’t worry, you don’t have to throw up hundreds of pounds on the bench press to benefit from lifting weights. Studies have shown that even light to moderate weight can increase bone density and help you maintain a healthy body weight. Researchers have also discovered that weight training has the potential to help get rid of nagging pain you may have in your shoulders, lower back, and knees. Start with a weight that you can easily do 30 reps with, but only do sets of 10 or a time interval with that weight. You can raise the weight up to a weight that you can do 20 reps with. There is no good reason to max out the weight at 8-10 reps unless you are a serious bodybuilder and looking to bulk up.

• Light Cardio: Sprints and 5-mile runs aren’t necessary to improve your cardiovascular health. You don’t even have to jog. There are plenty of ways to get a solid cardiovascular workout without hurting your joints or wearing you out for the next three days. Popular options include cycling, swimming, and daily walking.

• Yoga: Even people who are in the prime of their lives will find that yoga requires a unique combination of flexibility, strength, and balance. By balancing strength and flexibility, yoga remains one of the best ways to keep your body limber. Yoga also involves deep breathing, meditation, and an excellent endorphin release.

Next Steps:

Pain is not a byproduct of aging. Pain is usually the byproduct of degeneration occurring faster than regeneration. Activity is one of the keys to regeneration. When combined with good nutrition, hydration, chiropractic, laser therapy and more, you can start to regenerate at a much faster rate.

If you are not as active as you would like to be, let me know. I am dedicated to helping you find ways to enjoy doing the things you love with the people you love for years to come.

-Kent Owens, DC

Science Source(s):

Physical Exercise as Therapy for Frailty. Nestle Nutrition Institute Workshop Series. 2015.