_ Pets Healthy And Safe Exercise For Your Dog - And You By Jane Farrell article Now that spring’s here, it’s a perfect time to get out and exercise – and having a canine companion will make it ever more enjoyable. But just as you follow safety measures for yourself, you need to know what will keep your dog from danger. Here, from the ASPCA, are some tips: Get your pet a check-up
ΓÇ£Happy AnticsΓÇ¥ Exercise for Dementia Patients By Jane Farrell article A holistic exercise program called “Happy Antics” that pairs cognitive activities with physical movements helps dementia patients and caregivers alike, according to research done at Teesside University in the U.K. and published in May 2014 in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
_ Exercise How To Have The Exercise Talk With Your Doctor By Jane Farrell article The health benefits of exercise are almost too numerous to list: Experts say that regular physical activity can have a positive effect on health conditions ranging from depression to diabetes. But it’s essential to talk to your doctor you begin exercising, want to take your current routine to the next level, or want to start a different activity.
Vision Health Protect Your Eyes During Exercise By Jane Farrell article For many of us, the warmer seasons mean more exercise. And you’re probably taking several safety factors into account: how to protect yourself from dehydration or the sun’s damaging and even deadly rays. We should think about our sight as well. According to the National Institutes of Health, emergency room doctors treated an estimated 42,000 sports-related eye injuries each year. And 90 percent of them, the NIH says, could have been prevented with protective eyewear.
_ Exercise A Cyberbuddy Boosts Exercise Effort By article If you need a little encouragement in order to stick with an exercise regimen, a digital workout pal just might be the answer. Michigan State University researchers have shown that a software-generated partner can be an effective motivator. A human exercise buddy is still a better cheerleader but a cyberbuddy definitely helps gives people the extra nudge they need. The study appears in the April 2014 issue of Games for Health Journal.
_ Exercise Helps Brain Health By Jane Farrell article Add one more to the already long list of exercise benefits: A study of older adults at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease shows that moderate physical activity may protect brain health. Everyone loses some brain volume with age, but people with a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s usually show greater weakening overtime in the area of the brain known as the hippocampus. The hippocampus is responsible for memory and spatial orientation.
_ Exercise For Alzheimer's Patients By Jane Farrell article Editor’s Note: Exercise has myriad benefits, and the same holds true for people with Alzheimer’s. In addition to mental exercise and social interaction, physical activity is essential. It can help keep muscles and the heart in shape, reduce stress and depression and maintain an even weight. The companionship it provides with visitors or caregivers can also be helpful. Here, from the National Institute on Aging’s Go4Life program, are some tips for caregivers to help their loved ones get into a physical routine, or maintain one:
_ Vision Health Exercise & Light Drinking = Better Vision By article Get moving and raise a glass now and then if you want to stave off the kind of vision problems that can’t be corrected with lenses. That’s what the results of a study done at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health suggest. The team found that a physically active lifestyle and occasional drinking are associated with a reduced risk of developing visual impairment. The article was published online in March 2014 in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
_ Caregivers and Exercise By Jane Farrell article According to Sherri Snelling, ThirdAge contributor and founder of The Caregiving Club (www.caregivingclub.com), there are 65 million family caregivers in the United States. It’s no surprise that many of them, alone with that emotionally and physically draining task, become depressed. In turn, that can lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices such as failure to exercise, bad eating habits and tobacco and alcohol use.
_ Exercise Exercise and Chronic Disease: Get the Facts By Jane Farrell article From the Mayo Clinic If you have a chronic disease — such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or back or joint pain — exercise can have important health benefits. However, it's crucial to talk to your doctor before starting an exercise routine. He or she might have advice on what exercises are safe and any precautions you might need to take while exercising. How can exercise improve a chronic condition? Regular exercise can help you manage symptoms and improve your health. For example:
_ Exercise Good News for Lifelong Exercisers By article Along with its salutary effects on the heart, weight, and other facets of health, physical activity also helps to regenerate muscle mass, which tends to diminish as people age. That’s the finding of research done at the University of Utah and other institutions published in the March 6th 2014 in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine.
_ Weight Loss Food and Exercise for Weight Control By article By Jana Klauer MD A large study, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, surveyed diet and exercise patterns of U.S. men and women over a 20-year period. The participants were evaluated at 4-year intervals for diet, physical exercise, and body weight. Here’s what the researchers found about diet: Higher amounts of vegetables and fruit, whole grains (instead of refined grains), nuts and yogurt protect against weight gain.
_ Hip-Fracture Patients May Be Helped With In-Home Exercise By Jane Farrell article Patients who suffered a hip fracture showed improved physical function with a post-surgery home-based exercise program, according to a study published in JAMA. The program included exercises such as climbing a stair or standing up from a chair. Researchers from Boston University looked at 232 adults who had completed traditional rehabilitation after a hip fracture. One group was given the additional home exercise program, while the other wasn’t.
Vision Health Exercise Could Help with Age-Related Macular Degeneration By Jane Farrell article Here’s an additional benefit of being active: Moderate aerobic exercise could help slow the progression of retinal degenerative diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The results of the animal study were published in The Journal of Neuroscience. One of the leading causes of blindness in older people, AMD is caused by the death of light-sensing nerve cells in the retina called photoreceptors.
Exercise Video Improves Post-Stroke Exercise Results By article About 80% of stroke survivors experience a condition called hemiparesis that causes weakness or the inability to move one side of the body. Core stabilization exercise to improve postural stability and independent walking in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients could be enhanced by real-time video feedback, according to research done at Sahmyook University in the Republic of Korea and published in the journal Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience.
_ How Should You Exercise? Three Questions to Ask Your Doctor By Jane Farrell article Anyone who's ever read an article about exercise knows that checking with your doctor is always essential before you start an exercise program. But what exactly should you say to your doctor when you're asking about beginning or resuming physical activity?
_ Exercise Exercise and Menopause By Jane Farrell article Along with managing weight and avoiding smoking or excess alcohol use, exercising regularly is one of the most important health habits women can practice throughout their lives. And working out becomes especially important during menopause, because it helps prevent osteoporosis as well as illness such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It may also improve mood disorders that some women go through and help avoid middle-aged weight gain.