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A Perspective on Yoga from Live Love Flow

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By Jaime Scates Schmitz from LiveLoveFlowYoga.com

When Tony first asked me to do a piece for FitAfterFifty.com I was reticent: #1, I’m not 50 or even that close and #2, I cringe a bit whenever someone refers to me as a fitness guru . . . I am not.

In response to #1, I thought ‘What the heck do I know about being fit after fifty?’ And in response to #2, barring a car falling on my child, you will probably never see me lift a heavy thing.

I pushed through resistance item #1 when I thought of my amazing parents and my cute mom, who while still vital, attractive and lovely, is seeing her body wear down. Then I thought of my friend, student and current teacher-trainee, Nancy Richards, who at 64 moves like a 30-year-old in yoga, crushes it on the spin bike, hikes, bikes and skis. WOW. I’ll take that.

I pushed through resistance item #2 because I LOVE yoga (yes it’s a work out, but at its core it’s a spiritual practice of which the work-out is a tiny portion). I’m also happy to ride indoors to stay conditioned for mountain biking (my second greatest love behind yoga) and I believe all of the research about intense cardiovascular exercise increasing HGH, endorphins, serotonin etc. – I’ll take all of that because there’s nothing that I love more than feeling AMAZING.

As soon as Tony and I started the interview I knew it was a great idea. It was an opportunity to talk about my passions to a new audience.

Watch the interview here:

Yoga

Yoga is amazing for EVERYBODY. It’s especially amazing for bodies that want to age gracefully. In yoga, we move through our entire range of motion and all of our little accessory (rarely used) muscles. We also work tremendously hard on the core, which protects and lengthens the spine. Flexibility and balance are two of the first pieces of athleticism and health that people lose as they age, and yoga helps to improve those areas as well.

We spend a lot of time upside down in down-dog, forward-folds and inversions. These poses have amazing benefits to calming the parasympathetic nervous system and they are officially working against gravity – take that sagging skin! We do work incredibly hard, doing a lot of lunges, chattaranga pushups, side planks etc. We are using our own body weight to build bone density, which is another must for people over fifty!

Photo credit: Pixabay

Photo credit: Pixabay

So that’s just a tiny list of the health benefits of yoga. But my favorite thing about yoga in its ability to invite people to age gracefully is simply the fluidity and grace we introduce.

We hold so much tension and density in our bodies because it gives us the illusion of control. We also hold all of our pain, failure, drama and trauma as little energy nodules in the body called samskaras.

Everything in the universe, including humans, flows in an energetic pattern called a tube torus. When the tube torus is open and flowing freely we are clean, clear, bright, free and alive. In nature we can see examples of clean energy patterns flowing together. Nature balances, syncs, synergizes and coalesces with itself. We are intended to synergize in the same way and our tube torus is supposed to flow freely.

Sadly, due to all of the density, tension and samskaras we hold in our bodies (as well as a lot of external influences from the electromagnetic soup we swim in and the SAD – standard American diet) our energetic patterns are generally not flowing properly. We can see in the high rates of addiction that are currently in existence (I just read that while only 10 percent of Americans are truly addicted to alcohol, a full 30 percent are alcohol-dependent). Other examples include depression, numbing with the dumbing of American TV, the acceptance of hard-core violence and soft-core porn into our living rooms every night (not mine!), environmental degradation, poverty, famine, the sex trade of children, war, genetically modified food, disease etc. By all of these things, we see that we are clearly NOT syncing with nature in the way that was our birthright, in the way spirit intended for us.

In yoga, we move through our entire energetic sphere with grace and fluidity. When we do this with a burning desire to connect to consciousness, to cleanse our habits and our patterns, to free ourselves from our rigidity, to move higher, we just might make a little progress in that 60 – 75 minutes on our mats.

There’s something about moving with fluidity and grace, the way we do in yoga that also breaks down linear thinking. It helps us confuse the mind, move in a circle, play. Einstein said, “Confusion is the brink of discovery.” When we’re confused, doing something new, and pushing our edges we create new neural pathways (we’re pretty addicted to the ones we always use, and most of those stories aren’t so pleasant). So get a little lost, get a little confused, try something new, change your brain and explore that brink of discovery!

