Physical fitness vital to health

Book update

Last week I told you about my new book, “Get off the Couch, Before it’s too late! All the whys and wherefores of exercise.” I explained that I was having problems with the Amazon listing. I am pleased to say that the Amazon problem is resolved and the book can now be found through their Search facility using either my name, Hugh Bethell, or the book title.

The price does vary with the source:

1. Amazon, Waterstones or Oxley’s use the RRP of £14.99
2. For those who are close enough, the Alton Cardiac Rehab Centre sells at £12.00 which includes a £2.00 donation to the Charity.
3. Direct from me at £10.00. If you want it sent, P&P costs an extra £2.50. email me at hjnbethell@gmail.com and I will send you a copy and organise the method of payment.

Guest Blog

It is always good to have backing for one’s views coming from unconnected sources. For this reason I am happy to publish guest blogs which support my strong belief in the huge personal benefits of an active lifestyle. I may not agree with every word in these blogs but we share the essential message. Today’s blog comes from a provider of home care in the USA “Loving Homecare Inc”. Using the Homecare facilities will interest my American readership but the points the organisation makes about the importance of physical activity are valid on both sides of the Atlantic.

Why is physical fitness vital to your health?

Experts explain physical fitness as “one’s capacity to execute everyday tasks with optimal performance, endurance, and strength while managing the illness, tiredness, and stress and reducing fatigue.”

Exercise and active work can assist you with carrying on with a better way of life and lessen your danger of ailments, including type 2 diabetes, malignancy, and coronary illness. Strength preparing can offer both quick and long lasting medical advantages. In particular, actual standard work can work on your general wellbeing. Furthermore, senior medical institutions are conveniently accessible to those who are unable to work out or walk. People may age in place with the support of senior health care services. Home healthcare benefits include the following:

Management of the home:
It requires a lot of effort to keep a home functioning properly. Consider laundry, grocery, gardening, housework, and handyman services if you’re having trouble keeping up. Financial and healthcare administration may also be advantageous if you are experiencing difficulty keeping track of payments and consultations.

Transportation:
Transportation is a critical concern for older citizens. Perhaps you have difficulty driving or dislike driving at night. Having access to railways, trams, ride-sharing apps, low-cost taxis, and senior public transportation can help you preserve your independence and social connections.

Home modification:
If your movement is deteriorating, house improvements might help you maintain your current home comfy and approachable. Changes can include items like handrails in the shower, stairs to eliminate or limit the need for stairs, or even installing a new ground-floor bathroom. However remember the importance of maintaining your physical fitness – climbing stairs can be a really effective contributor.

Personal care:
Personal or domestic care refers to assistance with daily living activities such as clothing, bathing, or meal preparation. Personal care services provided by certified nursing assistants can vary from just a few hours per day to 24-hour live-in care. They may also give limited support with checking blood pressure or reminding you to take your medicine.

Health care:
Numerous healthcare services, such as occupational therapy, social work, or home health nursing, can be given at home by qualified experts. Check with your insurance company or health care provider to see what sort of coverage is accessible, but you may have to pay part of the costs out of cash. Healthcare can also be offered in the comfort of one’s own home.

Day programs:
Day programs senior daycare may keep you occupied with activities and socializing during the day while also giving your caretakers a rest. Some daycare programs are largely social in nature, whilst others offer limited health services or specialize in diseases such as the early phase of Alzheimer’s.

Organized physical activity can:

• Improve your weight management.
• Help blood pressure control.
• Help to maintain or improve bone strength and avoid osteoporosis.
• Encourage joint mobility and reduce the problems of osteoarthritis.
• Promote wellbeing, relaxation, mental health and good sleep pattern.
• Keep you mobile and active

Exercise programmes

Individualized fitness programs generally focus on one or more specialized talents and age or health-related demands such as bone health. Many sources also emphasize the importance of mental, social, and emotional health as components of total fitness. This is frequently shown in textbooks as a triangle representing physical, emotional, and mental health. Fitness is vital for good health. Aside from making you feel better emotionally, exercise can help protect you against heart disease, cancer, overweight, diabetes, and high blood pressure; it can also make you appear younger, enhance and maintain bone density, improve survival, and keep you away from becoming ill. Brisk walking, running, swimming, and biking are among examples. Strength training, often known as resistance training, strengthens your muscles. Lifting weights and using a resistance band are two examples.

In the early 1800s, fitness was described as completing the day’s tasks without becoming overly tired or lethargic. Physical fitness has long been a significant aspect of life. Physical fitness levels had dropped when humans transitioned from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled settlements centered on agriculture. This is not to say that physical labor levels reduced, but the type of work done was not always favorable to a general fitness level.

The guidelines issued in the United Kingdom in July 2011 stress that the intensity with which an individual exercises is important. However, even gentle activity such as walking and housework is a great deal better than doing nothing. Most people who wish to gain a more positive effect on their health need aerobic exercise to a level which raises their heart rate and makes them short of breath. The Department of Health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes per week – more is better still!