A recent study found that forty percent of U.S. adults physically inactive. That’s 82.5 million people!

That’s why a nationwide effort is underway to get Americans moving. Launched by the American College of Sports Medicine in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, the program is called Exercise is Medicine (EIM) and the focus is to urge doctors to write prescriptions for exercise for their patients.

ACSM and Coca-Cola recently announced the availability of EIM’s Public Toolkit to help consumers stick with doctor’s orders for physical activity. The toolkit includes step-by-step instructions for consumers to work with a doctor to determine the right dose of exercise.

A new report suggests that Fitness, strength and flexibility do not inevitably fade away with age and it is often a matter of lifestyle choices. The discomforts of middle-age like back pain or stiff joints, are blamed on aging alone. However, a well-rounded exercise routine that includes aerobic activity, strength training and stretching can help people offset the effects of aging, according to the report in the Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

Studies show that regular exercise can lower the risks of chronic ills like diabetes and heart disease, boost immune function, alleviate fatigue and cut the risk of disability in older adults.

A recent study done by the CDC shows that 70% of Americans need to decrease their salt intake. The data showed that the average U.S. adult consumes one-and-a-half teaspoons of salt every day. That’s a half teaspoon more than the basic daily recommendation of one teaspoon. This recommendation is much lower for people with high blood pressure, people over 40, and all African-American adults. These groups should be eating no more than two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt per day.

The largest study of its kind finds that older Americans who eat large amounts of red meat and processed meats face a greater risk of death from heart disease and cancer. The federal study of more than half a million men and women bolsters prior evidence of the health risks of diets laden with red meat like hamburger and processed meats like hot dogs, bacon and cold cuts.

A recent US study released Monday found that people who eat more red or processed meat have a higher risk of death from all causes including cancer, while a higher consumption of white meat reduces such risks. The findings appear in Monday’s Archives of Internal Medicine.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great way to start your day! Oatmeal is full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear. Oatmeal is the product of ground oat groats . The term, ‘oatmeal’ can refer also to other products made from oat groats, such as cut oats, crushed oats, and rolled oats.

Extend one leg forward. Tighten your knee as though pushing on a gas peddle, then release. Repeat 3 times on each leg. This exercise stabilizes the knee joint and strengthens the muscles needed to get up and down in a chair or on and off the toilet.

According to a recent study,seniors who perform simple ankle and foot exercises a few times per week can noticeably improve their strength and balance.

Researchers at the University of Porto, Portugal, divided 48 facility-dwelling seniors into a control group and an exercise group. The exercise group performed a series of simple ankle and foot flexing exercises in 15-minute sessions three times a week for six weeks. At the end of the trial, researchers tested the two groups and found a marked improvement in the exercise group’s mobility and balance. The control group, on the other hand, showed no significant increases in strength, flexibility or mobility.

Calves Stretch

This is a great exercise to do anytime! I always recommend this exercise as an everyday exercise to all my clients.

Begin by extending your leg from the knee and flex the ankle. Point the toes toward the knee and feel the calf muscle stretching. Repeat 4 times on each leg, alternating legs. This exercise will help avoid cramping in the lower leg.

Rotating your Shoulders.

This is a great stretching exercise for seniors. Start by sitting tall in your chair. Next, stretch your arms first downwards. Stretch your hands at least for few seconds. Then next, stretch your both hands upwards and keep your hands in that position for few seconds. This exercise is useful for the shoulders of the body.

Meet Wendy:

Wendy is an Athletic Specialist for Fit Seniors. Wendy is a certified yoga teacher (200 RYT) with Yoga Alliance and is dedicating her energy towards ensuring our aging members of society remain physically fit and agile and are living as full lives as possible.

Wendy calls upon her foundation as a yoga teacher in her senior fitness classes. Wendy has a master’s degree in urban planning, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and social behavior that emphasized coursework in gerontology.