Fitness is important for everyone, but it is especially important for seniors. If you've decided to begin exercising and leading an active lifestyle then you've taken the first step toward great health. Even if you've led a fairly sedentary lifestyle until now, you can start being active at any age. You might check with your doctor, though, just to be sure you're ready to get started. You should certainly check with your doctor if you have heart problems, you feel chest pain when you are active or at any other time, you regularly lose your balance, you have difficulties with your bones or joints that might get worse with increased activity, or you take prescription drugs for serious health issues. Once you get the okay from your doctor, you're ready to start building your active lifestyle.

The best way to begin creating an active lifestyle is with a fitness plan. Seniors should focus on four main areas of fitness. First, set your sights on endurance. These are activities that can strengthen your heart rate and breathing over a long period of time. Activities like walking, biking, running, stair climbing, hiking, team sports, and swimming fit in this category. You should try to engage in thirty minutes of endurance exercises each day. The next main area of fitness you should focus on is strength. Strength building activities help build muscle, reinforce joints, and add to bone density over a period of time. Activities like working with a weight machine, enrolling in a martial arts class, or rowing will help to build strength. You should try to build strength training exercises into your active lifestyle plan three to five days each week. Another area of fitness you should focus on is flexibility. These activities, like daily stretching exercises, can increase your ability to move. Other activities that fall into this category are yoga and various forms of dancing. Build at least ten minutes of stretching into your routine every day. The final area of focus is balance. Balance exercises can keep you from debilitating falls. Balance workouts can include Tai Chi and general posture exercises. This component should be built into your other workout routines.

Sometimes it is difficult to stay motivated with your fitness plan. There are a number of things that might make you want to quit working out. If you are bored with your activities, you are more likely to stop doing them. That is why it is essential to choose activities that you like. If you hate swimming, don't enroll in water aerobics. Another reason people leave their fitness plan is a lack of time. If you don't make your workout a priority, you won't make time for it. You should also vary your fitness routine. Doing the same activity over and over again can get incredibly boring. However, if you walk two days a week and go to the gym three days a week, you might stay interested. Challenging yourself can also infuse life into your fitness routine. Plan a long term goal and then try to reach it. Your goal could be something as complex as a triathlon, or as simple as walking for forty minutes a day instead of fifteen. Choosing someone to workout with may also help you stick with it. If you don't have a neighbor you would enjoy exercising with, try joining a local health club or mall walkers group. Chances are good that you might find someone to talk with and exercise with. Finally, be sure to reward yourself often. Think about what you would look forward to, then build in a special rewards day if you've met your fitness goals for the month.

Exercise isn't the only way to stay healthy, though. It is also important to lead an active lifestyle. For example, choose to take a vacation that involves whitewater rafting instead of sitting by the pool and eating junk food. Also, instead of spending every night in front of the television, try going dancing a few nights a week. The final key to a healthy lifestyle is nutrition. Read labels and try to keep a food diary. It will help you keep track of whether or not you are eating well. Active lifestyles are an important building block to good health.

Shaping and toning the waistline is one of the top areas of concern for both men and women of all ages. Go to any gym and you’ll see dozens of people lining up for belly dancing, crunch classes, and anything else that promises to shrink your waistline fast. The fact is that shaping and strengthening any part of the body always takes time and you typically have to wait two to three weeks before you can tell any real difference. The waistline in particular can be a challenging area to tone, but if you stick with it you will see results.

Most people want their waistlines to be slimmer for appearances’ sake, but the government is concerned about waistlines for an entirely different reason. Several independent scientific studies over the past few years have shown that men with a waist measurement greater than 40 inches and women with a measurement greater than 35 inches are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Think about it that way and it becomes even more important to slim the waistline down and keep it toned.

