7 Tips To Stay Active During The Winter Months

It can be difficult to stay active when it gets cold outside.

It’s helpful to plan ahead and set some time aside in your schedule a few days a week to make sure you’re getting the activity you need.

 

To have health benefits from exercise, adults need a total of 2.5 hours of activity spread across the week, in bouts of ten minutes or more.

 

These activities need to be moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activities.

Here are a few tips to help keep you motivated to stay active during the winter months:

 

1. Plan activities ahead.

When activities are in your calendar, you’re less likely to forget them.

Preparedness also helps set good habits.

 

2. Find a fun local activity

Some examples are snow shoeing, skiing, skating, or cross-country skiing.

 

3. Dress in layers. 

Insulate your body. When you can keep your body warm, it’s easier to continue being active outside.

 

4. Use your daylight hours. 

It’s easier to stay outside while it’s still light out.

It’s easy to miss out on activities when you start them too late in the day.

 

5. Find virtual indoor activities in your local community.

This could be aerobics, dance or yoga classes.

 

6. Climb stairs. 

Deliberately add more steps to your day over the course of your regular daily activities.

As little as 5 minutes can make a huge difference for your health.

 

7. Find an activity buddy in your social circle. 

Find someone willing to commit to being active as often as you are, and set a plan.

Having a work out buddy keeps you accountable.

 

For help on setting activity goals based on your specific musculoskeletal needs, you can always ask your chiropractor about what activities are right for you.

 

Whatever your activity level is, remember to stay hydrated.

It is easy to forget to drink water when it’s cold out, but your body needs just as much hydration in a snowstorm as it does in a heatwave.

Most importantly, stay motivated. Revisit your goals (or look for tips to set new ones) to make sure you’re still on track. Plan ahead and make sure you can envision your goal as you look ahead towards the finish line.

 

Here’s to staying active in the new year!

 

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Activity Living For Your Health

By Dr. R. Greg Lusk, DC

As the days cool off and the hours of sunshine continue to dwindle we spend less time outdoors.  With this migration indoors it becomes difficult to maintain the activity level we've grown accustomed to over the warmer months.  However, it is vital to our health that we do; after all, "sitting is the new smoking".

Regular aerobic exercise is known to decrease the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, reduce anxiety and depression, and is considered the best treatment for fatigue.  It has also been shown to decrease the disability associated with knee osteoarthritis, decrease the progression of dementia, and delay cognitive decline.

A research study, titled the “Aerobic Centre Longitudinal Study (ACLS)” offers some startling results after observing the impacts of low exercise level, smoking, diabetes, and obesity on the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease.  Remarkably, a low fitness level was found to be a greater risk factor than smoking, diabetes, and obesity combined!  That is a wake-up call that urges all of us to get moving more.

So, how much exercise is enough?  Exercise is Medicine (Canada) is a public health initiative “to provide national leadership in promoting physical activity as a chronic disease prevention and management strategy to improve the health of Canadians”, and it supports the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines.  For example, if you’re 18-64 years old, you should be getting 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week.  Broken down, this is 30 minutes 5 days per week.  Now for the beautiful part….this can be achieved in 10 minute bouts that add up to 30 minutes!  Many people that I encounter on a daily basis appear to be time crunched.  However, I would argue that most of us could find 10 minutes of time here and there throughout our day, whereas 30 minutes all in one session may be difficult.

Here are some tips that may help you get your exercise in.

·        Schedule it.  You need to be selfish with your exercise time.  If not, it is much too easy to work into lunch, watch TV for a little longer, etc.

·        Involve friends, a spouse, whomever.  This helps with accountability, adds socializing time with people we care about, and makes it less lonely and more fun.

·        Walk a dog.  Dogs are great walking coaches.  There is data that shows 67% of dog walkers meet this requirement through dog walking alone.

·        Work it into your commute to work.  Park further away and/or add a lap around the block prior to going into your work environment.

·        Listen to music, or read a book/watch TV (only if safely on stationary equipment).  This helps pass the time.  Often, you’ll find yourself absorbed in what you’re doing and 10 minutes quickly turns into 20.

·        Track your progress.  What gets measured gets done.  Also, it can be quite rewarding to look back at where you started after a few months and remind yourself how far you’ve come.

