At the Madison Senior Center downtown, members take modern dance classes, participate in social circle gatherings and book clubs.

“It isn’t a place to sit around and play cards or knit or just sit around,” said 80-year-old Reta Harring. “There’s so much going on.”

Aging experts said activities such as these will make a difference in the fight against dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“It is possible to exercise the brain muscle and enhance the cognitive fitness,” said Senior Center director Christine Beatty. “That’s good news and why it’s an important topic right now.”

Edamame provides soy protein and fiber with little sugar or carbs. Edamame is a healthy swap when you’re craving something crunchy or salty, like chips. Store them in the freezer and defrost what you need in the morning, or check out Seapoint Farms’ mini single-portion packets at just 38 calories each (a standard half-cup serving is about 100 calories).

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.

Feul Your Workout

Good food choices to fuel your workout include high-carbohydrate, low-fat snacks such as:

a whole-wheat bagel with jam ; or
a banana with yogurt; or
a bowl of instant oatmeal with blueberries.

After your workout, it’s essential to refuel your body with a carbohydrate-protein blend, such as:

a small handful of walnuts or almonds; or
a peanut butter sandwich; or
a fruit smoothie with protein powder.

Don’t forget to drink water before, during and after your workout to avoid dehydration.

A preliminary study suggests that getting a lot of exercise may help slow brain shrinkage in people with early Alzheimer’s disease.

Analysis found that participants who were more physically fit had less brain shrinkage than less-fit participants. However, they didn’t do significantly better on tests for mental performance.

That was a surprise, but maybe the study had too few patients to make an effect show up in the statistical analysis, said Dr. Jeffrey Burns, one of the study’s authors.He also stressed that the work is only a starting point for exploring whether exercise and physical fitness can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. The study can’t prove an effect because the participants were evaluated only once rather than repeatedly over time, he said.

-Find an exercise partner!  Having a fitness buddy can help keep you going!
-Set an attainable goal for yourself. When you reach that goal make sure to give yourself a reward.
-Listen to music! Your favorite tunes can help keep you upbeat and having fun.
-Make your exercise sessions “appointments”. Write them in your calendar and hold yourself accountable.
-Record each exercise session. Be sure to write down what you did during each session. This can help you monitor your progress.
-Plan your exercise sessions in advance. If you know you will be traveling try and get your exercise sessions in before you leave or work them into your trip!

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.

Dill Chicken Salad Ingredients

2   boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (7 to 8 oz. each)
2-1/2  cups chopped tomatoes
1  cup green seedless grapes, halved
3/4  cup chopped celery
1/2  cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2  cup chopped red bell pepper
4   green onions, chopped
1/3  cup low fat mayonnaise
1/4  cup plain yogurt
1/4  cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2  teaspoon minced garlic
1  teaspoon salt
1  teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1  head Boston lettuce
 
Directions

Healthy Low fat Vegetable Lasagna
8-ounces lasagna noodles (9 noodles)
1/2  cup (1/2 ounce) dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
1  cup boiling water
1  large onion, chopped
2 cups spinach, chopped
1 large zuchinni , chopped
4  cloves garlic, minced
2  tablespoons margarine or butter
1  15-ounce container reduced fat ricotta cheese
1  cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1/2  cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2   eggs
1/4  cup snipped parsley
1/2  teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4  teaspoon pepper
1  30-1/2-ounce jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1/4  cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Directions

Finding a healthy snack that is filling as well at nutritious can sometimes be challenging. Try having a rice cake topped with peanut-butter and raisins the next time you are craving a quick snack. Not only is this snack crunchy, sweet and salty, it will definitely hold you over until your next meal.

Snacking Tips.

Use only 1tbsp of peanut-butter. Peanut-butter is high in fat so be sure to use portion control! Buy unsalted rice cakes when available. Do not buy salted rice cakes!! This is a diet no no. Added sodium can lead to a number of serious health problems.