Shrinking your waistline should be addressed with a two-pronged plan: diet and exercise. It’s not much use to spend hours working on the waist if you go out and eat a burger and fries afterward. The most successful programs to shape up the body address both exercise and food intake to increase the odds of success. When you’re talking about slimming the waist, there will be some measure of fat reduction involved and that requires exercise as well as the proper diet to fuel your body and avoid empty calories that lead to more fat. You can see that in order to get the best results you need address more than one area; hence the exercise and diet approach.

Thinking about diet, there’s not really a need to go on any specific diet to see results. Simply maintain a healthy diet that incorporates plenty of vegetables and fresh fruit as well as adequate protein and unsaturated fat. Keep a food journal to track your meals and exactly what is going in your mouth and body every day. This can be a powerful tool to identify problem areas and cravings. One thing you may want to avoid while working on the waistline is too much fiber. Since fiber is bulky, it fills the stomach up faster but it can also lead to bloating. To have the flattest stomach possible, avoid eating too much fiber without pairing it with plenty of water or fresh fruit to help move it through the system. Also cut back on sodium to avoid bloating from water retention. The typical adult diet contains more than 3500 mg of sodium – over one thousand milligrams more than the recommended daily allowance. Smart people will cut back on sodium not just to avoid bloat but to decrease risk of high blood pressure and kidney disease.

You’re eating healthy and keeping a daily journal to track your food intake. Now what? It’s time to think about cardiovascular exercise! There are some cardio exercises that are better than others for toning, but if you have fat around the middle you need to lose that first before concentrating on toning and shaping the muscles of the middle. Excellent activities that promote weight loss are swimming, brisk walking, and interval training. Swimming is among the highest calorie-burning activities because of the way the water supports your body. Since your muscles don’t have to split attention between keeping your frame upright and moving you forward, they will expend more effort (calories) in propelling you through the water. Swimming is also great because water requires a greater effort to push against it and move forward, requiring greater effort from muscles. Thus you burn a larger amount of calories and fat.

Brisk walking is also good for burning calories but try to stay away from flat surfaces and instead walk in hilly areas that will surprise and challenge your muscles. You duplicate that effect by using a treadmill that has an adjustable incline. Some treadmills have programs that replicate walking in a hilly area and adjust the incline throughout the workout to strengthen and tone more than one area. Include arm movements with your walk and you boost your heart rate and metabolism, firing more calories in the process. Interval training is a good choice as well because of the amount of calories you can burn during a workout. It can incorporated with brisk walking whether you’re at the gym or on the street; simply make sure your strength training equipment is nearby so you can switch from cardio to strength training quickly and easily.

Burn the fat away from your middle and you’re halfway to having the waistline of your dreams. The last step of the successful waistline shrinkage program is to work the waist with toning exercises. Performing sit-ups is a time-honored method of firming the stomach but won’t really make your waistline any smaller. Instead, try a hula-hoop (seriously!) or take a waistline-focused class from your gym. Belly dancing is also great for slimming the sides and can burn a fair amount of calories, but don’t let it take the place of your regular cardio workout. Cover all your bases with diet, exercise and toning, and before you know it your waistline will be slim and trim!

Once you decide to start an exercise routine you will want to make sure that

you can optimize your comfort level during your workout. Much of what you

end up choosing will boil down to what feels comfortable to you. Buying a

replica of your friend’s workout wardrobe may become a return headache

unless you know that those pieces are going to work for you first. With this

in mind, there are a few keys to picking out the best pieces for your fitness

apparel.

The fabric of the workout clothes you purchase is going to determine much

of your comfort level. Moisture wicking materials will keep you feeling

comfortable the longest during the sweatiest parts of your workout. For

running and high-impact workouts, material that will pull the moisture away

from your body will keep you the driest. Apparel that advertises moisture

wicking fabric will cost a little more, but will be worth it. If your workout is

going to produce a lower amount of sweat, polyester, cotton and spandex

blends, and velour are recommended. Just remember that the look of

workout apparel can be deceiving and will mean nothing if it is made with

impractical fabric.

