Be healthy! Isogenics Participants listen! Lower cholesterol, now!  
By: Ethel Ramsay

The best way to live a longer and healthier life is to keep fit and stay fit. And to do that we should begin with three little words. diet, nutrition, and exercise.

Diet, a word we all loath, you just need know what the first three letters spell (do it in your head) . Now, don't succomb to a "diet" in a traditional, fad sense. A working and good diet is just simply: eat less, eat smart and watch fat and calorie intake. Now combine that with nutrition and exercise and it's winning combination! And keep in mind, that those who usually feel, look and cope the best, regularly exercise.

Somehow we've all gotten this idea that exercise should be painful - a thing to be endured and most certainly never enjoyed.

We know we should... but still it always seems easier to avoid than to face.

What if exercise were always fun, though? Then, we might be more likely to do it regularly and appreciate better health as a result.

Many older adults might also believe themselves too frail or weak to exercise. Nothing is further from the truth! Exercise improves not only physical health, but overall sense of well-being and confidence. In other words, once you begin, it only gets better.

So how to begin?

Experts recommend that, when starting an exercise program, you always consult a doctor first. When you speak with them, you will learn about the different types of exercise and what your body can best handle where you are now. Once you establish a routine and your body becomes stronger, you will progress - most likely to do things you wouldn't have thought possible before.

The two areas of physical training to keep in mind are 1) Stretch and Strength Training and 2) Aerobic Exercise. The former keeps you limber and relaxed as well as strong and stable. The latter helps keep your heart and lungs healthy. It may help to begin with only stretch and strengthening exercises if you haven't been very active recently; that training will help prepare your body better for the potentially more exerting aerobic exercise to come. Again, your doctor would know best which exercises and to what extent you should be challenging yourself.

It doesn't take much to squeeze physical activity into your daily life. Things as mundane as taking the stairs once instead of the elevator or simple housework can become the keys to maintaining your health. It is possible to add up the few minutes you spend on each activity, so that, by the end of the day, you have done the recommended thirty minutes of activity (or more!).

Everyone is an individual, and everyone's exercise program should reflect his/her needs and desires. If you prefer dancing to swimming - or lifting flower pots to carrying dumbbells - there are still plenty of options for you. You might want to exercise with a buddy or in a group for more motivation, or maybe this will be your chance to get the "alone time" you've been craving. The most important thing is to know that any little bit of activity you do - when properly guided - can help you live a healthier, happier and potentially longer life!

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