Physical Fitness Helps Brains

From CTV.ca News Staff
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"New research from the University of Calgary is providing yet another reason for women to stay physically active as they age.
The study, which is published in the international journal Neurobiology of Aging, has found that women who stay physically fit help their brains to function at optimum levels.
Marc Poulin, the senior author of the study, says physical activity helps blood flow in the brain -- and that leads to better cognitive abilities.
"The vascular benefits of exercise that have been reported previously in the heart and muscles are also conferred to the brain ... There are vascular benefits to the brain, as well, from exercise," he told CTV.ca by phone from the University of Calgary's Faculty of Medicine.
The study, entitled the "Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cerebral Blood Flow on Cognitive Outcomes in Older Women," compared two groups of women whose mean age was 65 years old. It looked at a random sample of 42 women living in Calgary, splitting them into two groups. One group took part in regular aerobic activity and the other group of women was relatively sedentary.
Researchers then recorded and measured the women's cardiovascular health, resting brain blood flow and the reserve capacity of blood vessels in the brain, as well as cognitive functions.
Poulin says that the study proves for the first time that people who are fit have better blood flow to the brain.
"Our contribution is that we show there are benefits (from exercise) to blood vessels in the brain," he said.
The scientists found that compared to the inactive group, the active group had:
Ten per cent lower resting and exercising arterial blood pressure.
Five per cent higher vascular responses in the brain during submaximal exercise.
Ten per cent higher cognitive function scores, when the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood were elevated.
Poulin says the take home message from his study is simple: exercise helps women's cognition as they grow older. But he also said it also suggests that men could benefit as well -- along with younger women.
"The thing with exercise is that it has the potential to impact one's health at any age," he said."

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So another good reason to get off my butt and to continue with my exercises every day, if I want to lose these 23 extra pounds that I have put on.

And maybe help with my brain functioning properly.

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I'm Not Fat---

------------------I'm Fluffy


Also known as "Does this make my butt look bigger?"


It's that time of the year, the post-holiday season, when I finally got up enough nerve to step back on the bathroom scale. Yes I will admit that I have avoided checking my weight for the past three weeks. I considered the scale avoidance as my own little seasonal personal gift from me to me.

Why worry about it if you have no real evidence--right?---right???
Other than the fact that you are at your most comfortable wearing only a t-shirt, your LARGE t-shirt. Or the difficulty you have been encountering when you have to get dressed up and those pesky zippers on EVERYTHING in your closet are not working properly.

So I bit the bullet and stepped on the scale.

I gained three pounds!!!
Yikes that means I have to now lose 23 pounds.
Monsieur Bear lost a pound.

I am not speaking to him.

Workout

Monsieur Bear and I did something yesterday that we haven't done for ages.
We went ice skating!

What a workout!
I have muscles sore that have not been used for ages.
Has anyone else out there done anything like this?

Cleaning As A Way to Exercise

I want to keep my house clean and take a step toward getting and staying in shape.
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Did you know that when you perform simple household chores, you can burn almost 300 calories per hour.
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Here are some great examples:
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Start Your Vacuum!
Vacuuming works all sorts of muscles in the upper body. And when vacuuming the stairs, you're getting the legs into the action, too.
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Get on the Floor!
Mopping floors for 30 minutes can burn 143 calories for a 140-pound person. That's actually more calories burned than walking for the same amount of time at a 3.5-mph pace. For extra credit (and extra burned calories), get down on your hands and knees and really scrub.
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Wash Those Windows!
Before it gets too cold in some parts of the country, wash the outsides of your windows. And once winter appears you still can wash the insides. Window washing is great for toning arms and shoulders.
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Add Some Motion!
When it comes to chores like dusting, doing the dishes or other stand-in-place activities, kick up the aerobic activity by adding in some squats or walking in place.
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Go on Laundry Duty!
I am finally going to get my laundry room in order by doing all the laundry possible and putting it all away in its proper place. With the bending, twisting and stair climbing, laundry can be a full-body workout. Stand up when folding the clothes and don't forget to break out the iron and ironing board. The motions used for folding and ironing will help tone muscles in the legs, arms and back.
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Keep On Keeping On!
Exercise with housecleaning means I will have two great things to feel good about, a clean house and a toned body.
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Bear((( )))

Exercise for Post-Menopausal Women

Post-menopausal women can face a variety of health issues. Exercise is a key part of staying healthy.

Exercise helps prevent osteoporosis by keeping bone and cartilage tissue strong and healthy.

Exercise reduces the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases by increasing heart and respiratory rates.

Exercise keeps your joints moving and keeps the muscles around your joints strong. This helps in the prevention of arthritis.

Exercise will help to maintain regular bowel function, a common problem as people become older.

Exercise will improve a woman's overall health and fitness by controlling weight, making the heart stronger and retaining a sense of well-being and alertness.

Exercise Helps Prevent Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a decrease in bone mineral density. Weight-bearing exercises are essential in preventing osteoporosis. These exercises cause weight to be placed on the bones, especially the hips, legs and spine. The weight placed on the bone helps slow deterioration of the bone.

Good Exercises for Post-Menopausal Women
Experts agree that walking is the best form of exercise for post-menopausal women. It can be done anywhere, at anytime and promotes social interaction. Shopping malls are an extremely safe area to walk, plus you don't need to worry about the weather
Light weight training will help build muscle mass and keep muscles tone.
Low-impact aerobics is great for increasing heart and respiratory rates, which helps keep vital organs healthy.

General activity is also urged. Older women should go outside and wash the car or work in the garden.
Exercise should be done daily for at least 30 minutes. If not, then at least three times a week. **Any activity is better than no activity.**