- Healthy Aging
Active Life
“Age Is Only A Number. Keep An Active Life”
~Lailah Gifty Akita
Active Life
With more people living active lives than ever before, how you choose to spend your retirement is really up to you. There are limitless ways to fill your days. But a more active life almost always means a better quality of life. In fact, exercise can actually help you fight memory loss, lift your mood, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat. By elevating your heart rate you allow blood to flow quicker and more efficiently. Thus helping your brain function at its best.
Without regular activity, your body slowly loses its strength, stamina, and ability to function properly. It’s like that saying: you don’t stop moving from growing old, you grow old when you stop moving. It’s true 70 is the new 60 and 60 is the new 50, but only if you are healthy! Exercise increases muscle strength, which in turn increases your ability to do other physical activities. Living an active life not only helps you ensure you are physically fit and able for years to come. It also helps memory, thinking, and mood.
You know that “feel good sensation” you get after doing something physical? Think of exercise as a happy pill with no side effects! Most people notice they feel better over time as physical activity becomes a regular part of their lives.
Exercise and the Brain
In a one study, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart and your sweat glands pumping, helps improve both memory and learning. However, resistance training, balance and muscle toning exercises did not have the same results. So, break out the sweatbands and get ready for some good old-fashioned aerobic exercise. Because, not only is it good for the body, but more importantly, it’s great for the brain!
Hippocampus, What Is that?
The hippocampus is a small organ located within the brain’s medial temporal lobe and belongs to the limbic system. The hippocampus plays an important role in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory, and in spatial memory that enables navigation. It not only assists with the storage of long term memories, but is also responsible for the memory of the location of objects or people. We would not even be able to remember where our we put our keys without the work of the hippocampus. So, why is this so important? Because regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart and your sweat glands pumping, appears to boost the size of the hippocampus.
The Benefits of Being Active
Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking and running, is a strategy against vascular cognitive impairment. According to the National Institute on Aging, vascular cognitive impairment is the decline in thinking abilities caused by disease that damages the brain’s blood vessels. Research shows that aerobic exercise not only decreases heart health risk factors but may also improve brain structure and function.
In order to stay healthy, you should make regular exercise part of your day. Whether it is dancing, running, walking or some other type of cardio, the key here is to make it a part of your lifestyle. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. And, while everyone may not jumping for joy at the thought of a daily run. Try to think about it a little differently.
If there was something you could to do prevent cardiovascular disease, reduce sadness, boost energy, and improve your overall quality of like. Wouldn’t you do it? Sure you would. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. If you want to feel better, have more energy, and add years to your life. All you have to do, is exercise!
So, put it to the test. Start exercising! Walk, bike, hike, or run, it does not matter as long as you stay active. Whatever exercise you choose, commit to making it a habit. After all, they say that exercise is medicine, so take it daily! By exercising regularly, you are using a proven tool to prolong your independence and improve your quality of life.
Healthy Aging
We don’t stop exercising because we grow old, we grow old because we stop exercising. No matter what your age, size, or fitness level…
It’s Never Too Late To Start Exercising!
Remember, If You Don’t Take Care Of Your Body, Your Body Won’t Take Care Of You.
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