September Is Healthy Aging Month

Healthy Aging Month is an annual opportunity to raise awareness and focus on the positive aspects of growing older. The mission of Healthy Aging month is to encourage the senior population to incorporate habits like exercise, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and getting regular check-ups.

It is never too late to strive for a healthier lifestyle and improve yourself physically, socially, and mentally. Here are some tips to make sure you are striving to be the healthiest version of yourself:

EXERCISE

Movement is medicine! Exercise and physical activity help to:

• Control blood pressure
• Help prevent heart disease and stroke
• Lower risk of anxiety and depression

Exercise does not have to be complicated! Make sure to choose something fun and enjoyable, some examples include cycling, walking, dancing, swimming, weightlifting, or aerobics. The current recommendations for exercise are 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week and two days of strength training. When you break it down that is less than 22 each day if you did some type of activity.

DIET

Food is Fuel! Fueling your body properly helps to:

• Maximize your body’s potential
• Provide you with energy
• Build muscle
• Regulate blood sugar

Choosing the right types of food for YOU can make a big difference in how you feel and perform. Make sure you are choosing whole foods over processed foods. What are whole foods? Whole foods are foods that have been processed or refined as little as possible and is free from additives or other artificial substances. Whole foods are higher in fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants.

SOCIAL

Humans are social beings! Being social can help to:

• Beat loneliness
• Spark creativity
• Find new hobbies
• Find purpose

Being social brings happiness into many individuals’ lives! Research shows that staying social has many physical as well as mental health benefits. The National Institute on Aging says research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, depression, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer’s. A study also found that 60 year-olds who visited with friends almost daily were 12% less likely to develop dementia.

MENTAL

Mental health is just as important as physical health! Checking in with yourself often can help to:

• Accomplish goals
• Manage Stress
• Focus more on your abilities

Creek Fit offers Silver Sneakers Classes! Which is great for seniors! What is Silver Sneakers?

Our Silver Sneakers classes are low-impact classes designed to help seniors increase range of motion and build strength using both weight and resistance training. The class times are as follows:

Creek Fit North:

Mondays: 10:30am-11:30am with Fitness Specialist, Tim Martilotto

Wednesdays: 10:30am-11:30am with Fitness Specialist, Kelvin Greenleaf

Thursdays: 10:30am-11:30am with Fitness Specialist, Renee Cohen

Creek Fit South:

Tuesdays: 10:15am-11:15am with Fitness Specialist, Renee Cohen

Fridays: 10:15am-11:15am with Fitness Specialist, Kelvin Greenleaf