Tag: exercising

Spring is Here

Posted on by Judah

crocus flower coming up in the snow

Today, March 20, 2018, is the first day of spring. Yes, really. It certainly doesn’t feel like it, with plunging temperatures and a winter storm warning in effect in New Jersey, but the first day of spring it is. And while right now it looks like it will never happen, the weather will eventually warm up and spring will finally be here.

Spring arrives with flowers, bugs, sun showers…. and health benefits. Here are 3 health benefits to seize this spring:

More Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that nearly all of us are deficient in. Too little vitamin D means calcium doesn’t get absorbed properly, which in turn results in brittle and weakened bones. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to different types of cancers, heart disease, depression, and weight gain. The vitamin assists in regulating the immune system and other body and cell functions.

While we can get vitamin D from nutrition supplements, the best way to get it is for your body to manufacture it itself from sunlight. Sun exposure—particularly UV-B rays—causes the body to develop vitamin D. Experts say fair-skinned people need just 10 minutes in the sun to produce 10,000 international units of vitamin D. More than that would be unsafe without sunscreen.

Make sure to spend time outside when the weather turns sunny. Regency Nursing’s facilities have beautiful gardens and patios to enjoy the bright spring and summer sun.

Increased Exercise

It’s so much more enjoyable to exercise out in the fresh air. And once that fresh air warms up, there’s an extra incentive to exercise. Exercising regularly offers so many health benefits, and when you jog or bicycle outdoors it brings your work out to a whole new level.

When you exercise outdoors, make sure to practice exercise safety—drink regularly and wear a wide-brimmed hat to avoid overheating. Wear well-fitting sneakers and make sure your laces are not in the way. And of course, check with your doctor before starting a new workout.

Better Mental Health

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a seasons-related depression that causes weight gain, tiredness, and irritability in the winter months. Even if you don’t have SAD, you still might have been experiencing the winter blues. In the winter we tend to “hibernate”—we stay indoors and don’t socialize as much. Now with spring coming, you can get out and enjoy nature’s rebirth.

Being a Couch Potato is a Dementia Risk

Posted on by Judah

Being out of shape can cause changes in your brain that may increase your risk for dementia. A new study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, found that poor cardiovascular fitness caused memory loss and cognitive impairment in over 60 percent of the study participants.  The study results show the lower your cardiovascular fitness, the more the nerve fibers in the brain’s “white matter” — the area that affects learning and memory — deteriorates. This is the same kind of damage we see in dementia patients.

We tend to think that so-called “brain exercises,” such as logic and crossword puzzles, keep the brain healthy. There is no evidence that’s the case. Research actually supports that physical exercise is the key to brain health. It seems that the brain needs the same types of exercise as the heart to stay healthy.

Previous studies suggested that physically active adults had lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease. This new study shows more of the mechanics behind that. If higher levels of fitness correlate with lower levels of “white matter” deterioration, it follows that regularly working out can play a key part in reducing brain degeneration.

Here are the results of other studies connecting the affects of exercise and cognitive function:

  • When older, sedentary men and women started walking 40 minutes a day, three times a week, the hippocampus, the area of the brain connected to memory, increased in size. The hippocampus generally decreases as you age.
  • Men and women with an average age of 71 performed as well on memory tests as those a decade younger than them after five years of moderate or vigorous exercising.
  • Women who participated in strength training at least once a week had a 15% improvement in cognitive function.

The recommended amount of aerobic exercise for older adults is 75-150 minutes a week. Working out for just 30 minutes a day will give your mood a boost — and just might help you fight dementia too.