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.

You are not over the top, as younger people may condescendingly describe you, or a spent force. You are a better remake of yourself 15 or 20 years ago.

Yes, your vision may be a little blurry, your hearing less acute, and your feet a little wobbly. But overall, you can still take on anybody younger than you. Well, in your own terms, of course.

Here are a few reasons why…

Reasons to Celebrate Old Age

The post 6 Reasons Why Old Age is Worth Celebrating first appeared on Age With Charm.

Do you want to start the day right By “right” I mean waking up in the morning fully refreshed and energized after a good night’s sleep. Then after a short prayer of thanks for being alive, dig right in to do the things scheduled for the day.

It is to wake up with much enthusiasm and motivation to start doing the items on one’s To-Do list.

I know it’s a tough call for seniors who have sleep problems, digestion problems, incontinence problems, and those who endure an evening of asthma or crippling arthritic pains.

But it is tougher to go through another day, grumpy, irritable and idle. It is so demoralizing not to have accomplished anything meaningful by sunset. Nothing brings you closer to the grave than the lack of thirst for life and the opportunities and excitement it brings.

To help you get away from a humdrum existence and spark you up for the rest of the day, here are tried-and-true ways you can try:

1.  Wake up early:

By early, I mean as early as you can. My early is 4:50 am.

Most successful people wake up before sunrise because they get more things done.

Other than that, studies show that people’s stress levels are low and optimism high early in the morning. 

2.  Give thanks:

Even if you are not religious, it is a good practice to give thanks, each time you wake up in the morning – a privilege denied of so many.

Give thanks for the blessing of a new day, for your health, your home, your family, and friends. Give thanks for being physically and mentally capable to live a productive, healthy, and happy life.

Besides. being grateful improves psychological health. It reduces a multitude of toxic emotions like envy, resentment, frustration, despair, etc. Research shows that giving thanks increases happiness and reduces stress.

3.  Exercise:

I wake up early so that I can fit my morning exercise into my daily writing schedule.

Exercise makes you feel “high” because it makes the brain release a lot of the pleasant endorphin hormones.

It helps control your weight, promotes a positive attitude, and arrests cognitive decline.

And it need not be expensive. Early-morning exercises can be done in your bedroom with your pajamas on, or a simple pair of city-shorts and t-shirt for a walk around the block.

4.  Eat a healthy breakfast:

A “healthy breakfast is relative. Mine is a slice of bread, fried eggs, which I alternate with a slice of ham, sausage or hot dog, together with a mug of chocolate drink, capped with one banana.

It is light breakfast by any standard but it provides the energy for tennis or brisk walking until mid-day when I have a snack.

At any rate, a healthy breakfast would be:

o   Eggs:
They are cheap and easy to prepare and it can b done in several ways, i.e., hard-boiled, fried, omelet, scrambled, etc.

Eggs are also high in protein, a macronutrient that helps your body repair damaged tissues, build bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.

o   Oatmeal:
Like eggs, oatmeal is cheap and easy to prepare.

It is full of dietary fibers which are good for constipation and helps lower cholesterol levels.

People who are above 50 yrs old, should consume at least 21 grams of oatmeal a day, says The Institute of Medicine.

o   Fruits and smoothies:
Fruits like blueberries, banana, plums, peaches, kiwi fruits, etc., are full of dietary fibers, vitamins, and minerals. They are easy to chew, swallow, and digest for seniors with dentures or stomach problems.

With a little creativity, you can make smoothies from bananas, kiwi fruits, peaches, blueberries, and many others, or mix them with your oatmeal for better taste.

5.  Read or watch the morning news:

To prime you up for the rest of the day, read the morning newspaper or watch the news on TV.

Early in the morning is the perfect time to engage in these activities because the mind is stress-free, clear, and information absorption is better.

Reading is good mental exercise and help s slow down cognitive decline.

6.  Do a little housekeeping:

Clean up. Unless you were born filthy, living in a disorganized and cluttered home can affect your body and mind in a negative way. Nothing beats having an orderly, tidy, and clean home.

So tidy up your home. Put things in their proper places, vacuum the rug and floor. Put the dishes in their racks, do a little fixing or changing of lighting fixtures.

These are good exercise, saves you money and make your home more accident-proof.

7.   Do your To-Do list:

I have a To-do list, and so should you. It is your roadmap of activities for the day, a good benchmark to gauge your accomplishments for the day and gives you a sense of fulfillment at the end of the day.

It eliminates the possibility of having forgotten something, and a good resources for the procurement of things you need around the house.

A To-do list helps account for your hours and helps you see the productive use of your time.

Being a senior, or an elderly is not as simple as others think. We just spend the entire day doing nothing other than sleeping, eating, cooking, and repeat.

We have a life to live, too. A life that can be as exciting as anybody else’s or just as dull – depending on how we set the day right.

Please help other seniors by sharing this. Better still, subscribe to my newsletter to get a weekly update on the exciting and bittersweet life of a senior.

Image: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151028-the-benefits-of-getting-older

~oOo~

The post Do You Want to Set Your Day Right Do These first appeared on Age With Charm.