Archive for the ‘Activites’ Category
Sex Promotes Cardiovascular Health
- Image by StevenM_61 via Flickr
Is sex really that important? As more and more research is done on the subject, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that having healthy sex is essential to a healthy life — and that sex can even help you to live longer. Numerous studies have shown that an active sex life is closely correlated with longer, healthier life which is of special importance for promoting senior health. Specifically, it seems like sex may lower the risk for heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular diseases. A European study in the 1990’s found that men who had weekly sexual activity reduced their risk of heart attack or stroke by more than 40%. In 2010, the New England Research Institute conducted a massive study confirmed that weekly sex reduces risk of heart disease by 45%.
Additional benefits of engaging in sexual activity include reduction in stress and lower blood pressure. Another benefit of the oxytocin released during orgasm: it calms the nerves. Studies done on lab rats have shown that oxytocin counteracts the effects of cortisol (a stress hormone). Sex also helps you sleep better. When he rolls over and starts snoring after a good bout in the bed, it’s not just physical exhaustion. Oxytocin not only calms you down, but it also specifically promotes sleep. In conclusion seniors who engage in sexual activity are taking a preemptive aging step that fosters their cardiovascular health.
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Burn Off That Holiday Fat!
- Image by sirwiseowl via Flickr
During the holidays most of us manage to pack on a few extra pounds, because we like to enjoy ourselves when we are socializing with our friends and family members. Who can pass up those especially delicious desserts that are served up to celebrate the holidays? After the holiday feasting we need to take effective action to remove the weight we have added during the holidays. Amazingly enough we can achieve our goal of returning to our pre-holiday weight without resorting to drastic measures. Aerobic exercise is generally one of the means folks can employ to take off some of the fat they packed on during the holidays. For seniors walking or bicyling are fine exercises, but it turns out that walking or biking using the interval training approach provides a more rapid amount of fat-burning. In the interval training approach folks walk or bike a nearly their fastest pace for about 2 minutes and then walk at a slower pace for 3 minutes. This interval training type of walking apparently increases the amount of fat-burning enzymes. Compared with straight brisk aerobic walking or biking at about 70% of maximum heart rate, interval walking or biking folks lost nearly nine times as much fat and the fat-burning effects lasted for 24 hours. This is good news for seniors who are trying to take preemptive aging steps to enhance their senior health by participating in cardiovascular activities.
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Staying in Shape and Having Fun
Although contact sports are clearly off limits, there are a number of games that can be played well into middle age and beyond. Tennis, for example, is often touted as a heart-healthy pastime that is one of many cardiovascular activities for seniors. A good doubles match can help you maintain your competitive edge while also indulging your social side. But don’t forget about one of the most important aspects of a solid tennis technique: flexibility.
It takes a considerable degree of flexibility to reach low volley and hit fast-paced serves. As such, you need to give your joints a high-quality workout, just as you would your heart and lungs. By incorporating some yoga flexibility training into your everyday fitness regimen, you can ensure that you’re in great shape when it comes time to hit the court.