Staff Writer
Staying active is an important aspect of helping promote optimal health, which can be challenging for most of us. It’s especially troubling for older adults. Activity levels may drop when someone feels they are not as fit as they should be or unable to exercise the way they used to.
Unfortunately, a decrease in exercise and activity levels may be detrimental to a person’s health. It could lead to numerous health problems, from chronic heart disease to diabetes to sleep disorders.
Research findings make it very clear: “Increased body fatness along with increased abdominal obesity are thought to be directly linked to the greatly increased incidence of Type II diabetes among the elderly.”
Further, physical activity can have a positive influence on seven of the 10 most common chronic diseases, according to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. A guidebook titled Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition presents new findings on the benefits of regular physical activity, including:
• Improved sleep.
• Increased ability to perform everyday activities.
• Improved cognitive ability and a reduced risk of dementia.
• Improved bone and musculoskeletal health.
So what is it you can be doing to help yourself? If you have questions about what you should or should not do, seek chiropractic care – a Doctor of Chiropractic is your go-to healthcare practitioner for better neuro-musculoskeletal health.
Here are some do-it-yourself ways to better health:
Plan to Keep Moving.
Spending less time sitting can be a good start in maintaining your activity level throughout the day. Trying to stay up and moving helps to maintain mobility in your joints and tissues and often has a positive effect on your cardiovascular health.
Try Aerobic Exercise.
Regularly performed aerobic exercise offers benefits, too. Aerobic translates to “with oxygen,” which means that breathing controls the amount of oxygen the muscles use to help them burn fuel and move.
Aerobic exercise is an effective way for senior adults to improve their glucose tolerance. Don’t just jump into it, though. Aerobic exercise should be done in moderation, and you should always contact a healthcare provider to help assess your capability to perform your desired activities. Note: regular chiropractic care can help you with balance, flexibility, and range of motion for your arms and legs.
Don’t Rule Out Muscle Training.
Strengthening muscle power through resistance training could be a great way to improve functional strength and stability during activity.
This does not mean you have to go to the local gym and hit the weight room all afternoon. Using options such as resistance bands – from sitting or standing positions – represent training you can do from your home.
In addition to staying active, make chiropractic care a component of your effort to maintain better health. Increasingly, evidence-based research is showing this link. According to one report’s results, chiropractic provided “evidence of a protective effect of chiropractic care against 1-year declines in functional and self-rated health among Medicare beneficiaries.”
If you are looking to improve your physical activity level or capability, consider seeing a Doctor of Chiropractic. A comprehensive physical assessment is always the first step. If chiropractic care is appropriate, options could include manual therapies, therapeutic exercise, nutritional counseling, and lifestyle or postural changes.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), founded in 1922, is a private, nonprofit, chiropractic and health sciences university in Overland Park, Kansas. The CUKC on-campus Chiropractic Health Center offers a natural course of healthcare, seeking to heal the body from within and not using prescription medicine.
Our Health Center is open to the public and treats patients from Kansas City’s 15-county metro area. Our mission is to provide next-level chiropractic care and solutions for a better, more productive life for our patients.
