Wellbeing
Raise Your Heart Rate by Lowering Your Blood Pressure If you are finding your blood pressure running a little higher these days, there are simple steps you can take to get things back to normal. EXERCISE You may read that and think “Oh my, you sound like my doctor.” But she’s right. And you’ll want to talk to your doctor about what limits you may have, but increasing your heart rate through normal activities approved by your doctor will help lower your blood pressure. Our goal is to raise our heartbeat—not from more episodes of Peyton Place, but from exercise. If your doctor approves, work out with Edith or Meghan at all of their aerobics activities. This will move the blood through your body, oxygenating your blood and adding color in your skin, tone to
your body, and well, just make you feel better. You’ll probably sleep better too. As often as you can, take a walk. Walk the long way around the building to get to breakfast. In fact, if the weather is good, go outside and walk around the building to get to breakfast. Do it for lunch too. Even supper. Go at a pace you are comfortable with and go with a friend. But add a few steps to each of your activities and you’ll be on your way to better health. Your goal should be 30 minutes, as many times per week as you can. And remember, you are doing this for you. You are at a time of your life where the time you have is all yours. Go for it. You deserve to feel well. Lowering your blood pressure might just be the best part of every day.
Upcoming from Maranatha Maranatha, a non-profit that provides short term volunteer opportunities worldwide, benefits directly from projects that are sponsored by Crossroads Senior Living. In June Maranatha volunteers ventured back into service at a remote school campus in Oregon. Among the tasks tackled on this project were painting the exterior and interior of the girls dorm, making miscellaneous repairs in the boys dorm, installing
trim in a staff house, and landscaping. Volunteers also worked at nearby Camp Umpqua, installing pine siding in the lodge and constructing a duplex cabin. Wherever volunteers were stationed, project coordinator and Maranatha board member, Ed Jensen, noticed them doing extra work beyond what was assigned. “These aren’t the kind of people who sit around and enjoy the ambiance,” said Jensen. “They saw the need, jumped on it, and took care of it.” For first-time volunteer Ron Gadreault, not only was the work rewarding, but the community he joined was special as well. “I didn’t realize how much of a family it becomes, and how much people mean to you,” said Gadreault. “That is how Maranatha seems to be, a family helping others. Everybody cares about each other and cares about the project, and we work together as a family works together. And you get kind of sad when you have to leave.”
Peace of Mind Senior Living | w w w . c r o s s r o a d s a l c . o r g
