SENIORS FITNESS NEWSLETTER:
Welcome to our June Fitness Newsletter
In this Newsletter:
* Variety is the spice of life (for exercise- say researchers)
* Kitchen Strength video!
* Class member Highlights!
* Recommended videos
* Other local information
National Campaign: delays contacting GP's
LATEST RESEARCH: Exercise Variety is the Spice of Life
The saying that variety is the spice of life - has been shown to apply to exercise and fitness.
A recent research report in the British Medical Journal highlighted evidence that exercise variety supports a range of body systems and is more likely to support a longer and healthy life.
The report identified that people who focused on just one sort of exercise achieved benefits, however these benefits levelled off after a point, whilst doing a range of different exercises (even within the same time frame) was far more beneficial.
The report recommends that we should all undertake a range of exercises which include walking, strength endurance, and co-ordination as these reflect how the body works.
Fortunately these are all encompassed in our 'functional fitness approach'.
FREE WEIGHTS - Strength exercises for your kitchen
Our latest video highlights how you can use practical home objects to improve your strength.
CLASS MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS:
Congratulations to class members who have undertaken recent challenges for charity:
Nina Jones - climbed Skiddaw mountain (with a lot of training from our West Heath class!). She has raised over £1250
For Nina's fundraising site CLICK HERE
Carol Rawlings (above) managed to undertake a plank every day for a month - raising money for Cancer Research. At the time of producing this newsletter she has raised over £1500.
To support Carol we included the plank exercises at a number of our Longbridge classes. By the end of the month she was able to hold it for over 3 minutes. Planks are an excellent exercise for lowering blood pressure and strengthening core muscles.!
For Carols fundraising site CLICK HERE
VIDEO RECOMMENDATIONS:
Here are two external video recommendations covering both ends of the fitness spectrum. I am not connected with either of these - however I thought they were quite good!:
For those worried about staying stable on your feet- this video summarises a lot of good practical advice for more stable / stronger walking click here
For those more active - here is a good challenging video.... Leo Moves trains his 63 year old Mom on floor movements!
Other local Information / News:
* A new drop in advice and welfare information takes place every week on Thursdays 10.30 - 12.30 at Oddingley Hall for local advice and help including social workers. Tea Coffee and biscuits also available!
* Another Well being drop in takes place every Wednesday 12 - 3pm at Deelands Hall Rubery.
*West Heath Community Centre are holding a summer fair on 20th June at Hampstead House
Campaign::
Trouble accessing a GP? Care on Hold - trying to get through to your GP?
National organisation: re-engage is highlighting the difficulties many older people experience trying to access a GP - worthy of support .LINK HERE
Items from previous newsletters:
"You are never too old to set another goal or dream another dream"
CS Lewis
FITNESS BY NUMBERS….
18 minutes -
Is the amount of increased exercise / movement per person undertaken across the nation between 2022 to 2023. This is according to a survey undertaken by Nuffield Health survey.
However:....
75%
of all adults are still not meeting recommended World Health Organisation guidelines for movement.
47%
of adults between 75 – 84 years old are identified as physically inactive by the Centre for Ageing Better UK. The figure for 65 -74year olds is 31% - a difference of 16% over ten years,- which highlights how easy it is to become less active as we get older.
Less activity leads to be able to do less and increases the risk of diabetes/ poor heart health and increase in back ache / joint problems.
500 ....
The approximate number of people in Northfield over 65 who are admitted to hospital following a fall each year. (Birmingham City Council data). Falls are a significant risks to adults as we get older and become more likely to result in disability or cause death.
66,000...
the number of hip fractures due to falls occurred in UK in 2018 (NHS)
20 minutes...
Harvard Medical School (1/7/19) reports that spending as little as just 20 minutes outdoors results in reduced stress and cortisol levels, as well as lowering high blood pressure and gaining Vitamin D.
Spending longer outside is even better!
30 minutes:
Maximum time you should spend sitting down still. To maintain fitness and health if you are able to get out of a chair, do so even for just a quick stretch. Regular movement of any sort is beneficial. Our bodies adapt to how we move, so move more and we become fitter, sit still and our bodies adapt to the sitting position move less, we become less able.
3%.....
Average loss of muscle per year in adults over 60 years old.
Muscle loss is a key factor in early ageing, loss of mobility and a reduction in day to day function. It can be reversed with proper strength exercises – which reduce the risk of diabetes too! But it means putting your muscles under stress to help them get stronger.
From 3,000.... (or any number higher?)
The number of steps someone should take each day – depending on which study you look at!
The 10,000 steps number was made up. A range of research has highlighted that 3000 step minimum is seen to be beneficial.
The key message on this is ignore the numbers – but concentrate on walking as far as you can!
There is an excellent tool on increasing your walking (regardless of where you are starting from) which is produced by ‘Moving Medicine' .See link HERE
0.9%
The prevalence of heart failure in Northfield constituency area (2017/18). Northfield is reported to have the highest level of heart failure in Birmingham. Average nationally is 0.8%, in Birmingham 0.6%
Number 1 – this is you!
Regardless of any other statistic, number or person. As number 1, what matters is that you can maintain or improve your strength, movement and fitness and by doing so you can improve the quality of life as you grow older. !
Never too old:
Ed Dwight had to wait more than 60 years to fulfill his ambition to go to space.
In 1961, he was chosen by then US President John F Kennedy as the first black astronaut candidate in the country. But Nasa did not select him for a mission and he did not get a chance to go to space... until now.
In May the 90-year-old became the oldest person to go to space.The Blue Origin spacecraft took a six-person crew to the edge of space before parachuting them back to Earth.
BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
…………Age is just a number!