Fitness After Fifty

Exercise Excuses: Air Pollution

 

One of the major points of exercising is to improve your aerobic capacity.  This means that you are trying to increase the amount of air that you take into your lungs.  This is all well and good, but what about air pollution?  It isn’t unusual to see people walking and jogging on city streets, along highways or even on interurban trails.  I don’t know about you but the thought of inhaling fumes from all of that city traffic makes my lungs cringe.

 

Air pollution can cause problems like chest pain, coughing, wheezing, watery eyes or even respiratory problems.  Well bummer.  Should we even be out there?

 

It isn’t surprising to read that ozone, carbon monoxide, dust, smoke, and pollen get trapped in your upper respiratory tract and can irritate the tissues in your lungs.  Exposure to all of these toxins can cause coughing, airway constriction, and even lead to long term health problems.

 

For non-fitness freaks, I guess this is evidence enough to turn you off fitness altogether.  However, The Mayo Clinic Fitness for Everybody book offered a few timely suggestions on how to keep your lungs healthy no matter where you live.

 

Avoid busy streets and roadways.  Carbon monoxide levels are highest along busy streets.  They recommend staying at least 50 feet away from heavily trafficked areas.

 

Avoid rush hour traffic.  Workout when traffic is the lightest.  Be aware of pollution levels and workout indoors when air pollution or pollen warnings are high.

 

Choose healthy foods.  Antioxidant foods high in Vitamin C, E, and Beta carotene can help protect lungs from irritants.

 

If you are particularly sensitive to pollution you might even consider a dust mask that is designed to filter particles.  Some masks are also able to cut ozone and carbon monoxide exposure.  So, if you think you look goofy already, wait until you don this newfangled garb.  People devoted to exercise will find a way, so no excuses accepted.

Helmets: Protect Your Head From Injury

 

Helmets are in!  Head protection is the driving force behind making helmets a mandatory sports accessory.  We are pretty good about making our kid’s wear them but have not been as good about practicing what we preach ourselves.  Many adults have resisted the idea of head protection because they feel that helmets are ugly and uncomfortable.

 

Samantha Critchell wrote an article for the Herald (Tuesday, March 2, 2010) about a new look in helmets.  The trend today is for safety and health, so manufacturers have been busy making and marketing state of the art head gear for many of your favorite sports.  The high profile accident involving Natasha Richardson has raised public awareness and hopefully more people are going to sit up listen.

 

I love the feel of the wind in my hair and really hate wearing a helmet when I bike, skate or ski, but down deep I know this isn’t the sensible attitude to take.  Improved styling and comfort will win me over in the long run because I know how important it is to protect my head.  Do you think I can find something in a pretty pastel?

 

Modern helmets are much more comfortable.  They are warm, and padded, and some have even been wired for cell phone and iPod connections.  What more could you want?  A helmet should be as much a part of your gear as the rest of your equipment. Some sports have helmets designed especially for that particular activity, but wearing any kind of head protection is better than nothing at all.

 

Whether you wear a helmet because it makes you feel safe or because you have learned the hard way, it is time to spread the word.  The key is being willing to wear it.  No matter how advanced your helmet is it won’t do you any good if you don’t wear it.  It is time for helmets to become the norm, and not just because it has become the law in many communities.

 

Wear your helmet but don’t be cocky.  Just because you are wearing a helmet doesn’t mean that you should tempt fate.  A helmet doesn’t mean you should peddle faster, ski recklessly or do anything else in an unsafe manor.  Hot dogging is not for everyone.  The helmet improves safety up to a point, but you still need to use your head for something besides a decoration.

 

Exercise Excuses: "It's Too Cold!"

    

Exercise shouldn’t be an on again off again affair.  Once you have made a commitment to good health, it is an all or nothing deal, and being too cold is not an adequate excuse.  The Mayo Clinic Fitness for Everybody book outlines how to handle a fitness program when the temperatures are extreme.

