Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, one in four deaths are caused by heart disease. The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions, even for people who already have heart disease.

Only you can change your lifestyle. It’s time to take action and get moving now!

Wear, share and rock your best RED on Friday, February 3rd. Meet in the auditorium at 10:00 and join our group walk around the block, followed by healthy snacks!

Susan Covey is the Fitness Director for Bayleigh Chase in Easton

 

For many of us holidays become a mixture of family, traditions, gratitude, giving and, often, challenges too. More than any other time we seem to find ourselves with a few plates in the air. So, in keeping with this theme, I offer a literal juggling challenge.

Juggling is more than just a cool party trick. Keeping a few balls in the air can make our brains and bodies healthier! Any activity that requires you to move in patterns and think about what you are doing are called “complex ideomotor activities.” Ballroom dancing, tai chi and juggling are just a few examples.

Juggling has other benefits as well. It is a form of aerobic exercise which we know improves everyday thinking and reduces dementia risk. It activates coordination and balance skills and keeping an object in the air requires hand-eye coordination too. Juggling makes you think fast; it improves reaction time and your brain’s processing speed, all of which often diminish with age.

Ready? Let’s Juggle!

Gently toss and catch a ball, bean bag or even a scarf in your dominant hand.

Gently toss your object of choice in your non-dominant hand.

Toss it with the dominant hand and catch it with the non-dominant hand.

Now, using two objects, one in each hand, toss the object in the dominant hand toward the non-dominant shoulder while switching the object from the other hand to the dominant hand. Catch the first object with the empty hand.

Continue this circular motion gently catching and throwing with swinging forearms.

Got it? Well, if not, just keep trying! It really is fun, especially if you make it a group event…and your brain will thank you!

Susan Covey is the Acts Bayleigh Chase Fitness Director

As the weather cools, the temptation to move less can be strong. However, we must resist this temptation and strive to stay active no matter the number of daylight hours or less than perfect weather.

Since November is the month that reminds us of all the things in our life we are thankful for, let us make movement one of them. Our bodies were built to move, to walk, to bend, to reach, to stretch. Though everyone may not be ambulatory, chances are there is some part of your body that is still motile. Be grateful for whatever ability you do have and build on that. 

In addition to functional exercises, do not forget how great it is to get out and explore your surroundings. There are many beautiful and motivating places to see in our area and these in themselves are something to be thankful for.

Some of the wonderful adventures awaiting you on the Eastern Shore include Adkins Arboretum, Tuckahoe State Park, Martinak State Park, Pickering Creek, Blackwater Refuge just to name a few. 

How lucky are we to have so many outdoor destinations within an hour’s drive!

Make it your monthly mission to take a hike or stroll through one of our area’s magnificent attractions!

Susan Covey is the fitness director at Acts Bayleigh Chase in Easton.

Scientific studies have proven that, not only walking, but just being in nature has a profound positive impact on our health.  Of course, we know that if we walk at least 15 minutes a day, we will have fewer diseases and are less likely to get cancer, have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke and have better bone density. 

But recent researchers are now demonstrating a reduction in stress, blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as an upswing in mood and general outlook on life just as a result of being outside. They have also shown a link to longevity and decreased risk of mental illness and depression. (Kuo and Taylor 2004, DeVries et al. 2003)  Health benefits of nature may also have relevance to injury prevention and control, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, musculoskeletal conditions, and other maladies, including cancer (Li 2009).

Drawing attention to these benefits of outdoor leisure and recreation for improved health helps shift attention from the downstream costs of health care to the upstream efforts to prevent ill health from occurring. An upstream focus is always empowering and enables individuals to take a more prominent role in our own wellness.

So, take control and get out there!  Enjoy everything around you, and take the time to PLAY. After all, you’re never too old to jump in the leaves!

Susan S. Covey is the Director of Health and Fitness at Bayleigh-Chase.

Not only is September “Healthy Aging Month”, but it is also a great time to start a new fitness program.  For one thing, fall can be a treat for the senses: the crisper air, the leaves beginning to change colors.  Walking and hiking are both awesome in the fall months. 

A FEW TIPS FOR FALL FITNESS:

Try thinking outside the box and learn something new, something you’ve always wanted to try like dancing, horseback riding or biking. 

Be an ACTIVE TV watcher.  If you’re into fall premiers and plan to sit down to watch for hours , make it a date with exercise AND TV.  While you watch, you can walk in place, do standing lunges, triceps dips off the couch, lift weights, or do push-ups and sit-ups during the commercials.  

Rejuvenate your mind and spirit as well.  Learn to meditate, take an art class or learn a new language.

Strive for the three C’s: commitment, convenience and consistency.  Put it on the calendar just like any other appointment; choose an activity that is close by and, when you can’t fit in 30 minutes each day, do 10 minutes rather than skip exercise altogether.

Susan Covey is the Fitness Director at Bayleigh Chase in Easton

 

Did you know you can get all the cardiovascular, muscle strengthening and flexibility benefits you need in water? Done correctly, water workouts can give you the same fitness gains as land workouts, including improving balance.

Water’s buoyancy supports the body’s weight and significantly reduces stress on weight-bearing joints, bones and muscles. For those with injuries, the pressure of the water also reduces swelling. If the water is warm, then the heat relaxes muscles and eases joint stiffness.

