Keeping active as we age is critical to keeping the body fit and the brain alert.
Use It or Lose It
Keeping active helps us maintain our independence. Studies show that people over 70 who are inactive are twice as likely to have trouble walking and climbing stairs than active over 70-year-olds.
Fitness for Brain Health
Keeping active isn’t just good for our physical fitness- it keeps our brain alert and can actually reverse the effects of ageing on the brain.
What Type of Activity Should You Do?
As we age we lose our strength, balance, flexibility and endurance – making us more susceptible to injury. The following activities will keep you physically and mentally fit whilst reducing the chance of injury.
Yoga
If you can breathe, you can do yoga. Yoga is fantastic for keeping your body flexible and strong. Yoga helps build balance, which is crucial to preventing falls as we age. Yoga also nurtures the mind.
Tai Chi
This gentle form of exercise increases your ability to balance, builds muscle strength, improves flexibility and increases endurance.
Swimming
Whether you take a dip in the ocean, swim lengths of an Olympic pool or bob about in the warmth of a heated pool your body and mind will benefit from swimming. Swimming is easy on the joints, builds muscle strength and endurance, and increases cardiovascular fitness. It refreshes you off on a hot day too!
Walking
We all know how to do it so why not walk your way to good health? A brisk walk improves our cardiovascular health, builds strength in the legs and staves off the dreaded bone disease osteoporosis. Go for a longer bush walk and you’ll build endurance too.
Nutrition
Many people lose their appetite as they age but eating a nutritious diet is essential to maintaining our health. You’ll get the anti-ageing beta-caratone in apricots and carrots. Boost your immune function with Vitamin A-packed eggs and spinach and prevent cell damage with Vitamin C-rich kiwi and citrus. And don’t forget a dose of sunshine for Vitamin D to ensure healthy bones.
There are lots of ways to keep active as we age. Choose activities you enjoy and you’ll be sure to maintain good health well into your twilight years.
