Health
Nutrition
Tips for better health care
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Fitness
A
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Gym is Life
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Fitness
over fifty |
Old
age can be fun and happier if it is healthy, full of enthusiasm and fit. It is
said that " He who has health has hope and he who has hope has everything".
Therefore it is necessary that as you enter your mid-lives you learn to take
extra care for your body to avoid chances of physical incapacity and take proper
diet and exercise to lengthen your life and make your lives fuller, minds
happier and bodies more younger.
As you start ageing you will lose:
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20 percent of your body's water content.
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60 percent of your ability to taste.
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35 percent of your ability to pump blood from the heart.
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About 3 inch in height.
As far as your health is concerned you become:
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More susceptible to cold and heat.
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Suffer from osteoporosis, kidney, bladder problems and constipation.
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Lose some mental functioning due to loss of brain neurons and thus become
more forgetful.
Thus
in order to reverse or slow the effects of ageing all you need to do is have a
well-balanced life. You have to exercise effectively, adopt good eating habits,
quit smoking and drinking and live a happy and healthy life.
Nutritious food for
a healthy life:
For a proper diet food should include protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Protein: Protein is essential for building nearly
every part of the body-the brain, bones, heart, muscles and even the blood. It
is made up of 22 amino acids, otherwise known as the 'building blocks of life'.
Adults require 0.75 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. Protein is found
in foods like fish, eggs, beef, whole wheat, milk, liver, soya beans, beans,
peanuts, brown rice and peas.
Vitamins:
Vitamins are organic compounds that are
essential in small amounts for the growth and development of our body. They act
as enzymes (catalyst) which facilitate many of the body processes.
Minerals:
Our body uses many minerals such as
phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium for strong teeth and bone; zinc for growth;
chromium for carbohydrate metabolism; and copper and iron for haemoglobin
production.
Fibre: Fibre is the part of the food, which we
consume, that is not digestible. It helps to move the food through the intestine
by increasing their peristaltic action. Foods containing fibre are whole grain
cereals, fibrous vegetables, and root vegetables like carrot, beet, turnips and
other leafy vegetables.
Thus your diet should have the combination of all the nutrients listed above and
it should also come in proper quantity.In your daily diet you should have the
following:
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Fruits: Have fruits whichever you like 2-4 servings per day.
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Vegetables should be consumed at lunch and at dinner not more than 3-5
servings per day.
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Grain products like bread, chapati, rice 6-11 servings per day.
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Meat, source of protein should be consumed 2-3 servings per day.
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Milk one glass per day.
Physical fitness for energy
Physical fitness is essential for a healthy and happy life. Exercise helps you
in this age in many ways. A person who has been exercising regularly will look
and feel younger than a person who has not been exercising. But that doesn't
mean you cant exercise and look young. You can start exercising and can slow or
reverse ageing and look and feel much younger. Therefore make it a point to
exercise 30 minutes every day for a better and healthy life. You can swim, jog,
do brisk-walking, play your favourite sport, and go to a gym, cycle or go in for
yoga.
Following are a few exercises, which you can include in your fitness program:
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For strengthening chest muscles and triceps do press-ups. If you are unable
to do regular press-ups then you can do it by keeping your knees on the
floor or by pushing away from the wall.
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For biceps-lie on the floor. Then bend your legs and keep your feet flat on
the floor. Lock your hands behind your thighs and pull your head and
shoulder upto your knees.
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For upper leg muscles-hold on to a table and do a one-legged half-knee bend
or do the exercise with both legs.
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For lower leg muscles-hold on to a table and then rise up on your toes. Do
this exercise one leg at a time.
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Relax and massage your muscles after you finish exercising.
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