Now that you are committed to buying apparel made with appropriate

workout materials, you will want to know which cuts will work best for

specific activities. If you are going to be outside walking, jogging or running

in various weather conditions, comfortable layers that can be removed easily

and tied around your waist, or placed in a pocket, will suit you best. The

layer closest to your skin should be a tank or long-sleeve (depending on the

temperature) made from one of the moisture relieving fabrics like nylon,

Supplex, Coolmax, polypropylene or Thermax. A sweatshirt or fleece vest

can be worn over the first layer, and all of this can be topped with a rain

protective jacket. For your lower half, there are a lot of moisture wicking

pants, which even come in thermal styles for warmth, that can be worn alone

or with a top layer of Cirrus pants, which breathe and repel water. Don’t

forget to bring a knit cap or hat. The least bit of wind chill will leave you cold,

especially when you pick up a little speed.

If you are going to be working out in a gym or in your home, it is also a good

idea to start with layers. A tank with a t-shirt that you can remove once you

get warmed up, along with spandex tights which can have loose fitting shorts

thrown over them, will guarantee your free movement and range of motion.

Wearing a t-shirt throughout a workout will often become cumbersome for

any activity from yoga to lifting weights, so try to use them only for layering.

Yoga and Pilates are comfortable in loose, but stretchy enough to retain their

shape, pants, Capri’s and shorts. Tanks with scoop or slight v-necks are

versatile for the weight room or step-class. For women, a tank should either

leave enough room for a supportive, athletic bra, or should already include a

quality, built-in-bra. Look for nylon, Lycra or spandex blends for your indoor

workout apparel.

A lot of fitness enthusiasts are wearing loose fitting, athletic shorts made of

jersey cotton, or nylon with polyester, over a base of cotton mixed with

Lycra shorts. This provides a base layer to deal with moisture and a top one

to deal with warmth and comfort. Lose fitting shorts can also be worn over

ankle length spandex pants or tights. Another benefit from wearing these

combinations is that you don’t have to feel like you is going skin-tight, yet

you can enjoy the dryness and versatility of your base layer.

Buy a few pieces for outer and inner layers that are of quality fabrics which

will let your skin breathe and keep it from chaffing. A workout should be

done in as comfortable clothes as possible so you can focus on the muscles

you are working and you’re breathing. Your layered pieces, matched with

socks that are not too thin or too thick, and supportive sneakers, will help

you get the most out of your workout.

Short periods of sensory deprivation can be relaxing. Sensory deprivation can be achieved by using such simple devises such as blindfolds and earmuffs. Devices that are more complex can cut the sense of smell, touch taste, sense of heat or cold and gravity. Sensory deprivation methods have been used in psychology experiments and for torture. Extensive sensory deprivation can result in hallucinations, depression, bizarre thoughts, and extreme anxiety. The five methods of sensory deprivation are:

Confined to a room with loud and/or hissing noises.

Deprivation of sleep.

Putting a hood over the head to keep out any sight or sense of light

Standing for long periods in a “stress position.”

Deprivation of food and drink.

We are going to concentrate on the good that Sensory Deprivation Methods can do for your psyche.

One form of sensory deprivation to increase relaxation is called a float tank. This float tank is kept at skin temperature, and you are kept buoyant in a pool of water that is 25% saturated with Epsom salts. This makes the water denser and more buoyant than seawater. The float tank shuts out 90% of the environmental stimulation that affects the muscles, nervous system and sense organs of the body. Without the external stimulants, your body can relax and feel you body go to a deeply relaxed state.

Your ears are under water so sound is blocked out. Some float tanks have gentle music that is piped in to heighten the relaxation process. It makes you feel like you are floating on a sea of music. While relaxing in warm water, listening to gentle music your mind can focus on other thoughts and not just on your body which results in a state of relaxation more restful than sleep.

