Moving to stay healthy

Staying healthy as you age is not easy, we are subject to many chronic illnesses that may prevent us from being active. I have friends who still go to the gym every day when they can. My brothers who are all also seniors are still active. One of them runs and indicated he is going to start doing marathons again. Another still plays tennis and last year one the Provincial championship for those over 70. I still walk at least 5km a day. Down from last year when I was walking 7Km a day. We are all still active and luckily we are all still healthy.

I have been active all of my life but not as active as my friends, but I know people who are not active, and it is hard to start to be active when you retire if you have not been active when you were working. So, a key to staying healthy in retirement is to be active. For those of us who have been active all of our lives, this is easy. For those individuals that have not been active all their lives, the key point to being active is to start moving. Moving does not mean that the person has to enter road races. Moving means get outside and walk your dog. Every day when I go for my walk there are many people out walking their dogs. This appears to be a very popular form of exercise.

If you don’t have a dog, maybe you can take the stairs instead of an escalator, or elevator, to the next floor level. One of the benefits of walking up and downstairs is that the extra height of the steps builds muscle strength in the legs.

Walking is a great exercise, you get a chance to see your neighbours say, hello and stop and talk. If you know your neighbour well,  ask them to join you on a walk. Walking in a neighbourhood for several blocks lets you actually see the homes and yards that you may never appreciate driving in a car.

Doing a little yard work, like raking leaves, mowing the lawn, planting flowers, is just as beneficial as going for a walk. If you have a tree in your yard, then picking up branches is good because it helps keep you limber when you bend over. For extra benefit plant a garden, and after a month or so, you can reap the rewards of your earlier efforts.

A friend of mine has an exercise bike that he uses well he watches TV. I find exercise bikes boring so I don’t have one. However, one easy thing to do while watching television is doing a little exercise during the commercials. Have you noticed that commercial breaks are now almost five minutes long? While in five minutes you can do some simple standing up, doing some sit-ups, or pushups, or have some light hand weights to lift, can be a routine to follow for a few programs. 

When I am writing I can be sitting at my computer for long periods, which is not healthy. So what I find useful is standing up and walking around for a few minutes. The simple act of standing up and walking around for several minutes every half hour is beneficial in helping the circulation in the legs and I find that I can get back to my writing with a refreshed attitude.

The key to ageing gracefully, and enjoying yourself, is to keep moving. Growing old is not for sissy’s, all those past injuries come back to remind you that you need to slow down. The joints might not be as flexible, and the muscles are not as strong, but you can still get around. The key is don’t stop, keep moving, and by moving you will stay healthy as long as you can.