If we all work hard on cleaning up our own energy, elevating our own vibration, bringing ourselves into greater alignment and higher consciousness, then sooner or later that nasty list from above will start to shrink and lose it’s hold over humanity.

Vacation Fitness: Maintain Your Fitness Regimen on the Vacay!

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You have been working hard during your workouts, making good choices with nutrition and work-life balance, and you have seen improvements in your health over the last year. But then vacation and summer months arrive… with that comes schedule changes, opportunities to eat out, celebrations and gatherings. All of that is good and important, but can oftentimes make it difficult to keep up your normal healthy routine. It takes some advance planning and determination to succeed, but you CAN go on vacay and keep your commitment to fitness alive with a vacation fitness regimen.

First of all, don’t just give up and tell yourself you will pick things up once vacation is over. The summer months can be a series of mini-vacations, and that can mean a couple of months of no workouts if you just throw in the towel. You have worked so hard to get to where you are and backward slides can be discouraging. Be realistic and accept that it may be difficult to maintain your regular routine; but promise yourself to allow for an “adjusted program”. As with most things worthwhile, it is a mindset.

Tour vacations can mean schedules from morning to evening, but there are ways to sneak in more activities than you think. Here are some tips to make your vacation successful from a fitness point of view, as well as the sight-seeing side of things:

  • Do some checking around online before leaving home. You may be surprised to find a wide variety of workout facilities beyond just the hotel’s bare bones treadmill. Many fitness clubs, studios, and even personal trainers offer special arrangements for out of town travelers. Local parks have jogging trails and some lakeside facilities offer stand up paddle board yoga!
  • Your home gym may have sister gyms in other cities and for a nominal fee, you can take advantage of the services.
  • Photo credit Flickr user mikebaird

    Photo credit Flickr user mikebaird

    Think like an adventurer! Make sure one or more days of your vacay include a bike, kayak, scuba, or surfboard rental. Consider trying a totally new physical sport or experience since livin’ it up is what vacation is all about.

  • Pack along resistance bands in your suitcase. You can get an amazing full body workout with these things! Add a killer ab session, a jump rope and you are covered!
  • Don’t forget your workout togs and shoe options. This way you have removed any reasons to avoid workouts.
  • Make a diversion! As you are seeing the sights, take the long way around, or get off the tour bus completely and do it on foot. Find the closest hills or stair climb and make that a part of your route.
  • Paddle in the pond! Most hotels have at least a small pool. Even if you are not on a beach vacation, take along your suit and get some laps in or a full body water workout.
  • YouTube-it! The sky is the limit with just about every type of workout video for you to follow along with in your hotel room.
  • Ditch the rollers. Roller suitcases, that is. Pack all your essentials in two cases and carry balanced weight to and from your flight, hotel room, etc. This makes for a great upper body workout in the same time you would spend in transit, anyway!
  • Pedometer-it! Get a pedometer and/or fitness tracker to keep yourself aware of steps and activity level. This awareness will likely cause you to choose more active options and make better meal choices.
  • It’s all in the family. If your vacation involves visiting family and friends, instead of always gathering over food and drink, make walking dates to catch up and get some movement at the same time. Even casual hikes at nearby scenic destinations will make your visit that much more treasured.

The options are endless and the change of pace may just make you adopt some of these as a part of your fitness plan even once you return from vacation-land. It’s not an obligation, but an opportunity for adventure!

Getting Burned Doesn’t Get You Tanned-It Gets You Burned!

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You are working hard, staying disciplined, and building healthier choices into your life.  But if you don’t take care while working out outside to protect yourself from harmful UV rays, you could very well find yourself fighting skin cancer.  Just in time for hot summer days and plenty of outdoor gatherings; July is National UV Safety month.

Stay informed regarding sunburns, skin cancer and the most effective ways to prevent it.

 

Photo credit Wikipedia Commons.

Photo credit Wikipedia Commons.

Some things you may not know about skin cancer:

  • Exposure to UV radiation from the sun is the #1 cause of skin cancer
  • People who tan easily and rarely burn are also at risk for skin cancer. Tanning at all indicates increased melanin production in your skin which can then become either non-melanoma (basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers) or melanoma.
  • Melanoma is the most serious and most aggressive (fastest growing) form of skin cancer.
  • People with fairer skin, freckles, moles, and are fair-haired are more prone to skin cancer and need to take extra precautions.
  • In the US, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer.
  • If skin cancer is detected early, it is almost always cured: so watch your skin, know your moles, be aware of changing size, shape and color of areas of your skin.