 

No matter how much you enjoy the of doors, it is a good idea to develop a set of activities that you can do regardless of the weather, such as indoor cycling, stair climbing, swimming or even mall walking.  Instead of hating and dreading winter you might as well think of some fun things that you can do indoors as well as winter sports, if you are so inclined.  If you look forward to snow shoeing or cross-country skiing you might actually enjoy those cold crisp winter days.

 

Exercising in very cold weather can be risky because your body loses heat in a cold environment.  In dry winter air you lose even more water through breathing than during the hot summer months.  Very cold air sometimes makes breathing deeply uncomfortable but it is nice to know that it doesn’t actually damage your lungs.  Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures puts you at risk, but wintery weather doesn’t have to keep you stuck indoors.

 

Recommendation:

 

Dress appropriately.  Don’t over dress, because exercise raises your body temperature. Even a moderate workout can make you feel 30 degrees warmer than it is.  Wear several layers of loose fitting clothing that will protect you against wind and moisture as well as from the cold.  Start opening zippers or removing layers as soon as you start to sweat.  Avoid cottons that hold moisture next to your skin and avoid thick clothing such as down vests because they provide too much insulation which causes you to overhead.

 

Wear a hood or headband or even a cap that has a face mask.  Wear boots that offer good traction and have a little extra space to trap heat.  An inner sock of polypropylene and an outer wool sock will keep your feet warm.  Mittens are warmer than gloves and you can add an inner liner that draws the sweat away from your skin.  The author goes on to suggest warming up in-doors, drinking plenty of fluids, be aware of the wind chill factor, wear sunscreen and sunglasses and take along nutritious snacks to nibble on as needed.  Prevent breathing problems by keeping a cold weather face mask over your mouth and nose.  Where there is a will, there is a way!  Get out there and enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

Dance Your Way To Fitness At Any Age

 

Dancing is not only an art form but a great way to get some exercise.  Dancing is heart pounding exercise to the strains of your favorite tunes.  Dancing will bring a smile to your face and make you feel happy.  All you have to do is move.  It is an amazing workout!  Dancing increases your heart rate, works your core muscle, improves coordination and flexibility, and strengthens and tones your muscles.   

 

 Never be bored again. Mix up your workouts by including dance lessons.  No matter what your income, age, or musical tastes there is a program out there for you.  No experience is necessary. It doesn’t have to be fancy and you don’t have to be good at it.  Dance style exercise classes incorporate elements from modern dance, ballet, tap, jazz, line dancing, social dancing, and even musical theater.  Dancing is cool; it’s trendy and provides a fun way to exercise. Recent studies show that sedentary adults have logged up to 2,000 extra steps a day while dancing. 

 

Statistics show that you can burn 170 to 225 calories in just 30 minutes and it is so enjoyable that you forget you are exercising.  It doesn’t have to be traditional ballroom dancing either (in case you are afraid of stepping on someone else’s toes).  Many forms of dance such as line dancing in country pop, rock and jazz styles don’t even require a partner, so don’t let that stop you. 

 

Dance your way to health.  Dance can be an aerobic activity in the form of ballroom, zumba, swing or hip hop, but it can also be as slow and affirming as meditation in motion.   Dance in all its forms is an enjoyable way to train your cardiovascular system and elevate your mind at the same time.

 

Dancing is exercise without thinking about exercise.  It is easy on the joints and can be done at any age.  Dance trains the brain as well as the body.  It is good for memory recall; it stimulates social interaction and builds confidence.  Dance is has been found to be a beneficial form of therapy.  We aren’t just talking about hip hop calorie burning aerobic exercise but of therapy sessions that transcend disease and disability.

 

 What do you need to get started?  Good dance shoes, dance videos, perhaps a heart rate monitor, partners are optional. Dance is a creative ways to get people excited about exercise and fitness.  If you are too shy to join a class at first you can prepare yourselves with a Wii program or video lessons.  Remember Richard Simmons and “Sweating to the Oldies” as he got the crowds moving to strains of party music? Anyone can do it.  You can have fun and exercise at the same time.  Doesn’t just the thought of doing something funky like Salsa, Hip-Hop, Ballroom, Zumba, Afro-Cuban and Belly Dancing sound cool?