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Health & Fitness Tips A Word to the Wise...
Exercise Tips *
1. Check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
2. Do strength exercises for all your major muscles groups (shoulders, arms, back, stomach, hips, legs) at least twice a week. Don't do exercises of the same muscle group two days in a row. Give your muscles time to recover and rebuild.
3. Start out slow. You may need to start with 1-2 pounds of weight, or no weight at all. Don't start out with too much weight, which can lead to injuries. You should feel like you're challenging yourself, but aren't near your limit.
4. You may experience some muscle soreness and fatigue at the beginning. This is normal, and indicates your muscles are rebuilding to become stronger. However, you should not experience sore joints or exhaustion, nor should you experience any pain.
5. You can use hand or ankle weights sold in sporting goods stores. Or you can be creative and fill empty milk jugs with sand or water, fill socks with beans, or use canned goods.
6. Do 8-15 repetitions in a row of each exercise. Use smooth and steady movements. Once you can easily lift the weight 15 times, increase the amount of weight (usually every 2-3 weeks). Your muscles will get continuously stronger as you progress.
7. Take 3 seconds to lift or push a weight, hold the position for 1 second, and then take another 3-5 seconds to lower the weight (don't just let the weight drop).
8. Breath out (exhale) as you lift or push the weight, and breath in (inhale) as you relax or lower the weight. You will have to think about this at first, but soon it will become natural. Don't hold your breath during the exercises.
* from National Institues of Health (NIH) | 
A Word to the Wise...
Want to Age Well? National Institue on Aging Says, Start Living WellThe secret to aging gracefully is to establish a healthy lifestyle early and stick to it as you grow older, according to Dr. Judy Salerno, deputy director of NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA). Recent results of research studies supported by NIA led the institute to offer the following ten Tips for Healthy Aging:
1. Eat a balanced diet.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Get regular check-ups.
4. Don't smoke. It's never too late to quit.
5. Practice safety habits at home to prevent falls and fractures. Always wear your seatbelt when traveling by car.
6. Maintain contacts with family and friends, and stay active through work, recreation, and community.
7. Avoid overexposure to the sun and the cold.
8. If you drink, moderation is the key. When you drink, let someone else drive.
9. Keep personal and financial records in order to simplify budgeting and investing. Plan for long-term housing and financial needs.
10. Keep a positive attitude toward life. Do things that make you happy.
| Tips for Healthy Eating To help you stay on track with your healthy eating plan, follow these tips:
1. Do not skip meals. Skipping meals may cause your metabolism to slow down or lead you to eat more high-calorie, high-fat foods at your next meal or snack.
2. Select high-fiber foods like whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, vegetables, and fruits. They may help keep you regular and lower your risk for chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
3. Choose lean beef, turkey breast, fish, or chicken with the skin removed to lower the amount of fat and calories in your meals. As you age, your body needs fewer calories, especially if you are not very active.
4. Have three servings of vitamin D-fortified low-fat/fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese every day. Milk products are high in calcium and vitamin D and help keep your bones strong as you age. If you have trouble digesting or do not like milk products, try reduced-lactose milk products, or soy-based beverages, or tofu. You can also talk to your health care provider about taking a calcium and vitamin D supplement.
5. Choose foods fortified with vitamin B12. Many adults over the age of 50 have difficulty absorbing adequate amounts of this vitamin. Therefore, they should get this nutrient through fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals, or from a dietary supplement. Talk with your health care provider to ensure that you are consuming enough vitamin B12.
6. Keep nutrient-rich snacks like dried apricots, whole-wheat crackers, peanut butter, low-fat cheese, and low-sodium soup on hand. Eat only small amounts of such foods as dried apricots and peanut butter because they are high in calories. Limit how often you have high-fat and high-sugar snacks like cake, candy, chips, and soda.
7. Drink plenty of water or water-based fluids. You may notice that you feel less thirsty as you get older, but your body still needs water to stay healthy. Examples of water-based fluids are caffeine-free tea and coffee, soup, and low-fat or skim milk.
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