How to Know the Benefits of Exercising as a Senior

As seniors increasingly attribute their good health to regular exercise, more resources are becoming available to help us better know the benefits of exercising for the elderly. These resources include health and fitness websites, government websites, national health associations and books. They highlight the major benefits from exercising, such as increased strength, flexibility, improved balance and endurance. They also look at many common chronic disorders, such as diabetes, osteoporosis and cadiovascular disease, and show how a regular exercise routine can prevent or help control these diseases. There is still much we don't know about the aging process, but as a growing number of resources show, exercise has major benefits for senior health.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Visit Health and Fitness Websites

1. See a slide show on the Mayo Clinic's website (see Resources below) about how balance exercises can improve stability and help prevent falls. The site includes complete instructions and photos for doing balance exercises.

2. Read about how senior exercise contributes to muscle strength, heart health, and better balance on MedicineNet.com (see Resources below). This site is produced by a group of more than 70 Board Certified physicians and has comprehensive information about the benefits of senior exercising.

Review Government Sites and National Health Associations

3. Go to the National Institute of Health Senior Health website for text and video on how simple exercises can improve strength and make it easier for seniors to accomplish everyday tasks, from climbing steps to carrying groceries (see Resources below).

4. View the National Institute of Health Medline Plus website for a list of resources describing exercise benefits for specific conditions such as Alzheimer's, arthritis and osteoporosis (see Resources below).

Read Books

5. Read "Strength Training for Seniors: How to Rewind Your Biological Clock," by Michael Fekete, for how exercise benefits mobility, your immune system and your stress level. This book is available from Amazon (see Resources below).

6. Read "Fitness Over Fifty: An Exercise Guide from the National Institute on Aging," by The National Institute on Aging and John Glenn for the benefits of exercise in improving energy, strength and balance. This book also comes with a DVD for step-by-step exercise guides and is available from Amazon (see Resources below).

7. Read "Senior Fitness: The Diet and Exercise Program For Maximum Health and Longevity," by Ruth E. Heidrich for the benefits of exercise in preventing disease. This book focuses on exercises to reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis and heart disease, and is available from Amazon (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Subscribe to a fitness e-newsletter. Most senior fitness websites have weekly or monthly email newsletters and are a great way to know about the benefits of exercise for seniors.

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Resources

• Mayo Clinic website for information on benefits of exercising for seniors
• MedicineNet.com website for senior exercise benefits
• National Institutes of Health, Senior Health website for benefits of strength, stretching, balance and endurance exercises
• Medline Plus website for information on exercise benefits for specific illnesses
• Amazon website for
• Amazon website for
• Amazon.com for