It’s so important to integrate exercise into our daily routines. As you get older you are likely to be confronted by a number of health issues such as arthritis, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. More than 70% of people over the age of 65 have at least two age related disorders, however these can be prevented or drastically improved with exercise.

Marie McKnight a Personal Trainer at our Health Club in Hampshire, SenSpa, has put together programmes for members with a variety of different health conditions.

Here are her top tips if you suffer from the following conditions:

OSTEOPOROSIS

This literally means ‘porous bones’ and is referred to as the fragile bone syndrome. One of the best ways to strengthen your bones is by doing weight bearing exercise.

When you exercise you don’t just build muscle, you also build and maintain the amount and thickness of your bones. Some examples of weight bearing exercises are walking, dancing, stair climbing and resistance work like squats and lunges.

ARTHRITIS

Exercise can dramatically help to relieve symptoms of arthritis. It may be the last thing you want to do when you are feeling uncomfortable and in pain but exercise can actually relieve a lot of pain by:

• Increasing the blood flow to the cartilage in your joints, whcih brings the nutrients it needs to stay healthy
• Strengthening the muscles around the joints to take the pressure off your bones and joints, leaving your damaged cartilage better protected
• Helping with weight loss which will take the stress off your bones and joints
• Helping with your sleep pattern and to manage stress

TYPE II DIABETES

Type II diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. It means you are insulin resistant, so the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body doesn’t react properly to insulin.

Exercise can greatly control diabetes by helping your body use insulin, which controls your blood sugar.

HEART DISEASE

Physical activity can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put extra strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

If you are new to exercise it is important to start slowly and gradually increase your level of activity. Avoid exercising in extreme heat or cold - Our Health Club in Hampshire is temperature regulated and is the perfect option of you suffer with a heart condition.

PARKINSON’S

Research has shown that exercise seems to protect the dopamine-producing nerve cells that are lost in Parkinson’s, helping them work better and survive for longer.

This can potentially slow down the progression of Parkinson’s which is something that no current treatment can do.

AS WE AGE EXERCISE CAN ALSO HELP…

• Lower blood pressure
• Cut bad cholesterol that can form fatty deposits in the arteries and contribute to heart disease
• Raise good cholesterol, the cholesterol that transports fat away from the arteries and back to the liver for processing
• Improve blood circulation
• Make heart disease and stroke less likely
• Boosts energy and mood

Do you really need any more convincing?

Call 01590 624467 today and book in for a personal training session in Hampshire. We can put together a personalised exercise programme to suit your needs and conditions and help you reach your fitness goals, ask about our SenSpa Membership Packages for our luxury gym and health club today!