Blocking UV rays is the first place to start in melanoma prevention.  Here are some easy ways to take action:

  • Cover up! Tightly woven fabrics that block out light are most effective.
  • Don’t forget your hat! Ideally, a wide brim hat also protects your ears, neck, eyes, nose, and forehead.
  • Use SPF 15 or greater to block both UVA and UVB rays.
  • Make sure your sunglasses are UV absorbent rated to block 99% of UVA and UVB rays.
  • Avoid the strongest rays. 10am to 4 pm are the hours of the most intense sun.

Practice lifelong skin cancer prevention by developing the habit or regular skin self-exams. Immediately after showering and in a well-lit room is the best place. Regular skin exams teach you what is normal for your skin and helps you to be more aware when there are changes.

Understand the “A, B, C, D, & E’s” of checking your skin:

A = Asymmetry (one half of the growth looks different from the other half)

B = Borders that are irregular

C = Color changes or more than one color

D = Diameter greater than the size of a pencil eraser

E = Evolving; this means the growth changes in size, shape, symptoms (itching, tenderness), surface (especially bleeding), or shades of color

See your doctor right away if you have any of these signs.

Stay fit, healthy, and stay safe out in the sun!

Functional Fitness: Is it For You?

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Perhaps the term “functional fitness” is new to you; perhaps how that would look in real life workouts eludes you.  It actually is a centuries’ old method of staying fit… working in real life the way our forefathers and mothers did.  Functional Fitness refers to workouts that utilize the main body motions to challenge your body to function the way it was intended, not just to look good at the gym or on the beach.  Experts in the field describe it as training for life, not training for events.

This 72-year-old woman works out at her neighborhood playground every day! Photo source.

This 72-year-old woman works out at her neighborhood playground every day! Photo source.

Our society finds most of us sitting at a desk or in a vehicle most of our day.  We schedule time at the gym or go for a run, but day in and day out functions do not challenge us to use our bodies in ways that we were meant to. Functional fitness training utilizes muscles to work the way they do in every day tasks such as twisting, flexing, squatting, pushing, pulling, lifting and lunging.

How many times do you know someone who works out at the gym regularly but pulled their back out doing a basic life move such as lifting their 5 year old or spreading mulch in the garden over the weekend?  They may have massive muscles, but they may not be “functionally fit”.

If every day movements such as going up and down stairs, bending to pick things off the floor, or reaching overhead causes you pain, then functional fitness can help you.

Proponents of Cross Training utilize functional fitness in their regime. Clients perform workouts that pursue core strength such as flexibility, coordination, and balance.  The exercises reflect real movements in real life that our ancestors performed daily on the farm.  Exercises are not isolating one muscle group such as traditional weight training does, but ones that work the whole body or at least multiple muscle groups.

If you have not exercised for a while or have a history of health issues, consult with your Dr. before starting.  Even those with back issues can adopt functional fitness into daily exercise.  It is key to understand the movements and proper form to insure good results and avoid injury.

Here are some great basic workouts of 10 functional fitness exercises, and here is a video about more.

Carbs, Schmarbs, What’s a Person to DO??

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Understanding carbohydrates and glycemic index can seem like a boring journey in to science and nutrition that few of us have time to take. However, a basic understanding of how our bodies process and metabolize these macronutrients can make a huge difference in our understanding and motivation of nutritional choices.

It is not enough to just “Avoid Carbs”. What are the different types of carbs and how do they affect the body?

Photo from here, labeled for reuse.

Photo from here, labeled for reuse.

Simple Carbohydrates are classified as simple sugars whose chemical structure has only one or two sugars. Examples of these are processed table sugar, products with white flour, honey, milk, yogurt, candy, chocolate, fruit, fruit juice, cake, jam, biscuits, molasses, soda and packaged cereals. Some of these foods such as fruit may still be good for you for the fiber and other nutrients they contain.

Complex Carbohydrates are those with a chemical structure made up of three or more sugars. These types of sugars are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. They take longer to digest and don’t elevate blood sugar levels as quickly as simple carbs do; thereby leaving you satisfied longer and less likely to overeat.

Photo from here, labeled for reuse.