I would also encourage you to watch a great YouTube video that summarizes this entire topic.  Dr. Mike Evans, MD, out of Toronto has produced an entertaining yet informative visual lecture on the topic.  It is titled “23 and ½ hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?”  You won’t be disappointed.

Choose to be active today although it will not always be easy.  You’ll always feel great after you’re done!  This article is for general information purposes only and is not to be taken as professional medical advice..

High And Low Impact Activities For Everyone

Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA)

It is no secret that at the Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA) we often promote the benefits of regular physical activity as a way to stay healthy and happy. In fact, the CCA thinks it’s so important that we’ve created a free app: Straighten Up Canada! The app is currently available for download via Apple Store, Google Play and Blackberry World. Featuring easy-to-follow exercises, it helps to improve your posture and allows you to stay active during your day!

Investing time to do activities or sports that you enjoy is key to healthy aging and an active lifestyle. Being physically active is often a good way to prevent and manage musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries as well as helping maintain strength and mobility. Varying your routine between high- and low-impact activities is a great way to modify your workouts and challenge the body. We’ve outlined some great suggestions for both so you can get up and get moving!

 

High Impact

High-impact exercise is typically described as an (often aerobic) activity where both feet leave the ground at the same time¹. Often, high-impact activities may include exercise classes which involve jumping, leaping, or jogging in place. Doing high-impact exercise can put you at greater risk of injury if your body is not prepared, especially if you’re just starting out. Be cautious and adapt to a lower impact version of the activity if in doubt. Otherwise, before starting high-impact exercises make sure you have warmed-up.

 

Good examples of high-impact exercises are:

• Jumping jacks
• Jumping rope
• Running or jogging on a treadmill (or outdoors)
• Performing plyometric exercises

High-impact exercises tend to be more intense and expend more energy, so it’s important that if you’re doing high-impact exercises that you’re well-prepared. For some, high-impact exercises are not appropriate: they may increase the risk of injury, commonly to the ankles, knees, hips, and even the back. That being said, high-impact exercises can have a lot of great benefits too²:

• Improves bone density
• Increases an individual’s heart rate more quickly, thereby burning more calories
• Improves a person’s stability, balance, and coordination
• Strengthens the heart and lungs

Low Impact³

Low-impact exercise tends to be less jarring on the body and joints, and less intense overall. According to the American Council on Exercise, keeping at least one foot on the ground at all times also reduces your risk of musculoskeletal injury. Some examples include⁴:

• Working out on an elliptical machine
• Low-impact aerobics
• Using a rowing machine
• Home exercise
• Walking
• Dancing
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Nordic walking

It’s important to realize that low impact doesn’t mean low intensity (unless purposely designed to be so) because you can still get an intense workout keeping both feet on the ground. Low-impact exercises are great for beginners, people with arthritis or osteoporosis, older adults, individuals who are obese, pregnant women, and people with bone, joint, or connective tissue injuries.

 

Whichever form of physical activity you choose, make sure you do it safely. Talk to your chiropractor if you have any questions. For more ways to get fit, check out Fit-in 15.

References

1Amy Gonsalves, “High Impact versus low impact.” Diabetes Outside blog. April 19, 2011. http://blog.diabetesoutside.com/?p=1060

2Paige Waehner, “High Impact Exercise—Is High Impact Exercise Right for You?” VeryWell.com. May 2, 2016. https://www.verywell.com/is-high-impact-exercise-right-for-you-1230821

3Nicole Nichols, “low impact vs. high impact exercise: Which is right for you?” SparkPeople.com. April 14, 2010. http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=fitness_defined_lowimpact_and_highimpact_exercises

4NHS, “Easy exercises.” NHS Choices. Page last reviewed: 01/03/2016. http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/Lowimpact.aspx

Recreational Activities for Seniors

Canadian Chiropractic Association

It is important to manage your health at any age, but it is even more so when you age to keep an active lifestyle. Mobility, for example, typically declines with age which can lead to important loss of function and independence. Yet, we often take it for granted until it is too late. Regardless of the type of activity you enjoy, staying active as you age is critical to not only maintaining health but also your quality of life and independence.

 

In fact, it is never too late to start introducing new activities in your life. Even if mobility is currently a challenge, there are numerous ways to work around current limitations and introduce physical activity into your daily routine.

 

Here are some tips to consider:

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that older adults continue to be active. Here are some of the key recommendations made by the WHO¹:

1. Older adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity throughout the week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.

