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1. Don’t let age discourage you from reaching your physical and fitness potential. Check with your doctor, make a plan and take a gradual approach to implementing it.

2. Do aerobic exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week. This means increasing your heart rate.

3. Even moderate-intensity exercise—such as brisk walking, light jogging, swimming, Pilates and yoga—is good.

4. If you don’t have 30 minutes to spare, exercising in short bouts of at least 10 minutes, three times a day, can also be beneficial—as long as you get your heart rate up.

5. If you do “vigorous-intensity” aerobics—running, fast walking, bicycling, tennis, an exercise class—then 20 minutes a day, three days a week, is acceptable.

6. Adults 65 and older (or those over 50 with chronic conditions or limited mobility) need the same amount of exercise as younger people, but the activity can be less intense.

7. Strength training complements aerobic training and can help older adults prevent age-related bone and muscle-mass loss. Twice a week, perform at least one strength-training set targeted to the body’s major muscle groups. One set equals eight to 10 separate exercises, each repeated 10 to 15 times.

8. Start strength training slowly, lifting perhaps five pounds for five repetitions. Build up progressively to heavier weights and 10 to 15 repetitions.

9. Do balance exercises to prevent falls and injuries.

10. Flexibility is important, too. Ten minutes of stretching twice a week, with each stretch held for 10 to 30 seconds, is recommende

Most sports medicine professionals also suggest warming up before stretching and exercising (for instance, swimming slow laps, then picking up the pace) and cooling down afterward.

Contact Pure Home Care Services at (586) 293-2457 today!  If you live in Macomb County or the surrounding area, we can help you care for your loved ones.

Have you resolved to exercise and get healthier in the new year? Health and medical experts say you might want to try yoga.

In fact, a 2008 Harris poll of a cross section of 5,000 Americans found that 6.1 percent — which would translate to nearly 14 million adults — say their doctor or therapist recommended yoga to them.

Yoga is an ancient healing practice that has become increasingly popular in our modern, stressful world as a powerful way to stretch and strengthen the body, relax and calm the mind, enhance energy and lift the spirit. Doctors often recommend yoga to people over 50 because it can help lower blood pressure, ease pain and improve balance. But people stick with the ancient practice because they find it improves their mood, reduces stress and, simply put, makes them happier.

Unfortunately, many yoga instructors are not trained to adapt the practice to older bodies. And America’s booming interest in yoga has lead to an increase in classes that are called yoga, but are actually “yoga-flavored” exercise classes taught by instructors whose yoga training may be limited to a weekend workshop.

Unless a yoga teacher creates a safe class designed for older adults, this practice meant to heal may cause harm. To safely reap the many benefits of yoga, it’s important to understand these seven essential yoga facts:

1. Yoga can be good medicine. When new students come to my yoga class, I typically ask them what they’re seeking from the practice. “Flexibility” and “stress reduction” are the most common answers, since most people associate yoga with stretching and relaxation. But that’s changed in recent years, as a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that yoga offers many other health benefits including reducing high blood pressure, relieving back pain and improving sleep. Now when I ask new students why they’ve come to yoga, more and more people tell me that it’s just what their doctor ordered. A strong part of this yoga-as-medicine trend is fueled by people over age 50, who represent the most diverse mix of abilities of any age group.

2. Yoga is not just for the fit and flexible. Saying that you’re not flexible enough to practice yoga is like thinking that your house is too messy to hire a maid. The idea that you must twist yourself into a pretzel to do yoga is one of many common misconceptions. I’ve taught yoga to people with a wide array of health conditions including heart failure, osteoporosis, arthritis, fibromyalgia and back pain. The only requirement for practicing yoga is the ability to breathe.

3. You don’t have to stand on your head. While some people over 50 are extremely healthy and able to do headstands and other challenging yoga postures, much more common are older adults who fit the profile of the “average” senior in America — 80 percent of whom have at least one chronic health condition and 50 percent of whom have at least two. Many also face other health challenges, such as artificial joints or prosthetic heart valves. That’s why it’s essential for older adults beginning yoga to find an appropriate class with an experienced and well-qualified instructor.

4. There are many styles of yoga — from “hot” to gentle. For example, ashtanga yoga is very athletic, while kripalu yoga tends to be gentler and viniyoga is generally done one-on-one in a therapeutic setting. If you attend a class that is too demanding for your specific level of fitness, you may risk injury. Be sure you’re in a class that is appropriate for you, and inform the teacher of any health concerns or challenges you face. (See “How to Find a Good Yoga Instructor.”) Older adults, particularly those who have been inactive, should look for a class called Gentle Yoga or one specifically geared to seniors.

Source: AARP.org

Contact Pure Home Care Services at (586) 293-2457 today!  If you live in Shelby Township or the surrounding area, we can help you care for your loved ones.

Yoga has been practiced for more than 5,000 years, and currently, close to 11 million Americans are enjoying its health benefits.

According to Yoga Journal, 2.9 million Americans age 55 years or older regularly practice yoga for its health benefits, such as increased flexibility, lower blood pressure, easing of aches and pains, and improved balance. “In a culture that worships youth, yoga honors the aging process: Poses can be modified to every body type and level of ability, making classes accessible to anyone willing to step onto the mat,” the magazine reported.

An increasing body of research is showing how yoga can benefit aging adults. In a recent study at Indiana University, for example, older Veterans who had suffered strokes improved their balance and endurance after participating in twice-weekly yoga classes taught by a yoga therapist. An earlier study at the same university reported that older adults averaging 78 years of age improved muscle strength in the lower extremities and reduced their fear of falling after participating in twice-weekly hatha yoga classes during a 12-week period.

If you or your loved one want to find out more about yoga, the Yoga Journal website offers examples of therapeutic poses for elderly adults with conditions ranging from anxiety and back pain to fatigue, high blood pressure, mild depression and stress. An extensive list of free videos that demonstrate yoga exercises for seniors is also available in the Health section of eHow.com.

Source: Rightathome.net

If you would like more information about home care services in Sterling Heights, MI and surrounding areas, contact Pure Home Care Services at (568) 293-2457