The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 50 percent of women over 50 have osteoporosis or are at risk for an osteoporosis-related fracture.
Yet, according to Sara Meeks, a physical therapist who specializes in the treatment of osteoporosis, this is not just a condition affecting older women. “My patients include young women, children, teens, men and people of all ethnic origins,” she said.
Participation in group fitness classes at Westmoreland Athletic Club in Greensburg, was on the decline, according to executive director Laurie Corbett, and the club wanted to find a way to increase participation and introduce new people to its classes. Says Corbett, “We needed to add some variety, and introduce club members to the various formats of the classes we offer.”
What the club came up with is a monthly class called Tag Team. Corbett explains: The group fitness instructors get together and choose a theme for the class, including music and class content. The theme is then used as a backdrop for the class, which includes more than one instructor. The class typically starts out with a warm-up, then a hi/lo-impact segment, moves into kickboxing, thento step,then toa weight segment, and ends up with yoga or a Pilates mat class segment. (more…)
Water:
This is my personal favorite. I love water and I love the feeling of water flowing over my hands, even as I wash dishes! And I absolutely love being caught in the rain. Take a water bath when you need to be revitalized, when you feel drained. You can take a water bath in the obvious way, by getting into the tub, but avoid a bubble bath and try using sea salts instead. Bring a cup into the tub with you to scoop up the water and pour it slowly down your shoulders and arms. Imagine that you are cleansing on a different level and that your energy is being restored. You will start to feel revitalized and energized without feeling hyper and panicky. A shower is also another way to reap the benefits of water. When taking a water bath, keep in mind that cool water clears energy while hot water sets it, so it is a good idea to use lukewarm water when you are trying to clear or move your energy. (more…)
You don’t have to be a marathoner to reap benefits from exercise. Retired, nonsmoking men who walked two miles or more a day year round had only about half the death rate over 12 years of those who walked less than one mile a day, according to a study in the January 8 New England Journal of Medicine. (more…)
People with heart failure have oxygen problems: Their heart muscle can’t pump enough blood to the body to meet its need for oxygen, and fluid buildup in their lungs prevents them from getting enough oxygen when they breathe. This causes dizziness, fatigue, and shortness of breath, especially during exercise. Some research has suggested that having people control how they breathe can help. Now a study in the May 3 Lancet finds the optimum breathing rate – and the value of yoga breathing techniques. (more…)