I was just reading about the abnormally severe winter that folks in Europe are currently enduring. Last year at this time, my house was surrounded by six-foot snow piles and topics of conversation were about how to shovel snow off the roof.
At any rate, my exercise regiment had fallen by the way-side, with snow shoveling becoming my top aerobic activity.
This year, however, we’ve been having a heat wave. I see joggers outside everyday.
It’s this time of the year, the time when the weather seems to discourage physical activity, that I like to remind myself about the myriad of benefits that exercise brings.
Among the motivating evidence:
- In elderly men with poor physical function, increasing general physical activity may potentially confer a protective effect or delay the onset for dementia. (Taaffe DRet al., J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, 2008 and Ahlskog JE et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2011)
- According to an NIH study, regular aerobic exercise can modify the brain environment in such a way that the neurons are protected and may help prevent brain damage from diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease. (Harry GJ et al., Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2011)
- Regular exercise increases mitochondrial numbers in brain cells, a potential cause for exercise’s beneficial mental effects. Mitochondria produce the power for our cells, and have a role in cell growth and death. (Steiner JL et al., American Journal of Physiology — Regulatory, Integrative, and Comparative Physiology, 2011)
I could keep on going, but you get the point.
Exercise is good for us, so no matter what the weather’s currently doing outside your window, we need to make sure our patients keep moving.
How do you keep your patients (or yourself) exercising when weather conditions are less than ideal? Please leave a comment below.
I had severe tremors and mobility issues due to Parkinson disease, the medications I was given did not help at all, so I started to do alot of research on natural treatments and came across Parkinson’s Herbal Treatment from VineHealth Center. Few months into the treatment my symptoms including tremors, tiredness and muscle weakness improved dramatically. (Go to vinehealthcenter. com), I have regained mobility and I have also resumed exercising to strengthen muscles
That’s a sensible answer to a chnineagllg question
I agree about the benefits of exercise in protecting our health.
Exercise is usually a topic of conversation with my clients. Here in northeastern Pennsylvania, the weather is not always inviting! I have several elderly clients who walk around and around in their large basements.
I often refer my clients to our local mall. The stores at the mall open at 10 am, but the mall itself opens several hours earlier for the walkers. People come in to walk around the large interior, and the mall managment has kindly marked off distances, so that folks can track the how far they are walking. There are plenty of places to sit and rest, so it is a great place for the ill, elderly or injured, or for beginners.
I also encourage my clients to hook up with a friend or neighbor, and I explain that accountability is a great motivator to get us started and to keep us going. If I know that my friend is waiting for me to walk, I will get myself up and out to our meeting spot, rather than staying in bed or lingering over another cup of coffee!
I like to put on loud music to clean to, or to dance to at home. I also love my home treadmill. Tracking my time and distance on it helps to motivate me to keep going. In the nice weather, I walk along the levee at our river — a beautiful spot — or at a local park.
మ క ఆశ చర య కలగ చ చ మ క న , మ ఇ ట ల , ఇ ట ల ల ప ద , మ పనమ మ య కవ తత సహ క ర న ఫ ల క స , ప ల , ఓట స త చ స ప ర డ జ , బ ర డ ఆ ల ట , బ ర డ జ , ప డ ల ఉదయ ఉప హ ర గ త స క ట మ . ఇవన న low calorie foods; బ ర డ ఆ ల ట తప ప. ఇవన న ఇష ట గ త స క ట మ . క ర న ఫ ల క స , ప ల ఈ coaibnmtion న I simply love it. ఇహ ప సరట ట , అల ల పచ చడ త simply superb. ఇద ట న క చ ల ఇష ట . ఇ క రవ వ ద శ, రవ వ ఇడ ల క డ . క చ క డ వచ చ ఆద వ ర ఉదయ , మ ఇ ట ప ద డ క .
Please tell me all about it:
lucero.aguilar@gmail.com
winter or rain? dress in layers for winter. Outershell should be waterproof. Waterproof hiking boots. Use a scarf. Even in snow storm you will be amazed how dry the forested trails can remain due to the tree top canopy which helps protect against the wind. The trails are best to hike in winter—no BUGS!!! I used to hate winter now I love it. Also headphones and MP3 player adds enjoyment and keeps ears warm
No quitseon this is the place to get this info, thanks y’all.
The weather is very changeable where I live. Rebounding is the exercise I do and recommend to everyone. Dr Norm Shealy,who invented the TENS machine, does rebounding, and you can google to see him with his wife, and also his grandaughter. You do not need any expensive equipment. All you need to do is swing both arms forward, back, forward, whilst at the same time lifting your heels, and then lifting your feet. Once in the rhythm, it is akin to skipping, and is a great exercise for getting the blood flowing to your brain. Anyone suffering from Parkinson’s, Depression, etc., would benefit from this exercise. You only need to do it for 3 minutes morning and night.
I haven’t heard a word for Lumosity. It is an amazing and amusing brain workout that is as essential to my health as my Nordic Poles.
It is so good to hear my thoughts being shared by others.
Having been through a really hard and stressful time many major decisions having to be made my running and exercise have been a huge part in being able to see the whole picture and keeping me safe and able to make the right decisions.
I retired @ age 66 , was little over wt diabetic decidedto take care of myself. Stated regularly going to gym lost wt . I am 77 addicted to exercise nomatter where I am . I do yoga & other work out I feel so energetic. Today I did 3 hrrs of floor ex. Being valentines day I love my self . When we take care of our body our thoughts will be clear with good memory.
Cuts down health care cost reduces our suffering.
Love your heart , love your self be kind respect your body mind live long.
Keep in mind that for us, in Texas, summer is the time it’s often hard to stay motivated–100 degrees makes for a steamy jog/walk. Air conditioning helps. Here are some things I’ve found helpful:
1. Exercise regimens you don’t have to go anywhere to do: Taijiquan forms, qigong, aerobic dance/kickbox/zumba
2. Put on some up-tempo rock,r&b,or dance music and get your body moving. You can dance around while you clean the house.
3. Quit making exercise WORK. It’s not a workout, it’s a funout. I put on my headphones while walking and often walk to the rythm of the music–even at times dancing. I’m sure people driving by think I’m a little nuts! (Even better!)
4. Find an activity you enjoy. I love my varied routines. I have several that I rotate and each one is something I look forward to doing because they are interesting and fun. It took me several tries to find the right mix for me and I’m always looking for others. I’m easliy bored so I like learning new things.
Hello James,
thumbs up to all your variations of exercise but a chuckle, accompanied by a few ????, in response to your “…in Texas, summer is the time it’s often hard to stay motivated–100 degrees makes for a steamy jog/walk.” I spent seven years in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where 100 F would have been on the cooler side during the hot season. But I did not miss a beat: I jogged 6 days a week The hottest day I lived through there was 57 degrees Celsius or 134.60 Fahrenheit. Of course I did not jog at the height of noon. Only mad dogs and Englishmen are out in the noonday sun. I jogged before sunrise, but even then it could 90 Fahrenheit.
All but incredible how the human thermostat resets itself if given half a chance. I spent a few years in West Africa too, in an area almost as hot as Saudi Arabia. I well remember the day when, after we had been through another hot season, the first rains of the rainy season descended on us and the ambient temperature dropped to 30 C (86 F): WE PUT ON SWEATERS..
I am pushing 80 and I have been jogging without a major interruption for 42 years,
at plus 110 F in Saudi Arabia and at minus 25 F in Canada.
Happy jogging, James.