Walk your way to good health

Regular walking, a favorite exercise for senior citizens, is one of the most effective forms of physical activity that delivers substantial health benefits and improves heart health, says the American Heart Association. The latest addition to their tools for persuading people to exercise or Walking Clubs, which are quickly being formed in communities across the U.S.

Walking is also easy to start and continue and it has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity. By joining or forming an American Heart Association Walking Club you can connect with others who share your goals, lifestyles, schedules and hobbies – and do it all free. Walgreens is the national sponsor.

An American Heart Association study revealed that American adults are 76 percent more likely to take a walk if another person is counting on them.

In contrast, research shows 45 percent of gym members will quit going to the gym in a given year and 30 percent will cancel their membership. Gym fees per member average about $765.40 a year.

“I encourage our patients to engage in regular exercise, including moderate-to-vigorous intensity walking programs, and the American Heart Association’s new Walking Clubs are a great resource,” said Barry A. Franklin, Ph.D., Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Laboratories at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

“The accountability and camaraderie Walking Clubs provide will help those that struggle with a regular exercise commitment. Numerous studies have now identified a sedentary lifestyle and/or a low level of fitness as independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Accordingly, for many people, Walking Clubs may provide a safe and effective lifestyle intervention to prevent heart disease and stroke.”

What to do now to feel better at 100

by Jane E. Brody
Columnist, Your Personal Health - New York Times

Many changes take place in physical abilities as we age. Try as I may, I simply can’t swim as fast at 69 as I did at 39, 49 or even 59. Nor am I as steady on my feet. I can only assume my strength has waned as well — I’m finding bottles and jars harder to open and heavy packages harder to lift and carry.

But in August, I hiked in the Grand Canyon, prompting my 10-year-old grandson Stefan to ask, “Grandma, how many 69-year-olds do you think could do this?”

The answer, of course, is “a lot.” And the reason is that we work at it. For my part, I exercise daily, walking three miles or biking 10, then swimming three-quarters of a mile. In spring and summer, heavy-duty gardening strengthens my entire body.

Read full article...

'I Actually Took 9 Hours To Read The Healthcare Bill...'

By Martha B. Boone, MD
The following is a letter written by Dr. Martha Boone to her patients. Very enlightening...

Dear Wonderful Patients,

This is about the healthcare reform bill.

90% of my patients ask me what I think. 10% prefer to get their information from the media. If you want to know what has actually happened to me, my family, and some of my patients, please...read on.
If you prefer to form your opinions without the input of your doctor, feel free to delete this now.

There is MUCH “theory” out there about what the healthcare bill will and won’t do for Americans.
I actually took the nine hours required to read it. I am VERY, VERY, worried about its content and what it will potentially do to American healthcare.

Let’s talk about what has actually come to pass, so far- Read full article...