I am planning on getting to a ripe old age being limber and balanced and I am working out daily in order to achieve that goal. I want to be a female version of Jack Lalanne who at 95 still worked out daily. His passion for daily exercise served him well and allowed him to do more of the things in life that he wanted to do even as he aged.

Getting Older
People are so focused on how our bodies look that we tend to lose focus of what our bodies DO. It’s hard to conceptualize that one day down the road of life we will (hopefully) be older versions of ourselves and the effects of what we do today will directly impact how relatively fit, how healthy, how independent, how social we are able to be.

Case in point:
I personally see the direct effects in my own family with my parents who, at 83, live life with major differences.  Both have their health issues, some genetically brought and some brought on due to lack of motivation, desire and exercise.

Healty & Active Dad
My dad started working out with regularity in his early adult life and continues to this day. He gets up everyday with a plan of action and his demeanor reflects this. He still drives, participates in weekly games like bridge and pitch, has scheduled lunches with friends and is active in their retirement community as well as taking care of my mom.

Not So Much Mom
My mom has not and is not taking care of herself with exercise, balance or even being limber.  She is either sitting in a chair in their apartment or is in a motorized wheelchair to get around their retirement center. As a result, her mobility is severely limited and even after getting helped to a standing position must have additional help in getting any balance.  She is no longer able to drive and has to have assistance in order to shower, dress and get in and out of  bed. If it weren’t for my dad, we fear that she would not be social, but he signs her up for bridge and poker where, once there, she can use her sharp mind to win (and enjoy) games.

You Always Have Time
People will say they don’t have time today to workout, but the truth of the matter is that those who don’t actually end up losing time. They lose their freedom to move about themselves without pain. Without exercise, without being balanced and limber, we are more susceptible to common diseases and physical ailments. The more we move the healthier our bones are and having healthy bones is vital as we age. We were not meant to be sedentary. Think about your job and how after sitting for a long period of time you go to get up – how stiff are your legs and back?

Keep Moving
Keep moving and your body will feel better and sleep better. Keep limber and balanced and your body will be able to maneuver you where you would like to go, when you would like. I see my parents and as their child I am a mix of both of them, while I can’t prevent a genetic problem from arising I chose to keep myself healthy in body, mind and spirit today so that one day I can become Jackie Lalanne .

Saucony shoes to homeless and under served families/individuals by way of Catholic Charities of NE Kansas.

There is no doubt about it – summer is here and with it are the very bright skies and sunny days. This is the perfect time to realize that along with the sunscreen we are putting on before we head out the door we also need to put on the shades, as in sunglasses. The protection we need for our eyes from the Ultra Violet (UV) rays of the sun.

UV Rays
You may hear a lot about keeping your skin safe from the sun’s harmful rays, but did you know eyes need to be protected too? Dr. Manny, senior managing editor of FoxNewsHealth.com, explains: Short-term UV exposure may burn the front surface of the eye, just like a sunburn would on the skin. If after sun exposure you have experienced redness on the eyelids, eye irritation or a gritty feeling similar to sand in your eyes. Ouch! Overexposure to UV rays can lead to early cataracts and glaucoma.

Seal of Acceptance
To protect your eyes, you should wear sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of the UVA and UVB rays. And they don’t have to be expensive. When looking for new sunglasses look for a “seal of acceptance” which guarantee their effectiveness. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get UVA and UVB protection, but do check that the color of the lenses match. A wrap around frame gives better coverage along with keeping dust and bugs out

Reflections
UV exposure can come from reflections off the sand, pavement, water and snow – so you should wear sunglasses year-round. Cancer of the eyelids is more common than people would think.  We need to wear sunglasses anytime we are doing something outdoors whether we run, walk, bike, skate, garden or are just running errands.

Prevent Skin Cancer
Protecting the skin around the eyes is not only a good way to prevent skin cancer, but combating the wrinkles you get around the eyes from squinting.

Window To Our World
Our eyes are the window to our world, complex and delicate they deserve all the protection we can get. So please, get your shades on before you step out the door on the right foot…..

While sitting in the waiting room of yet another Doctors appointment for one of my aging parents, I picked up a magazine that caught my eye. I read a great article about “The Aging Athlete”.   Have you wondered if your years of exercising are paying off for you as your body is aging?

The answer of course has many variables starting off with your own family genetics. Orthopaedic Surgeon Vonda Wright, MD, reports that how we age is 30% genetics and 70% under our direct control. She states that those of us Baby Boomers who “get that” want that control. The people who continue to be physically active carry this aura through other aspects in their lives, says Dr. John Vani an Orthopaedic Sugeon and Sports Medicine Specialist.

He feels the greatest area of focus for athletes (and yes, I feel we are athletes if we are getting out and doing something physically active) should include strength conditioning as muscle mass loss can start as early as age 40.

Our bodies are physical structures that break down with time so be realistic about your abilities and skills and what is part of the natural aging is important. Keeping active in our 50s, 60s,  & 70s adds at least 4-6 years to life expectancies while seeing decrease in the likelihood of acute & chronic diseases, add in improved mental health and that to me is incentive enough to keep putting one foot in front of the other. As we age it is not just about how fast you finished your run or how far your club hit the ball, but more importantly did you finish it.

Preparing our bodies for aging is a new thought, but one that will serve us well as we do age. In our physical activities in addition to strength training adding in balance along with consuming plenty of Vitamin D, Calcium and good oral hygiene and healthily managing our stress makes for well rounded balanced living to hopefully get each of us to a ripe old age not sitting in the rocking chair but moving around on the RIGHT FOOT.