Photo from here, labeled for reuse.

Diets with complex carbs over simple carbs are less likely to experience blood sugar surge and crashes which contribute to cell damage. This article is filled with nutritional-speak, but I urge you to read through it and glean what you can about the subject.

Typically, complex carbs are found in whole grain breads & cereals, vegetables, and many legumes.  Nutritional values in complex carbs tend to be much higher than those in simple carbs.

What is Glycemic Index and how does it affect your health as you make certain food and nutritional choices in your lifestyle of good fitness? This article on the American Diabetes Association site does a good job of explaining the Glycemic Index and provides short lists of examples of foods that have high, medium and low GI ratings (under 55).

Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In a nutshell the GI ranks carbohydrates in relationship to the immediate effect they have on blood sugar levels. Don’t assume this information is only important to those with diabetes. When carbs have a high GI (over 70 on the GI scale) and convert to sugar in your blood stream quickly, they are metabolized fast and leave you hungrier more quickly than low glycemic foods. Even for people with no issues with diabetes, this cycle plays a significant role in healthy eating and weight management.

Simply counting carbs without an understanding of “good” versus “bad” carbs can leave holes in your nutritional plan. Learn to choose low GI foods for more success in your fit lifestyle.

Life-Long Learning #2: Live Like It’s Your Only

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By Lynn Turcotte-Schuh

At 35 years of age, I know I am a young contributor for a group called Fit After Fifty – but I hope I can inspire you with my perspective. “Life-Long Learning” is a collection of thoughts I have been filing away while watching the generation before me. One of the most important things I have learned about growing older is that…

View from the top, mountain hike, Lake Tahoe, CA.

View from the top, mountain hike, Lake Tahoe, CA.

#2: You need to live each day like it’s your only. (Click here to check out lesson #1)

I know the saying is, “live each day like it’s your last”; but to me, that evokes too much melancholy. It makes you think of all the things you will be losing and makes it difficult to stay in the moment. I have re-worded the phrase to something much more positive and hopeful. “Live each day like it’s your only.” If you only ever had one day to live, you would do things very differently. Here is my list:

  • I would not be bothered by the little things that go wrong, instead I would be grateful to be having experiences and would take joy in the mundane.
  • I would surround myself with people who brought a positive energy and light into my environment rather than allowing someone to drain me or bring me down.
  • I would have appreciation and gratitude for every moment and I would make sure that I spent those moments with the people that mean the most to me, doing the things that mean the most to me.
  • I would care for my body to the best of my ability to show reverence for the amazing self that I am.
  • I would dare to go outside the box and try something that frightened me a bit. I’m not talking sky diving here, but maybe striking up a conversation with someone new.
  • I would hug a little longer, kiss a bit more often, and hold my baby as tight as she would allow for as long as she would allow.
  • I would laugh, really hard, as many times as I could.
  • I would say “thank you” to the universe for giving me this one, perfect, amazing day.

Luckily for us, we don’t have only one day to live – we have a whole lifetime. Whether that lifetime lasts for 20 years or 90, would it really matter if we lived each of our days as if it were our only?

Screen Shot 2014-04-11 at 10.59.37 AMLynn Turcotte-Schuh lives with her family in Voluntown, CT on 14 acres of beautiful nature.  She was certified as a Health Coach in July of 2011 through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  She is a member of the International Association of Health Coaches and the American Academy of Drugless Practitioners as well as a Team Member at Nutrisults, a company poised to help people age gracefully. 

In 2013, Lynn founded Happy Mama Wellness – an organization whose mission is to help parents model healthy behaviors in all areas of life so that our children can be the next generation of leaders in the wellness revolution.

Surprising Anti-Aging Benefits of Astaxanthin

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A fit and healthy lifestyle yields not only benefits to our physical fitness, but our appearance and more importantly, our bodies’ abilities to fight disease.  Today’s post will focus on some emerging information regarding astaxanthin and it’s powerful abilities to protect our skin as it ages and reduce inflammation associated with arthritis and other inflammation issues.

What is astaxanthin? Astaxanthin (pronounced “asta-ZAN-thin”) is a naturally-occurring carotenoid found in algae, shrimp, lobster, crab and salmon. Carotenoids are pigment colors that occur in nature and decrease th4e risks of cancers and certain eye disease. Astaxanthin considered the most powerful naturally occurring carotenoid is found in the muscles of salmon.

