The dreaded “E” word. People who aren’t fitness buffs hate hearing that they need to exercise even when they know there is truth in it. It takes strength and muscle tone to keep you upright, mobile, and in charge of your own life.
Like it or not, ageing brings about a certain amount of deterioration. Joint pain and loss of strength come on so quickly that it literally takes your breath away.
Decreasing muscle tone and strength are the most noticeable of all the changes associated with ageing. You have likely heard the term “use it or lose it,” but it lacks meaning until it happens to you.
Ageing, of course, cannot be stopped, but you can hold your own for longer than you might have imagined. Environmental factors, heredity, and unforeseen disease processes play a role in how you age, but something as simple as taking a walk can give you a much-needed edge.
You can blame everything on your ancestors, but that excuse is only going to carry you so far. Studies show that a healthy lifestyle can make a difference so don’t knock it until you try it.
Always get a physical examination before embarking on any lifestyle change. I’ve never heard a doctor say “no” when you tell him/her that you want to feel better and you want to be able to take of yourself. Keep in mind that a lifetime of slothful habits and chronic conditions must be dealt with first.
Specialists in the field of ageing refer to exercise as being the “fountain of youth.” If this is true, why aren’t more people doing it? People will spend hundreds of dollars on pills and potions but will resist the cost of gym membership.
Seniors often say, almost boast, that they don’t exercise because they are afraid that if they get down on the floor they won’t be able to get up again. Not so funny when it is you saying, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.”
You may not find the “fountain of youth” but a good exercise regime will get you closer.
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