    
2. Aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least a 10 minute duration.

    
3. For additional health benefits, older adults should increase their moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week.

    
4. Older adults, with poor mobility, should perform physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls on 3 or more days per week.

    
5. Muscle-strengthening activities, involving major muscle groups, should be done on 2 or more days per week.

    
6. When older adults cannot do the recommended amounts of physical activity due to existing health condition(s), they should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow. Progressively introducing even small amounts of activity can have important and meaningful impacts.

For those who enjoy group activities, consider group classes that are specifically tailored for seniors.

Commonly, these are organized and instructed by trained professionals who have an interest and knowledge in supporting healthy aging. In fact, a chiropractor can also recommend specific movements and activity to help improve your mobility and enhance the health of your MSK system.

 

If you would rather exercise alone and on your own schedule, you may consider the following:

 

• Biking indoors or outdoors (weather dependent)
• Swimming
• Cardiovascular training like walking or wheeling, or even following a low-impact fitness video at home

 

Whether you are a senior or you simply want to enhance your mobility, it’s important to keep moving and introduce consistent physical activity into your routine. Consult with a healthcare professional before engaging in new physical activity.

 

1. The World Health Organization, “Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health: Physical Activity for Older Adults,” http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_olderadults/en/.

Using Exercise To Manage Osteoarthritis

By:  Dr. John A. Papa, DC, FCCPOR(C)

 

Osteoarthritis accounts for more trouble with climbing stairs and walking than any other disease, and is the most common reason for total hip and knee replacement surgeries.  This article will discuss the role of exercise in the management of osteoarthritis.

 

Exercise increases our functional capacity to withstand occupational, recreational, and everyday stresses to our body more efficiently, thereby minimizing the risk of joint injury and subsequent disability.  Natural chemicals called endorphins have anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties and are released by the body during exercise.  Joint movement also transports nutrients and waste products to and from cartilage.  For every extra pound of weight that someone carries, they put an extra three to five pounds of stress on a weight bearing joint.  Regular exercise can allow for an individual to keep their weight down, and their muscles and joints flexible and strong.

 

The individual components of exercise can exert specific positive benefits in the body.  Aerobic or Endurance exercise improves the body’s capacity to deliver oxygen to working muscles and organs.  Swimming, cycling, jogging, water aerobics, and power walking are a few examples of this type of exercise.  It is recommended that an individual engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of endurance exercise at least three times per week.  This type of exercise will also burn calories and help maintain healthy body weight.

 

Resistance or Strengthening exercise helps a muscle’s ability to contract and do work.  This type of exercise can help maintain bone density and strengthen muscles to support our joints.  It will also boost metabolism and assist in maintaining a healthy body weight.  Examples of this type of exercise include weight machines in a fitness facility, dumbbells, or resistance tubing.

 

Flexibility exercises help maintain a joint’s complete movement or range of motion.  Stretching is the most familiar form of this type of exercise but it can also include activities such as Tai Chi, Pilates, and Yoga.  Holding a sustained stretch for 15-30 seconds can result in modest flexibility gains.  This type of exercise becomes especially important when preparing for any endurance or strengthening activity to help ready the body and minimize the risk of injury.  Where appropriate, agility and proprioceptive/balance exercise may also be added.

 

Osteoarthritis can be successfully managed with active exercise strategies.  Exercise can encompass a wide range of activities.  Therefore choose activities that are safe and enjoyable.  This will make it more likely for you to stay consistent with those activities.  There may be some initial discomfort when beginning an exercise program.  This may be your body’s normal response when starting a new activity and should not last more than one to two weeks.  Start slowly and progress gradually.  If discomfort persists beyond this point, consult with a Regulated Health Professional to make sure the exercise you are performing is appropriate and being done correctly.  For more information, visit www.nhwc.ca.

 

This article is a basic summary for educational purposes only.  It is not intended, and should not be considered, as a replacement for consultation, diagnosis or treatment by a duly licensed health practitioner.

Fit-in-15

Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA)

 

 

 

Most people know that keeping active is important to good health and something experts recommend you do regularly! But life is busy and sometimes it seems impossible to find the time, never mind the motivation, to be more active. The good news is all you need to find is 15 minutes a day. ‘Fit-in 15’ is a new – and realistic – online program that can help you make active living a lifestyle by doing something fitness-related for just 15 minutes a day.