Natural vs synthetic: There is much debate over natural vs synthetic forms of astaxanthin, but suffice it to say that the studies cited here on the benefits of astaxanthin all used the non-synthetic form of astaxanthin.  There are substantial dissimilarities between the two forms. In other words, the proposed human health benefits cannot also be assumed as true for synthetic astaxanthin.

Known health benefits from astaxanthin:astaxanthin

  • Cardiovascular health and sports recovery
  • Eye and brain health
  • Skin and Joint benefits
  • Muscle endurance
  • Antioxidant benefits for skin/sunscreen
  • Anti inflammatory properties for joint issues such as arthritis, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome

astaxanthin1Studies Support Health Benefits of astaxanthin:

  • A 2009 study conducted by the NIH concluded that astaxanthin functions as a powerful antioxidant has a “superior preventive effect” towards changes in skin cell culture caused by damaging sun exposure.  Environmental stressors such as smoke, pollution, and damaging UV light inflict damage at the cellular level, causing skin to prematurely age. Antioxidants do their work by buffering the skin and bind free radicals before they can do harm.
  • In a 1998 study, astaxanthin was found to be 100 times stronger than beta-carotene and 1000 times stronger than lutein in preventing UVA light-induced oxidative stress.
  • A Japanese study saw marked improvement is the skin of 40-year-old women after only two and four weeks of 2mg daily consumption of astaxanthin.  Improvements noted were increased skin tone and elasticity, fewer fine lines and wrinkles, better overall moisture, and less puffiness under the eye. [Yamashita, E. (2002). “Cosmetic Benefit of Dietary Supplements Containing Astaxanthin and Tocotrienol on Human Skin.” Food Style. 21 6(6):112-17]
  • Subjects in a Canadian study ages 35-55 all showed improvements in 12 weeks after using various topical and dietary combinations of astaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids.

How to take astaxanthin: Although there is not standard recommended dose, the various studies cited used 2-6 mg daily.  Keep in mind that Astaxanthin is fat-soluble.  This means it is best absorbed into your system (and reaps the most benefits) when it is taken along with a healthy source of fat.

Consider taking astaxanthin for the many health benefits noted here, but no supplement or ingredient is the magic aging cure.  Living an all around healthy and active lifestyle is the #1 method to age beautifully and well!

Interested in trying Astaxanthin? It’s available on Amazon.com, or the Vitamin Shoppe, and even at your local Walgreens.

The information included here is not intended to diagnose or promote treatment for health ailments. Always consult with your health practitioner before taking any supplement.

Sources:

Stay Hydrated for Your Workouts as the Weather Heats Up

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Warmer weather is upon us, as well and fun opportunities for taking our workouts outside. Along with higher temperatures is an increased risk of dehydration. We all know that we should stay hydrated, but opinions on when, what, and how to do that can vary.

Photo credit: Pixabay user Hans.

Photo credit: Pixabay user Hans.

Any sustained exercise results in greater fluid loss as we sweat more.  Exercise in the heat increases this dramatically.  As we sweat, we lose important electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, chloride. Loss of fluids and these electrolytes can cause a drop in blood glucose as well as muscle glycogen.  When that happens, not only is performance reduced, but as our bodies become dehydrated, the risk of muscle cramps, fatigue, electrolyte deficits, and even hypernatremia (elevated sodium levels in the blood) can be life threatening.

Perhaps the most important time to consume fluids is two hours prior to a workout.  When you begin your workout well hydrated, you reduce the risk of getting dehydrated so quickly.  Consume 20 fl. oz. of liquids 2 hours prior to starting any strenuous exercise.

During exercise, if your body loses 1% of body weight in fluids, cardiovascular strain occurs and muscle performance is affected. Consuming fluids frequently (3-8 fl oz. every 15 minutes) will prevent dehydration.  Drinking water is sufficient if you are exercising less than an hour, but additional carbohydrates and electrolytes must be consumed to help maintain the proper levels of blood glucose when pushing yourself over an hour of strenuous exercise.  Sports drinks are not the only way to go; Coconut water, Green tea, low fat Chocolate milk, fruit juices, small portions of bananas or dried fruits and nuts can all help replenish your system.

