What are you doing to improve or maintain your health? Many diseases are quite preventable, are you doing anything to reduce your risk of developing some common diseases? Do you smoke? Please quit. Are you inactive? Please move. Do you consume more than two (women) or three (men) alcoholic drinks per day? Please cut down. Do you lift weights? Get started, especially if you are female and over 18 years of age. Do you walk, run, cycle, ski, swim, dance or do anything to get your heart and breathing rates up for a total of 20-30 minutes at least three times each week? Please do it.

So many symptoms of several health issues can be reduced or even prevented by exercising regularly and eating properly.  Adult onset diabetes is one of the diseases that can be eliminated by following a healthy eating plan and a moderate exercise plan on a regular basis. Heart disease is another. So are some mental health issues and even some cancer risks can be greatly reduced through exercise and healthy eating habits. Even arthritis pain can be managed with some activity. Aside from disease prevention, eating well and exercising regularly will improve your mobility, flexibility, strength, balance and stamina. Your mood may improve, so will your sleep. In short, your quality of life will improve.

Where to start? I suggest moving. Even if you are a smoker, your health will improve through adding activity to your week. An active smoker is healthier than an inactive smoker. The more active you become the greater the chance you will want to give up the cigarettes next.  How do you move? Choose an activity that you like and commit to it. Walking briskly is always a good place to start. You don’t need special equipment and it’s usually easy to do. Don’t stroll. Get your heart rate up a little. Too nasty outside for walking? Join a facility that has treadmills, buzz through Wal-Mart or go up and down stairs, wherever you can find some. Cycling and swimming are also excellent, especially for anyone who suffers from arthritis. These are non weight bearing activities that are excellent for heart health. Can’t do it outside? Find an indoor facility. Don’t want to exercise alone? Join a group activity like basketball, pickleball or fitness classes. Group activity adds the element of socialization which is also excellent for your mental health.

I mentioned weight lifting. This is an excellent exercise method for women, as well as men, to manage bone health. Young women, as well as those who are older and are pre or post menopause, who do strength training with weights will build their bone density, therefore reducing their risk of osteoporosis later in life. Before the age of 18, body weight exercises or exercise using light weights is best. After 18, heavier weights can be introduced. Anyone of any age should progress slowly and gradually when lifting weights. Care should also be taken to do it correctly in order to prevent injury. The added stress placed on bone through weight lifting will cause the body to lay down excess calcium, therefore improving the density of the bone. This means less risk of fractures, in the young or old. Strength gains can be made at any age. Older men and women both have become stronger, and therefore more independent by exercising with weights. If you are an older adult that seeks to maintain your independence, and wants to live in your own home as long as possible, I suggest you get moving. Your balance will benefit, therefore your risk of falling will be reduced. That alone will help keep you living independently. There is much you can do to improve or maintain good health. Make the move and start today!

Puzzles and games are not the best exercise for your brain. According to plenty of research, physical exercise is the best activity for brain health. It is aerobic activity that benefits the brain not crossword puzzles or sudoku. Any activity that gets you sweating and elevates the heart and breathing rates for an extended period of time has a significant, overwhelmingly beneficial effect on the brain. When it comes to boosting your mood, improving your memory, and protecting your brain from age-related cognitive decline, exercise is as close to a wonder drug as you will get. Aerobic exercise is key for your brain , just as it is for your heart.

Resistance training with free weights, machines or body weight exercises is beneficial in that it allows individuals to improve and maintain muscle mass. Muscle mass burns more calories, even when the body is at rest but maintaining muscle also ensures that strength will be maintained. Strength is important to any older adult who desires to maintain independence in caring for themselves. Activities such as Yoga or Tai Chi are important to maintaining good balance and flexibility. Participating in a stretching program such as these will also help reduce age related mobility decline. All of these activities are great. Everyone of any age should participate in them as often as possible. But it is aerobic activity that will be of most benefit to the brain.

In a study done at the University of British Columbia, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise boosts the size of the hippocampus. This is the area of the brain involved in memory and learning. Resistance training, balance and toning exercises did not have the same effect on the brain. Aerobic exercise causes the body to create new blood vessels. Blood vessels carry oxygen. New blood vessels mean more pathways for blood to travel throughout the body as it brings oxygen to all areas. In the cardiovascular system this means if one pathway is blocked due to any kind of heart disease the blood will have other pathways to follow and a heart attack can be avoided or the severity lessened. An increased number of blood vessels in the brain means improved oxygen levels to the brain which means decreased risk of stroke and improved brain activity.

Other studies have found that the prefrontal cortex as well as the medial temporal cortex regions of the brain have greater volume in people who exercise aerobically versus those who don’t. These areas of the brain control thinking and memory. Exercise also stimulates the release of growth chemicals in the brain which affect the health, abundance and survival of new brain cells. Exercise improves mood and sleep as well as reducing stress and anxiety. These factors can all play a part in cognitive impairment. If exercise can help, why would you not give it a try?

Researchers say that one new case of dementia is detected every four seconds globally. If you don’t want to be that person, get moving. Walk briskly, cycle, swim aggressively, get moving enough to break a sweat for at least 20 minutes 5-7 times a week. Dancing is also a great way to improve brain health. A style of dance that requires you to learn patterns or moves and is done at a level quick enough to elevate the heart rate is the best choice. Find a Zumba or line dancing class to attend. Not only will you have a ton of fun you will also be taking care of your brain.

Allowing your child to experience unstructured, free, playtime, outdoors or in is one of the best things you can do for them. Free play, along with the basic needs of shelter, nutrition, and education is vital to a child’s healthy physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. According to the Pediatric Society, unstructured play is essential for healthy brain development. Kids who are involved in unstructured active free play improve their strength, agility, balance, fine and gross motor skills as well as physical confidence.