There are things that we can count on one hand that we fear as we age. These fears include disease, disability, and dementia. Exercise can reduce the chances of these, ease the symptoms or improve the overall quality of life and health while living with them. Thus, even if you are living with something like Parkinson’s you should still be exercising! Instead of resigning to the idea that all of these just come with age or that there is nothing you can do – I challenge you to take a firm grasp of what you can do and empower yourself.
Below I share some resources and articles that speak to each of these.
Chronic Disease
- CDC Publication – about the benefits of exercise.
- US Department of Health &. Human Services article about the importance of physical activity.
- Parkinson’s Foundation – tips on exercising with Parkinson’s.
Dementia
- Tufts University – article about fighting the disease with exercise.
- http://now.tufts.edu/articles/fighting-alzheimer-s-nutrition-and-exercise
- The EU Joint Programmer- Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) – highlights a recent study regarding exercise and lowered dementia risk.
- NPR – story discussing how brain power is not necessarily an inevitable part of aging.
Disability
- Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation – highlight how to stay active through fitness with paralysis.
- Resources regarding how to exercise with limited mobility.
- CDC – publication discusses the importance of exercise for those with a disability.
I encourage you to do your research within and outside these resources. There are fitness professionals like me out there that are looking for people like you to improve your quality of life – whatever quality that means to you! Whatever you do, push yourself to move better so you can better do what you like to do and want to do, easier, better and with less discomfort.
