Never Take Short Steps

George Burns once said that the key to stayingAgnes she shoulduse a walker, the doctor
young is toprescribes a strength buildingprogram for her. The
"Never take short steps." And there is much truthconversation would go something likethis, "Agnes,
to thatstatement.if you don't strengthen your legs, you'll soonhave
If you see a stranger approaching on theto use a walker. Let's get you into an exercise
sidewalk, you cantell about how old that person isprogramthat will make your legs and hip joints
by the way he or she walks.stronger so you canremain independent."
As we get older, our hip joints gradually becomeSometimes when I talk with a manager or
stiff, andit's easier if we take shorter steps. Thenactivity director ofan assisted living community
if we have a fall, weare afraid we might fall againand describe to them theexercises in my
and so we begin to walk verycarefully--withprogram, they say "Our people couldn't dothat."
shorter steps.And I want to say "That's why they need a
When those of us over 60 were young, we werestrengthexercise class." Most senior exercise
told thatwhen we got old, we should slow downprograms consist ofseated exercises. You cannot
and take it easy.build leg strength andimprove balance while you
The truth is that the older you get, the harderare sitting down.
you must workto keep your body strong and fit.Betty, who is 72, and has been strength training
I often tell the participants inmy strength trainingfor 9months, moves like she was about 32. If
classes that it isn't fair that the Creatordesignedyou watch herwalk, you would never guess her
our bodies so we must work harder each yearage.
atstaying fit. Wouldn't it be nice if we could remainWe in our society believe that we should become
strong bylying on the couch? But it does notlessindependent as we get older, but I see it
work that way.demonstratedevery day that this is not true.
When I visited my 97-year-old mother in Iowa, aInactivity causes many of theproblems of old age.
year agowhen she was still living independently,Fitness also helps keep your mind sharp. In Dr.
she could stand upunaided from a straightAndrew
chair--that is, without using herhands to help lift.Weils' Weekly Wellness Bulletin June 10, 2003, he
She recently fell outside her home andwhile shereporteda study which suggests that staying
was in a rehab center, a social workerphysically fit can help.
checkedthe house she had been living inResearchers at the VA Medical Center in San
independently. The socialworker announced thatFranciscotested mental and physical functions of
no longer would she be allowed toget her own349 adults age 55or older, all of whom were in
mail which required her to open the back doorandgood mental and physicalhealth. At the end of the
go down a couple of steps. She also would notsix-year study, those who had beenmost
beallowed to go in and out the front door withoutphysically fit at the outset showed the least
assistancementaldecline and vice versa. Researchers believe
--this also required two steps. I suggest thatthat exercisingmay help by supplying more blood
navigatingthese steps had been one of the thingsto the brain. Low bloodsupply to the brain has
that had helpedkeep her strong so she could livebeen linked to lower mental functionin older adults
independently.and Alzheimer's patients.
But the decision was made that she would moveRight now--regardless of your age, I am asking
to thenursing facility where she has been foryou to makethe decision this moment to take
several months. Andher legs have weakened socare of your body. Chooseto learn more about
that she can no longer standwithout pushing oryour body and how to take care of it. Eathealthy
pulling herself up.food, learn what supplements your body needs
I visited the exercise class at the nursing home. Itandtake them.
lastedabout ten minutes and consisted of simpleAnd--please exercise. If you have loved ones who
exercises donewhile seated with nothing thatare aging
would strengthen lower bodymuscles. My mother--whether they live independently or in a
says she attends the class, but "Itdoesn't amountretirementcommunity, encourage them to
to much."exercise--walk, join a gym,take a
Sometimes while I'm teaching a class, I feelclass--anything--just get moving.
angry--at oursociety for feeding us this story thatWhile any exercise helps, the most important
aging is supposed to bethis way--and at the menexercise youcan do is strength training--using hand
and women who have given uphope. So manyweights or bodyweight to help increase muscle
senior citizens have given up and arereconciled tostrength. Strength training isas near to the
becoming progressively more feeble. Nowonderfountain of youth as we have found. Alsoincluded
they feel depressed. I work with people whoshould be a good stretching program. Studieshave
cannotraise their arms over their heads, whoseshown that keeping your joints limber helps
shoulders are stiff,who cannot stand up from akeeposteoarthritis at bay.
chair without pushingthemselves, who shufflePlease get moving. Take brisk walks, stretch, lift
instead of walk.weights.
I also feel anger toward our medical system. I'mAnd remember to never take short steps.
lookingforward to the day when instead of telling