 

Getting started

 

One of the first things you’ll need to think about is where you can fit 15 minutes of activity into your daily schedule. It depends on your personality and lifestyle. Consider that ‘morning people’ often like to get their 15 minutes in before they go to work. Other personality types prefer to take time during the lunch hour. Of course, there are also people who prefer to fit their 15 minutes of activity in after dinner – and that will work too.

 

No-cost activities

 

The Fit-in 15 program consists of three types of simple, no-cost activities: cardio activities, strength exercises and flexibility stretches. It’s important to vary these activities (take a walk and/or choose from the stretches and strength exercises that the program provides), and the only requirement is that you do something for 15 minutes every day.

 

Why cardio, strength and flexibility activities?

 

Cardio activities are good for your heart, lungs and circulatory system. And, moving your body feels great! To get started, walking is the simplest cardio activity you can do.

 

Strength exercises, such as biceps curls and pelvic lifts, focus on your muscles. Muscles help support all the joints in your body and are important for do-ability.

 

For example, without them you can’t open lids, or carry luggage, pets or young children!

 

Flexibility stretches are all about keeping you limber… for bending, reaching and turning with ease. Most people don’t stretch their muscles enough and wonder why they feel stiff and sore.

 

Your own personal coach

 

A little encouragement can go a long way, and Fit-in 15 also provides regular e-mail reminders, encouragement and praise for fitting in 15 minutes of activity a day. You go girl!

 

Change your life in 15 minutes a day

 

Keeping active will help improve your physical health, increase energy and put a smile on your face! And once Fit-in 15 activities become a habit – and they will in almost no time – you may want to schedule even more move-your-body time into your day.

 

 

Visit www.fitin15.ca for more information.

The Basic Characteristics of Exercise
By:  Dr. John A. Papa, DC, FCCPOR(C)

Regular exercise has long been identified as an essential element of good health.  Below is a brief summary regarding some of the basic characteristics of a balanced exercise program.

Aerobic or endurance exercise improves the body’s capacity to deliver oxygen to working muscles and organs.  Swimming, cycling, jogging, and power walking are a few examples.  It is recommended that an individual engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of endurance exercise at least three times per week.  Aerobic and endurance exercise benefits the cardiovascular system.  It is also a great way to help lose weight and control blood sugar levels.

Resistance or strengthening exercise enhances a muscle’s ability to contract and do work.  Strengthening exercises can vary from using fitness machines, simple dumbbells at home, rubber bands, or your own body weight.  Improving or maintaining strength is important for preserving and building bone density.  This can assist in preventing osteoporosis and the risk of fracture from falls.  Strengthening exercises can also boost metabolism and help keep a healthy body weight.

Flexibility exercises help maintain a joint’s complete movement or range of motion.  Stretching is the most familiar form of this type of exercise but it can also include activities such as Tai Chi, Pilates, and Yoga.  Holding a sustained stretch for 15 to 30 seconds can provide modest flexibility gains.  This type of exercise becomes especially important when preparing the body for any physical activity to help minimize the risk of injury.  Individuals with arthritic conditions can find this type of exercise extremely beneficial in helping them cope with stiff and painful joints.

The exercise components of intensity, duration, and frequency will influence how one progresses through an exercise program.  For example, someone performing the endurance portion of their exercise program of walking will find that after a short while they are able to walk quicker (intensity), longer (duration), and 5 days a week instead of 3 (frequency).  This same person also finds that they are progressing in their resistance program because they can now lift a heavier dumbbell (intensity), 8 times instead of 5 (duration), and 4 times a week instead of 2 (frequency).  A simple explanation for all of this is that your body is learning through exercise how to adapt to these positive stresses being placed upon it.  In order to keep progressing, the body must have a new stimulus placed on it every once in a while.  Of course there are limits to this, and sometimes switching the nature of the exercise you perform can be an adequate change in stimulus, resulting in continued health benefits from exercise.

A lifetime of regular aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercise is ideal, but it is never too late to start!  If you are over 35, have been sedentary for some time, or have a specific health condition or limitation, consult with a knowledgeable personal trainer or health care provider before beginning any new exercise program.

This article is a basic summary for educational purposes only.  It is not intended, and should not be considered, as a replacement for consultation, diagnosis or treatment by a duly licensed health practitioner.