have revealed that your body ages ,faster when you don't exercise. Your body wants you to walk, run, dance, and rejo,ice! Itwithers when you don't allow it this freedom.One study showed that young, male athletes lost 30 percent of their fitness level after just three weeks of .forced bed rest. If three weeks can do so much damage to young athletes, just imagine what a lifetime of sitting in an easy chair can do !
If you exercise regularly, you will reduce your body's aging process. You can, for instance, form new bone tissue. As you age your body's store of calcium is slowly depleted, specifically in post - menopausal women who don't exercise, and men who are sedentary and have poor calcium nutrition. This is called osteoporosis{A disease in which the bones become extremely porous, are subject to fracture, and heal slowly, occurring especially in women following menopause}and can cause many serious problems - from bone fractures
to a dowager's hump. But exercise, especially weight-bearing exercises such .as walking, can I help your bones become stronger and less
susceptible to injury. .
ADVANTAGES
Exercise also helps maintain your sense of balance and agility, thus reducing your risk of injury from a fall. It keeps your muscles from shortening and tightening, so you can move more easily. It makes your heart stronge~ your muscles stronger, and your body more flexible. In addition, exercise often keeps arthritis from progressing, and can be used to control such life-threatening 'problems as diabetes and high blood pressure. Whether you're 22 or 82, it's never too late, to don your swimsuit and head for the nearest pool!
THE BONUS
Exercise, though, is just part of staying young. A host of posjtive changes also occur if you eat properly. You decrease your risk of
developing heart disease, hypertension, and some types of cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Annoying conditions, like constipation, may subside, and you'll be more likely to maintain a desirable, healthy weight.
Eating well will help make you look and feel... vibrant and healthy!
WRINKLES
Factors besides lack of exercise or not eating properly also mimic the aging process. Cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, for example, contribute to many diseases usually associated with "just getting old", and too much, sun exposure, n~t just aging, may be .responsible for excessive sagging{lacking in strength}and wrinkling.
OUTLOOK
Improving your body image is not the only benefit of leading a healthy lifestyle. You may also improve your mind and soul! Being healthy tends to chase away depression and gives yOil a fresh outlook on life. You look better and therefore feel better about yourself. You have more en:ergy to pursue and fulfill your hobbies, interests and dreams. Daily chores won't tire you, and you're able to meet life's little challenges with more enthusiasm and st~ength. While you're at the track, spa, swimming' pool, or walking around the neighborhood, you meet new people and make new friends. Your horizons are broadened, and one day you realize that you've taken control of your life.
WHAT YOU EAT
Like exercise, the best diet for older people is baskally the same as the advisable dietary plan for younger people, but there are a few differences to consider. Sedentary people (of any age) require fewer calories to maintain weight. As you age, your ability to absorb nutrient changes and some dietary adjustments may be needed to compensate.THE OTHER EXTREME
On the other hand, you may find that you're eanng too little and losing too much weight. There are a number of reasons for this. Your senses of taste and smell could be less keen so
.food isn't as appealing; medication or illness might make food unappetizing; loneliness and depression may keep you from eating properly; or simply a lack of knowledge about good eating habits may lead to a poor diet.
LOOK OUT!
Figure out what keeps you from eating well, and then take steps to correct it. If you don't know how to eat'healthfully or whether your die't is appropriate, talk to a dietitian. If you take medications, chronically, ask your physician if they affect how you use nutrients in food. If its lack of interest from dulled senses, then go out of your way to make your food attractive and appealing by eating in a pleasant room, seasoning your food with interesting spices, and eating with people w~o are fun to be with.
A LITTLE CHANGE
You may also find you have difficulty eating certain foods because older people produce less saliva or have problems with their teeth. This could make it hard to eat hard, dry foods. To correct his, eat moister, softer foods and drink more water. Also, less acid is produced in the stomach as you age. If you find that a food regularly upsets your stomach, then you might want to avoid it for a while. Follow your instincts and be creative about working around your limitations!
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