When people talk about health and fitness, they either take them as the same, or not. In either case, they are both right – and wrong.

Health and fitness are closely related with each other but are not the same.

Here’s why…

What is Health

Before:

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It includes aging well, longevity, quality of life, freedom from pain, etc.”

Now:

That was in the 1940’s. Things have evolved since then. Now, Stedman’s Medical Dictionary defines health as the “capacity to function and cope with life at an optimal level, whether physically, psychologically and socially.” 

The current definition includes these factors to determine your state of health, i.e., heredity, gender, education, job and income.

What is Fitness

Before:

At the same time WHO defined health, it also defined fitness as “a set of attributes that people achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity.”

To be considered fit, you must satisfy several factors such as endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, balance, etc.

Now:

The American College of Sports Medicine defines fitness, or “physical fitness” – to be more precise – is the capacity and capability of the body to perform, based on factors such as cardiovascular condition, muscular strength, stamina and body composition.

And these factors must all be present for you to be considered fit.

The illustration below will give you a better understand of the relationship between health and fitness.

Fitness and Health Relationship

With their relationship safely tucked under your belt, you may ask…

Can one be healthy, yet not fit and vice-versa?

Based on the updated definitions of health and fitness, it is possible that one can be healthy, but not fit, and fit but not healthy?

Let me explain…

You are healthy if your metabolic indicators like blood pressure, cholesterol levels (HDL and LDL), blood sugar, etc., are normal or within tolerable limits.

But you are not fit if you don’t exercise regularly. You are not fit if you have physical limitations and disabilities that stop you from undertaking fitness endeavors.

On the flip side, you can be fit but not healthy if you have serious family, social and financial problems that affect your capacity to perform or function normally.

No amount of exercise can make you healthy if you don’t eat well, take drugs or having an unhealthy lifestyle.

Health and Fitness in Seniors

Due to healthy lifestyles and advances in medicine and personal care, people these days live a longer than a decade or generation ago. For example, 1 in 8 Americans are older than 65 years and can expect to live 18 more years.

The downside is that increased longevity increases the incidence of chronic conditions that can result to functional disability. It can result to a decline in health, reduced mobility, depression, isolation and loneliness.

Other than these age-related issues, the health and fitness of seniors are also affected by other factors like demographic, social and environmental, or their amount of physical activity and nutrition.

Lucky for you and me (and other seniors), there is a plethora of programs and interventions to copy with these health and fitness issues among seniors. And seniors these days are making use of them. In fact, “health issues” are one of the most searched subject by seniors online

Most searches are about physical activity and diet programs, proving how conscious they are of their health and fitness.

And for good reason…

–  Physical activities:

Physical activity is important for people of all ages. For the elderly, it is crucial

Exercise slows down age-relate muscle mass deteriorating, thus reducing the risk of injuries to falls. It is essential for balance, strength, and mobility. And it is a good mood-enhancer.

Aside from its physical benefits, exercise also slows down cognitive function decline resulting to better memory and reasoning. It promotes faster healing of injuries, prevents diseases and other chronic conditions, improve quality of life and expectancy.

To be effective, your exercise program must cover the following:

• heart health
• Strength
• Balance
• Flexibility

–  Diet:

Exercise, alone, won’t help you achieve your health and fitness goals without a proper diet.

However, most people cringe at the mere mention of the word “diet.” They take dieting as fasting or abstinence. That isn’t so.

Dieting is simply eating the right kinds of foods at the right time, and quantity. Dietitians call it healthy eating. And for seniors, healthy eating means:

• Lots of fruits and vegetables, either fresh, frozen or canned. Load your diet with dark green vegetables like broccoli, and orange vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes;
• Proteins from fish, beans and fish;
• At least three ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta per day;
• Three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products fortified with vitamin D like like milk, yogurt or cheese. These are good for bone health;
• Using healthy, i.e., polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.

Health and fitness is prescribed for people of all ages. It is crucial among seniors to offset the effects of aging such as changes in metabolism, mobility problems, loss of appetite, deterioration of the immune system, unwanted fats, chronic diseases, sleep problems and many others.

While these may be unavoidable but,  but their debilitating effects can be minimized by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition and regular exercise.

In old age, one should be as concerned in adding life to your years and adding years to your life.

Sharing is one of the nobler things in life. So please share with other seniors

~oOo~

The post Everything You Need to Know About Health and Fitness first appeared on Age With Charm.

Otherwise, these days no one, especially seniors, can do without the use of computers or any of its derivatives.

A reader of this blog wrote that her elderly mother does not like computers. She even hates them, she said. But she also admits that her mom’s life has been saved several times by the emergency warning device – a computer derivate – she wears around her neck.