We all need resistance training to keep us from losing muscle and strength as we age. Water offers that resistance which strengthens our muscles as we move through it. And get this, simply walking in water will strengthen those hard-to-work abdominal muscles! That not only beats doing sit-ups but may offer greater benefits because the abdominal muscles are being strengthened in the same way we naturally use them—by holding our bodies in an upright position.

Water workouts can help us reach our fitness goals without pain or injury. They can add cross-training variety to our existing routine or offer a safe and fun way to start an exercise program.

So, come on in, the water’s fine!

Susan Covey is Director of Health and Fitness at Acts-Bayleigh Chase in Easton.

Three Important Facts You Should Know

1. The American Heart Association cites physical inactivity as the 5th major risk factor for coronary heart disease. The top four being: family history, high cholesterol, high fat and smoking.

2. From Age 65-84, the average decline in strength equals 1.5% per year. These declines are linked with increased risk of falls, increased frailty and loss of functional independence. It’s a proven fact that physical INACTIVITY accelerates age related decline in strength.

3. Falls are the leading cause of accidental death among adults over 75 years of age. One in three older adults will fall at least once a year and over 50% of those hospitalized from a fall will die within one year.

The good news in that even frail seniors aged 72-98 have shown remarkable improvements as a result of strength training. For instance, an increase in strength of 113%, an increase in walking speed of 12% and an increase in stair-climbing power of 28%! Also, age-related decline in bone density can be significantly impacted by strength training, so…

GET STRONGER AND LIVE LONGER!

Susan Covey is the Director of Fitness at Acts Bayleigh Chase

“Physical activity is crucial to mind and body alike,” according to neuroscientist Lise Eliot.  In her book, “Pink Brain, Blue Brain” she notes that the brain benefits as much as the heart and other muscles from physical activity.  

Scientific studies have proven that exercise can help improve cognition in ways that differ from mental brain-training games.  Charles Hillman, a professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois maintains that “…exercise has broad benefits on cognition, particularly executive functioning, including improvements in attention, working memory and the ability to multitask.” 

In the mid ‘90s it was shown that exercise triggers the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, which helps support the growth of existing brain cells and the development of new ones.  With age, BDNF levels fall which is one reason our brain functions may begin to deteriorate.  However, exercise, especially aerobic, have been found to counteract these drops in BDNF and restore young levels even in the aging brain.  “BDNF is in a sense like a brain fertilizer, says Carl Cotman, founding director of the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders.  “It actually protects neurons from injury and facilitates learning and synaptic plasticity.”

Over the past two decades we’ve learned that exercise acts on multiple levels in the brain, and the wiring depends on the connections or synapses between neurons.  As we age, these synapses are lost or broken, but exercise has been found to increase their numbers and stimulate the creation of more neurons.  Exercise also improves blood flow to the brain thus carrying oxygen and feeding those neural tissues and, as a result, it enhances cognitive abilities.

To sum up all of this scientific research, when we move, our brain rewards us with better immediate memory, reduction in amyloid plaque (which is a common factor in Alzheimer’s Disease), better brain glucose metabolism and higher attention levels. 

So, let’s get moving and feed our muscles and our brains!

Susan S. Covey is the Director of Fitness at Acts Bayleigh Chase in Easton.

Too often people associate fitness with strenuous exercise or time spent at the gym, when actually fitness is any activity that gets you moving. Everyone, regardless of age or size, needs to enjoy a certain level of fitness in order to remain healthy. Most of us know the benefits of physical activity including better heart health, healthier body weight, increased energy levels, improved circulation and mobility. And, being outside surrounded by nature has benefits of its own like a reduction in stress and anxiety levels as well as a lower risk of cancer and other ailments which occur due to lack of Vitamin D. A mere fifteen minutes of sun exposure helps our body get the Vitamin D it needs to stay healthy and the sun also helps improve our mood which in turn benefits our overall health in many ways.

With warmer, brighter days, it’s time to enjoy the many benefits of not only being active but also getting outside.  It’s nearly impossible to separate the environment from a positive state of good health.  The two concepts are intimately linked and dependent upon one another and our connection to the natural world is fundamental to well-being. People are innately driven to experience the outdoors and this bond forms a direct relationship to our overall wellness.

Gardening alone can be a great boost for body and soul.  The calming benefits of planting, weeding, digging and mulching are endless.  Fresh air, improved mood and concentration, lower blood pressure, improved flexibility in your joints and strength in your muscles…well, the list goes on. But the simple satisfaction and delight derived from watching things grow and bloom and produce fruit is both unmatched and undeniable!

Come on, let’s get outside, have some fun and reap the benefits!

Susan Covey is the director of Health and Fitness at Acts Bayleigh Chase

There’s no better time than right now…TO START WALKING!!

Walking is considered the gold standard of exercise, since it uses around 200 muscles and is a safe, inexpensive, fun activity that most anyone can do. But, that’s not all!

Walking:
Increases your cardiovascular fitness
Reduces your stress
Gives you more energy
Tones your muscles
Enables you to get more restful sleep
Reduces your risk of developing many serious health problems
Helps you lose weight and keep it off
Enables you to maintain your current weight
Provides time to enjoy companions or to be alone, your choice
Makes you feel good!

Remember good walking posture: chin up, eyes forward, shoulders down, back straight, arms bent 90 degrees while pumping them back & forth. And always try to walk heel to toe.

Take a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby rails to trails and see what’s blooming this spring!!

Also, when you’re inside, remember to take the stairs if you are able…

Susan Covey is the Director of Fitness at Bayleigh Chase in Easton.