If you do go for sports drinks read your labels carefully. There is not enough space in this post to look detail at sports drinks options, so suffice it to say that there is a lot of junk packaged as sport/energy drinks and we encourage you to read labels and educate yourself. This article may help and begins to explore  healthy options to replenish your body’s needs during and after a workout.

Until then, happy workouts and stay hydrated!

Exercise Safety for 50+

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June is national Safety Month. Injuries of all types are a leading cause of disability for people of all ages – and they are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 44. However, many injuries can be prevented when people practice safe behaviors. For those of us over 50 who want to continue with a vibrant and active lifestyle, taking care to stay injury free is a priority.

Photo from here.

Photo from here.

Before starting any exercise program, answer the following questions for exercise safety:

  1. Have you checked with your Dr.? Especially if it has been some time since you have exercised regularly or if you have since had some health issues, this is important.
  2. Are you more than 20 pounds overweight?
  3. Are you currently on any medication that needs to be considered along with an exercise program?
  4. Do you have any chest pain while engaged in physical activity?
  5. Is balance or dizziness an issue while being more physical?
  6. How are your joints? Especially your knees, hips, or back?
  7. Do you have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or arthritis?
  8. Do you smoke?

If you answer yes to any of the above questions, check in with your doctor so she can work with you on a program that keeps any health factors in mind.

Once you do get clearance from your Dr. and if it has been a while since you have had any regular activity, remember to start slow. Jumping in with a challenging workout can start you off with terrible stiffness and even injure yourself. Work up to more challenges gradually.

Set a regular exercise schedule so that it becomes a habit. When your body becomes accustomed to being challenged on a regular basis each week, you are less likely to have injuries, your balance and strength will improve, and you will be able to step up to more challenges.

Pay attention to your body and learn to “hear” its cues. If you feel sharp pain or feel just plain lousy, you could be injured or coming down with a virus. Dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, red/swollen joints; all are reasons to back off and schedule an appointment with your Dr.

Ready to start? Remember to warm up and do some gentle stretching , especially before starting cardio. Understand the difference between Dynamic and Static Stretching. Static stretching can actually tear or pull muscles, so some easy walking before stretching is helpful.

Mild discomfort or a mild pulling sensation is normal, but stretching should never cause pain, especially joint pain. If you feel pain, stop at once and consult your health care provider.

Never bounce into a stretch — make slow, steady movements to help your muscles stretch naturally.

Here is a good video on some basic stretches.

If you have joint issues, keep low impact workouts in mind. Low impact options include Yoga, cycling, Tai Chi, gardening, walking, swimming, and weight training.

Building Balance – Things to Do to Improve Your Stability

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Yet one more issue to add to the list of things that can creep up on us as we age: balance. While balance issues are commonly associated with the aging process, it is not a given that we should just throw in the towel and shrug it off as inevitable.

It is important to understand the factors that affect balance as well as learning what you can to minimize balance issues and even re-gain lost balance to improve your stability.

globegiftastic__1290404257_7250Balance requires the interaction between your inner ear, your vision, and the muscles and joints from your feet up through your spine.  The brain processes the information transmitted from each of these areas and gives your body the information needed to manage balance.  When all three are working well, you have a good sense of your spatial positioning.

The aging process causes loss of muscle mass, overall strength, fading eyesight, and the decline of inner ear functioning. When one or all three of these areas are degenerating, your brain signals are thrown off and balance is adversely affected.

It stands to reason that improving muscle mass and practicing balance exercises can not only arrest further balance loss, but even re-gain levels of balance already sacrificed.

The foremost predictor of frailty in old age is a weak quadricep or thigh muscle. Daily squats and balance exercises can all make a significant difference to your balance.

General strength training helps to maintain Type II muscle fibers, the muscles that are needed to help us shift our weight to prevent falls.

Here are some foundational balance exercises to get you on the road to re-gaining loss balance and also reducing any more loss in your balance.

  1. Any core building exercises such as planks and bridging.
  2. General weight training or resistance-band workouts.
  3. Walking with one foot directly in front of the other and standing on one foot are two exercises that can be done daily while brushing your teeth!
  4. Bosu ball exercises to build dynamic balance.

Remember that a vital, healthy life includes confidence and strength for fun, new adventures ahead.  Maintaining and building good balance is the place to start.