I can’t get by for long without my computer. My old friends find it unbelievable that I can sit in front of my laptop for hours on end. Yet, unknowingly, they spend more hours with their smartphones.

The computer has become an indispensable tool in our daily lives. It is here to stay and will continue to do so long after you are dead. You cannot do without them or any of its cousins if you want to keep up with other seniors (and the rest of the world)

In fact, seniors are very much into it as the charts below show.

These days elderly people are more tech-savvy than their predecessors. They go online for the latest trends and news, gadgets, weather reports, book airline ticket or restaurant and hotel reservations. They buy stuff online or find romance from dating sites.

Other than its practical uses, here are ten other reasons why you should keep up:

1.  Connect with family members and friends:

Getting in touch with family members and friends has never been so easy, fast, and cheap. You can send messages through text, voice, and/or video.

And you can do them in the comfort of your home or anywhere in the world. All you need is an Internet connection. No frills, no hassle, just log in and you get connected.

Getting connected helps remove loneliness and feelings of isolation. It also allows you to get immediate help in case of emergencies.

2.  Slow down age-related decline:

Computers allow you to get information online. This exercises your mind and helps you stay sharp, informed, mentally alert, and physically active.

These activities may be simple and easy but they slow down cognitive decline – one of the natural consequences of aging.

3.  Enhance your life:

Some studies show that people who regularly use the computer have lesser depression symptoms than those who don’t.

This is because going online is as enriching as going on a trip or an adventure. You get to know places, people, and culture without actually being there. It expands your knowledge and boosts your self-worth.

4.  Increase your self-confidence:

The knowledge you get from browsing the Internet increases your knowledge base, allowing you to interact with your social circle with ease and finesse.

Other than becoming more socially adept, computers and computer-based products like fall detectors, health monitors, wrist instruments, locators, and emergency dialing capabilities, give you the self-confidence of going about your daily activities without anxiety or fear of something going wrong.

5.  Better bonding with grandchildren:

What do most children do these days Play computer games! They are in front of computer game consoles at home, glued to their smartphones or tablets outside, or hang out in arcades shooting down virtual monsters or aliens.

And what’s to stop you from joining them Cool, huh!

Speaking the language of your grandchildren and playing with them promotes bonding. It is also good for your physical and mental health.

Just don’t overdo it. Overexcitement may not be good for your old heart.

6.  Help solve mobility problems:

Computers, unexpectedly, have made life easier, faster, and cheaper.

They allow you to pay bills online, do bank transactions, buy groceries or personal stuff, make hotel, restaurant, or flight reservations, to name a few.

This is a kind of basket-full of goods if you suffer from mobility or driving problems.

7.  Automate records keeping:

You can get rid of those handwritten notes, i.e., your health history, your bank transactions, your next doctor’s appointment, drugs you are taking, and when to take them, by using computers.
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There are apps (electronic applications) in the market that can do all these, ether from desktops or portable, like laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

All you have to do is encode all your important information into your computer and the apps will do the rest. They will even beep you a reminder.

8.  Get connected with other people or groups:

You can easily reach people or groups with similar interests, idealism, political color, sexual orientation, etc., online.

They are found in FB, Twitter, Instagram, and many other social sites. Joining is easy and interacting with them even easier. All you have to do is take part in the group’s discussion

What makes this kind of getting-to-know-you setup great is that you can voice out your thoughts and opinions over a wide range of issues, yet remain anonymous.

9.  Find a new romance:

If you are looking for another chance at romance but are a bit shy about it, join dating sites.

They are so popular among people looking for another shot at love and relationship. Millions of men and women gather around these sites looking for the same thing as you.

They provide all kinds of women of various sizes, colors, ethnicity, nationality, and needs. All you have to do is send a “friendship request.” If they accept, then you are off to a possible wonderful ride.

Beware,  however of scammers. Where millions of sheep gather, there the wolves are on the prowl for unsuspecting victims.

10.  Earn supplemental income:

Computers have redefined work. Whereas it was a home-to-office-and- back routine before, now you can do it at home or anywhere.

You can now “work” while basking on a tropical beach or flying from one country to the next. You can work while having a bus ride, a train, or at home in your pajamas.

There are thousands of ways to earn a living through your computer.

In 1973, roughly three years after the first computers were used in the office, an article titled, “Computers and Technology: Aiding Tomorrow’s Aged,” was published in a periodical called, The Gerontologist.

The article wrote in part…

“The powerless and helpless feeling of the aged is due not only to increasing infirmity but to society’s failure to set up institutions and systems that make it possible for the elderly to overcome the handicaps they have…An elderly person’s maximum amount of ability to care for himself/herself would save society huge sums of money.”

No doubt about that.

Please help other seniors by sharing this. 

~oOo~

The post Can Elderly People Do without Computers first appeared on Age With Charm.