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National Senior Health & Fitness Day - May 23, 2014 - Age Well, Live Well

National Senior Health & Fitness Day

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."Corinthians 10:31

The ideal retirement snapshot usually has a beautiful house by the beach with an older couple sitting on the porch watching the sunset.  But this picture would only truly be complete if the couple were in good health.  In order to make such pictures real, for the past 20 years the last Wednesday in May has been dedicated to promoting health and fitness among older adults. 

This year on May 28th, 100,000 adults will participate in fitness activities to celebrate the 21st National Senior Health & Fitness Day (NSHFD).  This event is the largest annual health promotion event for older adults. More than 1,000 locations in all 50 states that include hospitals, park and recreation departments, senior centers, health clubs, retirement communities, houses of worship, health departments will offer fitness activities. Some of the activities on this day will include fitness walks, low-impact exercises, health screenings, and health information workshops. 

National Senior Health & Fitness Day banner

The intention of this event is to promote awareness of the health benefits of exercise among older adults and to encourage them to take part in fitness community programs.  An exercise program helps increase strength and flexibility, retains bone mass, reduces the risk of fracture, builds muscle strength, aids in weight loss, lowers blood pressure, and decreases depression and anxiety.  In fact an article in Senior Fitness Bulletin says, "an active person will decline physiologically only by about 1/2 percent per year compared to an inactive person who will decline by about 2 percent."

Women posing for photo

Exercise is a key component of a healthy lifestyle.  But, a lot of older adults shy away from it considering the vigorous grueling nature of many programs.  This is where the NSHFD plays a pivotal role.  Participants will be introduced to some of the low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, and stretching among others. People can then choose one that is convenient and fits their lifestyle.

For more information on how to participate you can also check out www.fitnessday.com.

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