...continued from above.

Arthritis Relief
Tufts University recently completed a strength-training program with older men and women with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis. The results of this sixteen-week program showed that strength training decreased pain by 43%, increased muscle strength and general physical performance, improved the clinical signs and symptoms of the disease, and decreased disability. The effectiveness of strength training to ease the pain of osteoarthritis was just as potent, if not more potent, as medications. Similar effects of strength training have been seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Restoration of Balance and Reduction of Falls
As people age, poor balance and flexibility contribute to falls and broken bones. These fractures can result in significant disability and, in some cases, fatal complications. Strengthening exercises, when done properly and through the full range of motion, increase a person's flexibility and balance, which decrease the likelihood and severity of falls. One study in New Zealand in women 80 years of age and older showed a 40% reduction in falls with simple strength and balance training.

Strengthening of Bone
photo of a woman stretchingPost-menopausal women can lose 1-2% of their bone mass annually. Results from a study conducted at Tufts University, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1994, showed that strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70.

Proper Weight Maintenance
Strength training is crucial to weight control, because individuals who have more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate. Muscle is active tissue that consumes calories while stored fat uses very little energy. Strength training can provide up to a 15% increase in metabolic rate, which is enormously helpful for weight loss and long-term weight control.

Improved Glucose Control
More than 14 million Americans have type II diabetes—a staggering three-hundred percent increase over the past forty years—and the numbers are steadily climbing. In addition to being at greater risk for heart and renal disease, diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Fortunately, studies now show that lifestyle changes such as strength training have a profound impact on helping older adults manage their diabetes. In a recent study of Hispanic men and women, 16 weeks of strength training produced dramatic improvements in glucose control that are comparable to taking diabetes medication. Additionally, the study volunteers were stronger, gained muscle, lost body fat, had less depression, and felt much more self-confident.

Healthy State of Mind
Strength training provides similar improvements in depression as anti-depressant medications. Currently, it is not known if this is because people feel better when they are stronger or if strength training produces a helpful biochemical change in the brain. It is most likely a combination of the two. When older adults participate in strength training programs, their self-confidence and self-esteem improve, which has a strong impact on their overall quality of life.

Sleep Improvement
People who exercise regularly enjoy improved sleep quality. They fall asleep more quickly, sleep more deeply, awaken less often, and sleep longer. As with depression, the sleep benefits obtained as a result of strength training are comparable to treatment with medication but without the side effects or the expense.

Healthy Heart Tissue
Strength training is important for cardiac health because heart disease risk is lower when the body is leaner. One study found that cardiac patients gained not only strength and flexibility but also aerobic capacity when they did strength training three times a week as part of their rehabilitation program. This and other studies have prompted the American Heart Association to recommend strength training as a way to reduce risk of heart disease and as a therapy for patients in cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Research and Background About Strength Training
Scientific research has shown that exercise can slow the physiological aging clock. While aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, or swimming, has many excellent health benefits—it maintains the heart and lungs and increases cardiovascular fitness and endurance—it does not make your muscles strong. Strength training does. Studies have shown that lifting weights two or three times a week increases strength by building muscle mass and bone density.

One 12-month study conducted on postmenopausal women at Tufts University demonstrated 1% gains in hip and spine bone density, 75% increases in strength and 13% increases in dynamic balance with just two days per week of progressive strength training. The control group had losses in bone, strength, and balance. Strength training programs can also have a profound effect on reducing risk for falls, which translates to fewer fractures.

Resource: Centers for Disease Control

- TOP -

...continued from above.

- Test your soil. Just as we need nutrients to grow, so do plants. Conduct an easy soil test available at local home and garden stores to determine whether your soil has the proper nutrient balance to support a garden. The local cooperative extension service also provides this service.

- Feed the plants that feed you. Based on soil test results, complete a balanced nutrient application. Commercial fertilizers are generally the easiest to use and allow for greatest accuracy. The three numbers listed on fertilizer bags represent the proportion of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, three naturally occurring elements in the environment that are essential for plant growth. To get the most nutritious produce, replenish with a water-soluble fertilizer three to six times after planting. Fertilizer should be applied more frequently when the plant is growing rapidly because plants are removing high levels of nutrients from the soil to sustain growth. Remember, plants need to be "fed" just like people.

- Time to plant. Planting and spacing depths are critical, so make sure you read the recommended depth requirements on the seed packets. As your garden grows, pull the weeds out by their roots. A light layer of mulch can help deter weed growth.

- Don't forget to water. Mature plants need about an inch of water each week.

- TOP -

...continued from above.

According to the NIH, one in four women die from heart disease and women of color have higher rates of some risk factors for heart disease and are more likely to die of the disease. But heart disease is largely preventable and leading a healthy lifestyle, like the FoodFit Plan, can lower your risk by as much as 82%.

The message of the American Heart Association, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and other medical and health associations is a simple one that includes four components:

1. Follow a healthy eating plan
2. Get regular physical activity
3. Maintain a healthy weight
4. Don't smoke

The connection between the foods you eat and your heart health is a strong one. A heart-healthy diet includes a focus on eating a lot of delicious fruits and vegetables and whole grains and watching your fat intake. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and health-enhancing compounds like antioxidants. Whole grains foods contain fiber that can lower your blood cholesterol and help you feel full.

Not all fats are created equal when it comes to heart disease prevention. Medical experts recommend that you limit saturated fats that are found in marbled meats like steak, poultry with skin and dairy products like butter, cheese and ice cream. Also it is important to avoid trans fats and it is a good thing that restaurants are using it less and less.

To benefit from heart wise omega-3 fatty acids, health experts recommend eating at least two servings of baked or grilled fish each week. There are many delectable and easy to make choices such as salmon, flounder and halibut.

- TOP -