A news study by researchers at the University of Georgia shows that older folks who kept up with a walking program for four months had “significant” health improvements over a group that didn’t walk.

Over the past decade, researchers have focused on the benefits of strength training in maintaining independence, but until now they didn’t have good evidence using an objective performance measure that a walking program would improve physical functioning.
The study found that walking offers tremendous health benefits that can help older adults stay independent.

The Participants

26 adults (22 women and four men), 60 or older were enrolled.

Exercise, whether in the form of strength training, stretching and/or walking, can provide a much-needed emotional boost to frail senior citizens say researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo. And this benefit comes without the cost of additional pain or discomfort.

Over 1,700 elderly adults, all of whom were frail and at risk of fall-related injuries, took part in exercise programs at four sites across the United States. The activities focused on balance training, muscular strength and endurance exercises, and stretching.

Read the full research report from : Annuals of Behavioral Medicine August 2001.

1.Margarita. Margaritas may be the summer’s most fattening drink. If you use a sugar-saturated Margarita mix, tequila and Triple Sec, along with a salt-rimmed glass, the result could set you back 800 calories. Freshly made Margarita mix can slash those calories in half.

2. Mudslide. A 12-ounce frozen mudslide—made with vodka, Kahlua liqueur, Bailey’s Irish Cream and vanilla ice cream—tastes like an alcoholic milkshake. It canalso have over 800 calories and 25 grams of fat! Try skipping the ice cream in and and you can save a few hundred calories.

1. Test Your Hearing every 3 years.

2. Keep Your BMI Below 25

3. Eat Green Salad Every Day

4. Order Fish

5. Check Your Blood Sugar

6. Take a 30-minute walk daily

7. Lower Your Blood Pressure

Read the entire artilce at prevention.com

Also read our post on Barin Boosting Foods!

Brain Boosters for those 50 +

Walking poles work a variety of muscles. Walking poles target your arms, chest, shoulders and upper back muscles through a full range of motion when you walk.Using walking poles adds intensity to your aerobic workout, which can help you burn more calories. The arm movement also directly works on balance and stability. Walking poles also help to take stress off your lower back, knees and hips. Most Walking poles tend to have rubber tips that grab the ground and wrist straps that secure the poles to your arms. You can also find sturdier walking poles for hiking, which are also known as trekking poles.

Your guide to find your perfect walking shoe.

Walking shoes that are comfortable and fit your feet can help prevent injuries, blisters and even calluses. Walking shoes that fit properly can also help you stick with your walking program and even take your walking to the next level.

Tips to find the right walking shoe:

• Size and Shape of the Walking Shoe: Feet come in all shapes and sizes. To avoid walking shoe problems be sure to consider the shape and size of your feet when buying a pair of walking shoes. Walking shoes that are too narrow or too wide can lead to painful blisters and calluses.

Exercising with arthritis. Improve your stiffness and pain from arthritis.

You may be under the impression that exercise will aggravate your joint pain and stiffness from arthritis, that’s not the case. The lack of exercise actually can make your joints feel more painful and stiff. This happens because keeping your muscles and surrounding tissue strong is crucial to maintaining support for your bones. Not exercising weakens those supporting muscles, making your bones more prone to breaking.

Why exercise is essential.

Exercise can help you improve your health and fitness level without hurting or straining your joints. Along with your current arthritis treatment program, exercise can:

Strength training may ease chronic neck and shoulder pain, a problem that is increasingly common as people spend more time on computers a new research suggests. Neck and shoulder pain commonly stems from the upper trapezius muscle, which spans the upper back and shoulders, and helps move the neck. Continuly performing monotonous tasks, such as computer operations, can cause the muscle to become tight and tender which can lead to pain.

A recent study showed findings that being merely moderately fit  can lower the risk of having a stroke. Stroke is the nation’s third-leading cause of death. It occurs when blood flow to the brain is stopped when a blood vessel is blocked by a clot or bursts. Physical activity can help prevent blood clots and the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. Most people can reach a moderatly fit level by walking briskly for 30 minutes a day, five times a week

Chair Stands.

Chair Stands strengthen your inner and outer thigh muscles as well as your abdominal.

1.Place pillows against back of chair.
2.Sit in middle or toward front of the chair, knees bent, feet flat on floor.
3.Lean back in half-reclining position, keeping your back and shoulders straight.
4.Raise upper body forward until sitting upright, using hands as little as possible or not at all, if you can. Your back should no longer lean against the pillows.
5.Slowly stand up, using your hands as little as possible.
6.Slowly sit back down. Keep back and shoulders straight throughout exercise.
Repeat 8 to 12 times. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat one more time.