09/12/2022
Warren Buffet is quoted as saying “You have only one mind and one body for the rest of your life,” Buffett explains. “If you aren’t taking care of them when you’re young, it’s like leaving your only car out in hailstorms and letting rust eat away at it.”
Additionally, Jim Rohn advises “Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live.” (Because if you don’t, then you may be signing yourself up for many years of chronic pain and poor health.)
Did you know there is a simple Sit-and-Rise Test that looks at how easy-or on the contrary, how difficult-it is for you to sit down on the floor and then get back up may help predict your longevity.
Furthermore, there is also a 10-Second Balance Test that also predicts mortality rates for individuals who struggle with coordination and balance.
According to the research, the study indicated that Middle-aged and elderly people who needed to use both hands and knees to get up and down were almost seven times more likely to die within six years, compared to those who could easily spring up and down without support.
With this research in mind, what if I told you there was a magic formula that had the power to improve your longevity, mental well-being and treat and prevent chronic aches & pains in the body. Would you be interested in knowing what that magic formula was?
What if I told you, that magic formula did exist and it’s called MOVEMENT & exercise and is a common treatment for chronic pain.
While different types of movement and exercises have varying benefits to the body. More specifically, we will be discussing the benefits of MOVEMENT in the form of light strength training, muscle resistance, and weight bearing exercises.
I think it goes without saying, there is an innate sense in all of us that knows we must take care of our health. It’s that inner wisdom that speaks up when we know we could be making healthier choices by LIVING this wisdom of a healthy lifestyle rather than feeling guilty over it.
Whether it be improving sleep habits, making healthy diet choices, hydrating properly, or moving our bodies. All of these consistent lifestyle choices have an effect on how we feel mentally, how we feel in our bodies, and ultimately how we show up in our lives because at the end of the day, you are only as good as how you feel.
Let’s discuss some of the benefits movement and exercise can have on our bodies as we age. With age, bones tend to shrink in size and density, weakening them and making them more susceptible to fracture. You might even become a bit shorter.
Muscles generally lose strength, endurance, and flexibility — these two factors combined can affect your coordination, stability and balance. (MayoClinic.org)
In order to maintain muscle strength, joint mobility and range of motion, muscles, cartilage tissue, tendons and ligaments must be stressed by movement and exercise to remain functional, which creates improved joint stability and a stronger body.
By employing weight-bearing exercises, the skeletal structure is working against gravity, bone remodeling and strengthening will then begin to occur. Bones adapt to the demands of your exercises. Over time, it increases bone density and bone strength.
Weight bearing exercise builds muscle strength, improves bone density, and joint stability, it keeps the skeletal system in alignment, improves range of motion, and mobility of your muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
This can reinforce strength around major joints like your knees, hips, and ankles to provide additional protection against injury and reduce risk of falls. The improved muscle mass and muscular strength also helps to improve our coordination and balance and keeps our joints stable, especially as we age.
All of these components together help us adapt more easily and respond to sudden movements from obstacles or unstable surfaces. Thereby reducing risk of injury and falls because you have a strong, flexible, and stable structure from which to move, also keeping at bay aches & chronic pain from lack of movement.
Are you ready to start lifting? If so, here are some general recommendations for maintaining bone density, muscle strength, and cardiovascular health. The US Department of Health and Human services recommends: Weight bearing exercise/strength training 45 minutes twice a week. 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week.
Some of my favorite forms of MOVEMENT are the following:
Feldenkrais: Awareness Through Movement
Rosen Method Movement
MovNat: Natural Movement Workouts
Arnold's Body Shaping for Women
Arnold's BodyBuilding for Men
Arnold's Encyclopedia of Modern BodyBuilding
Lap Swimming
Tai Chi
Qigong
Yoga
I hope you are feeling inspired with new forms of MOVEMENT and empowered to get your body MOVING with these tips and recommendations.
If you would like to learn some light strength exercises to improve posture with your next THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE, please feel free to call or text #303-974-0937 to schedule an appointment. Best,
Kelly
