LIFE, HEALTH & HAPPINESS FOR NORTH WHIDBEY’S 50-PLUS CROWD VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 11 • May 2015
SWEAT OFF THE YEARS Important Things To Remember
By Barb Spence
All women, I believe, and I include myself, think sweating is just plain nasty business. “I hate it when I’m sticky” is a true description of our disdain for that disgusting situation.
However, now I am learning that sweating does all kinds of wonderful things for us especially when working up a sweat doing a physical activity. Frank Frisch, PhD, director of Kinesiology at Chapman University in Orange, Calif. says a workout is like nature’s energy drink, firing up our brain and body so we feel more alert and alive. “Exercise puts our body in a state of arousal, which translates into more vitality and a greater sense of well being,” says Frisch. “Daily tasks become less strenuous and require less exertion. It’s the kind of pep in our step that makes us feel like we have peeled off a decade or two.” 1. There are innumerable reasons why we should exercise until a “dewy sheen” appears on our bodies. Supposedly the sweat on our skin gives us suppler, more elastic skin. The theory is that exercise creates body substances that help slow skin aging. 2. Thanks to muscle loss and bone density changes, our posture takes a hit as we age. Strength training, which builds muscle and bone health, especially in our core and along our spine, helps us naturally stand taller and shaves years off our appearance, says Amie Hoff, personal trainer and founder of Hoff Fitness in New York City.
GAME DAY
Tuesdays – All Day Long Get your players together and spend a few hours having fun together. Choose your game: Mexican Train, Cribbage, Chess, Card Games, work the current jigsaw puzzle, or bring in a game to play. Spend the day with us.
3. Aging makes our muscles and joints more fixed in place leaving us feeling stiff and rickety. Regular workouts, especially stretching-oriented routines such as Yoga and Pilates, help keep us loose.
4. There truly is such a thing as a runner’s high, and that blissful mood boost can happen during any sweat-inducing workout. It seems to come down to endorphins (the body chemicals our system cranks out when we are active).
5. Restful sleep is like a fountain of youth, and exercise helps us achieve it. Sleeping well helps all the systems in our body function optimally. A recent study bears this out, finding that getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week improved sleep quality by 65%.
6. Metabolism naturally slows as we age, so it’s harder to avoid “poundage” as the years pass. Regular exercise helps increase the total number of calories we burn, which helps us maintain a healthy weight.
7. Exercise doesn’t just make us feel younger—it may actually turn off the aging process. It has to do with telomeres, the caps at the end of chromosomes that control aging. Telomeres become shorter as we get older, and longer telomeres are associated with longevity. Recent studies have found a link between regular exercise and the lengthening of the telomeres, suggesting that exercise can slow the clock.
8. A long outdoor walk or hike can distract us from anxiety and worries. But there may be a physiological reason exercise lowers stress levels. “The endorphin release prompted by a workout has a relaxing effect and reduces anxiety,” says Zonoozi. Also, more meditative forms of exercise, such as Yoga or Tai Chi, encourage mindfulness along with moving our body. 9. As years pass, it’s normal to become forgetful. But research suggests that we can fight brain fog with fitness. It is a well-known fact that exercise increases the size of the hippocampus, which is the memory part of the brain.
LOW BACK PAIN PRESENTATION On Wednesday, May 20th at 12:30, Dr. Joe Schoess, physical therapist at Rue & Primavera, will talk about the causes of low back pain, warning signs to watch for, and hints about how to treat low back pain. Please sign-up at the Front Desk for this informative event. IMPORTANT THINGS continued on page 2
10. Like all muscles, our heart gets weak and flabby with inactivity. As a result, it has to work harder to pump blood throughout our body, racking up more stress and leaving us feeling easily fatigued and winded. Even moderately intense exercise (like a brisk 30-minute walk) can make our heart stronger. 11. As we age, it’s not only joints that can get stiff—the blood vessels in our body can lose their flexibility. This makes it harder for them to expand and contract as needed to deliver oxygen-rich blood to parts of the body that need it the most (like the brain, heart, and muscles.) Exercise can lower blood pressure and improve circulation, and some research suggests that even simple stretching—think Yoga, Pilates, or any stretching moves—can help boost flexibility of blood vessels.
INSIDE THIS EDITION Guest Spot..................... Pg. 2 Activities & Events........... Pg. 3 Calendar....................... Pg. 4 Library Events................. Pg. 5 Volunteer of the Month... Pg. 6 Puzzles.......................... Pg. 6 Travel............................ Pg. 7 Menu............................. Pg. 7