Andi Sawl Coaching

To wrap up National Health Education Week, we're sharing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's "Physical Guidelines for Americans", which is the recommended physical activity for all adults, no matter what age.

The results of how consistent we are with our physical activity during our "younger years", will ultimately show as we age.

Think of it like saving for retirement- you don't just start saving for it later in life. Studies show however, that no matter your age, you can still benefit from physical activity- so it's never too late.. (or too early).

How are you currently investing in your health? Not sure where to start, or where to go from here? Lets talk! www.asawlcoaching.com 💪

Use it or lose it is very cliche’, yet very accurate saying that applies to our sense of balance.

Adults lose flexibility as they age, often become more sedentary, and fail to move their joints through the full range of motion. Most forms of physical activity can improve our range of motion by stimulating synovial fluid production, which increases joint mobility!

Adding specific balance training exercises to your daily routine can help, but for optimal improvement, studies show that the cumulative effects of strength and balance training are even greater than the effect of either alone.

Not only does the combination decrease the chances of falling, but it also increases self-confidence and improves self-esteem!

You probably have heard of the saying “you are what you eat”, but have you ever thought to apply that to the way that you think?

There is a stigma with aging that is causing us to automatically accept age stereotypes without questioning if it’s true or not:

“start to slow down"
“become helpless”
“can’t drive anymore”
"start to forget more”
“become a burden”
These are all examples of negative aging stereotypes

When we reach older age and the stereotypes become relevant to ourselves, we then internalize the stereotypes. That then contributes to the formation of our self-perceptions of aging, which can have a physiological outcome on our lives.

The self-perceptions of aging that are internalized from a younger age cause us to think that there is an inverse relationship between value and the length of an older person’s life.

These beliefs are reinforced throughout a lifetime, particularly in older age. This can cause us to have a lower-will to live, which can actually shorten our life span. Here’s a perfect example from the study of Longevity Increased by Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging”:

“In a previous study, we found that views of aging can affect older individuals’ reported will to live. When we subliminally exposed older individuals to negative stereotypes of aging, they were significantly more likely to reject life-prolonging medical treatment in hypothetical scenarios, whereas those in the positive stereotype group were significantly more likely to accept life- prolonging medical treatments (Levy et al., 1999–2000). As predicted, this effect did not appear in the young, for whom the age stereotypes and the outcome of will to live were not as relevant.”

Aging is a natural experience that we all face. We can take proactive steps now to improving our well-being (and our future’s well-being) without even doing anything physical- lets start changing the way we think and feel about aging so we can all live healthier, happier, and longer lives.

Full study:https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-832261.pdf

Talk about a two for one special, staying active helps our body AND our mind GROW!

Not only can exercise improve our physical health, but it can delay age-related cognitive decline. A study supported by the National Instuite of Aging shows that Aerobic exercise, (going for a walk, riding your bike, dancing, etc.) training is effective at reversing hippocampal volume loss in late adulthood, which results showed improved memory function.

Other cognitive benefits include improving mood and sleep as well as reducing stress, depression, and anxiety.

What can you do today to move your body and grow your mind?

Study can be found here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3041121/

Hi, I’m Andi 👋🏻

I help aging adults live more actively, maintain independence, and improve overall well-being. My passion is promoting functional wellness for functional living!

Whether you are looking to improve the power of your golf swing 🏌🏼‍♀️, increase aerobic capacity to keep up with the grandkids 🏃‍♀️, or want to feel more secure by practicing balance techniques 🧘‍♀️- I’m your girl to keep you functioning throughout the aging process. 💪🏼

The benefits of consistent physical activity occur throughout life and are crucial for healthy aging. All older adults experience a loss of physical fitness and function with age- but some experience this more than others. This diverseness means that some older adults can run several miles, while others struggle to walk a few blocks, and some even a few feet, if any at all.

It is never too late, or too early, to start being physically active. Research shows that physical activity can improve physical function in adults of any age.

Physical activity can also preserve physical function and mobility, which can help maintain independence longer and prevent or delay the onset of major disability.

Staying active is the key to preventing and managing chronic diseases, physical function abilities, and overall quality of life . Other benefits include a lower risk of dementia, better perceived quality of life, and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.

This is in honor of National Health Education Week, where the goal is to spread awareness and information on various topics of health to the community. Keep an eye out everyday this week for educational fun facts related to active aging!