Bandar Botanic Layout Plan

Bandar Botanic Layout Plan

Wednesday 11 February 2009

BBRAeNews No.32 - Its never too old to exercise.




Dear Bandar Botanic & Ambang Botanic Residents. In this blog, the BBRA will dedicate something good for the residents, old or young.
Exercise - You are never too old to do it.
By Linda Stollings Special to the Herald Courier. Published: February 11, 2009
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Did you know that exercise produces approximately a 40-year age offset? In other words, a fit person of 70 is the equal of an unfit person of 30 in regard to bones, muscles, heart, brain and overall health. Well, that little piece of information really made my day, and, if you think about it long enough, it should make yours too.You are never too old to begin an exercise program. The effect of true nonpreventable aging involves a gradual loss of speed and vigor with which we do activities, but it should not prevent us from doing them. Personally, I can do everything I used to, it just takes a little longer to do it and a little longer to recover. Realizing our limitations can keep us injury-free and keep us from getting overzealous with our exercise program. People who stay active throughout their lifetime have a great quality of life. The example that comes to my mind is Jack Lalane, the 90-year-old man that acts, and by his own admission, feels like he is 40-50 years old. He is a great example of how exercise has produced a 40-year age offset. I am positive that his physician is like the Maytag repair man: he probably does not get many calls from Jack Lalane. All kidding aside, exercise at any age is a good thing, as long as you have a medical clearance from your doctor.Apparently, I am on a roll with reasons to exercise, so let’s look at one more. Let’s talk about your blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force exerted by the heart while pumping blood through the body. It is also the pressure of blood against the arterial walls. Hypertension or high blood pressure is defined as a blood pressure that exceeds what medical professionals determine are optimal for good health, and puts you at high risk for cardiovascular disease, strokes, vascular disease and kidney failure. High blood pressure causes the heart to overwork. Over time, the overworked heart weakens, enlarges and has a difficult time keeping up with the demands of the body. High blood pressure can also cause blood vessels to become inelastic and decrease blood flow to vital organ. This can produce the damage I mentioned above to your heart, brain and kidneys. The American College of Sports Medicine advises that exercise should be the cornerstone of therapy for prevention, treatment and control of high blood pressure. Most aerobic, resistance and flexibility types of exercise are recommended.But for someone with elevated blood pressure, the primary form of exercise should be the aerobic type. As usual, check with your physician before beginning an exercise program.The only way to know if you have an elevated blood pressure is to have it checked. You cannot feel high blood pressure, and usually there are no symptoms until complications develop. It is not unusual for someone to have an elevated blood pressure for years, and it goes unnoticed. The damage being done during those years could have been controlled or prevented with proper medical treatment and lifestyle changes. So the takeaway from this article is to get your blood pressure checked and have it monitored on a regular basis. If you have never had you pressure checked, then put that on your immediate to-do list. Hypertension is not called the “silent killer” for nothing.
LINDA STOLLINGS is a personal fitness trainer and the owner of FitPrescriptions in Bristol, Tenn.

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