Stress related chemicals such as adrenaline, cortical, and lactate are removed from the blood stream and replaced by the endorphins. These endorphins are natures own body drug that makes people happy. This increases feelings of well-being, relieves chronic pain and fatigue, and improves higher brain function such as memory and learning. Best of all, no special training is required, just lie back, and let your mind and body go.

While your body is in a state of total relaxation, your brain remains awake. It doesn’t have to work on processing signals from you nervous system and sense organs so it can go into a slow dreamy state known as theta state. While your brain is in this mode, your creative and inspirational thought processes are enhanced. You find your self in this theta state the whole time you are in the float tank. You can not reach the theta state unless you are sleeping, but in the float tank it is easily acquired.

Those of us who have demanding life styles can benefit from the float tank as it immediately can reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Other tension related maladies such as migraines, insomnia and back pain are also helped. The mental and physical effects of being buoyant in the water improve your sense of well-being and your powers of self control. Unwanted habits and negative emotions seem to melt away with the tensions and stresses that accompany them.

Athletes are using the floating technique to enhance their performance and stamina. Carl Lewis prepared for the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and won the gold medal. The Dallas cowboys are said to have been using float tanks since 1981 to help the physical and psychological skills of the team. The Australian Institute of Sports began using float tanks in 1983. They find that floating can maximize the benefits of fitness training. The deep relaxation of the float tank speeds up the growth and regeneration of muscle tissue. Floating has also been found to speed recovery from injuries and the endorphins that are released help reduce the pain.

Float tanks have been used in clinical laboratory conditions and studies show that there are no negative side effects of floating. It’s noted that floating gives you all the benefits of sleep and greatly improves the quality of day to day living by helping your body to relax and your mind become more efficient.

Aloe Vera has long been a popular houseplant. It is a succulent plant, a member of the lily and onion family. Aloe Vera has been found described in writings in many different cultures and as far back as the Greek, Egyptians, and Roman eras. References have also been found in writings from the Indian and Chinese early cultures. I remember my Mother grabbing a piece off her aloe Vera plant and applying its gel to a burn or minor wound. The aloe Vera gel comes from the inner portion of the leaves. For pharmaceutical use as a laxative, the aloe juice is taken from the tubules just beneath the outer skin of the leaves. It’s a bitter yellow and dried to become aloe granules that are dark brown in color. This is from being exposed to the sun

Aloe gel has been used for topical treatment for minor wounds and burns and skin irritations for centuries. Made into a beverage and taken internally, it has been used to help many other conditions. Some of them are constipation, ulcers, diabetes, headaches, arthritis, and coughs. Taking aloe internally does have side effects, which can include pain, electrolyte imbalances, and diarrhea.

There have been scientific studies made to determine whether aloe gel can influence wound healing if taken internally. There isn’t enough evidence to determine if it does promote healing from the inside out, but enough testing has been done to know that it does if applied externally help with treating the above mentioned conditions. It has been determined that it can also help with treating minor vaginal irritations.

Some key points to remember about aloe Vera are:

Internal use of aloe gel has not been successfully proven to be effective against any disease.

Aloe latex, another derivative of the aloe Vera plant has been approved by the FDA in use in over the counter laxatives.

Aloe skin care products have not been scientifically proven to be effective as per their claims.

Aloe Vera has been given wonderful names such as the Burn Plant, Medicine Plant, Plant of Life and Wand of Heaven plant. Cleopatra was said to have used aloe-vera in their regular daily beauty routines. Aloe supplies were said to have been used by Alexander the Great to treat his wounded soldiers.

Aloe Vera is best used when used fresh from the plant. It doesn’t store well but can be bought as a preserved product. Aloe Vera can be used topically as well as taken internally, although as mentioned there is no concrete scientific proof of healing form the inside out. It has been used for mouth sores, what we call stomach sores, or cold sores.

Aloe Vera has been especially helpful of patients with severe and various skin diseases. It acts as a rejuvenating action. It acts as a moisturizer and hydrates the skin. After being absorbed into the skin, it stimulates the fibroblasts cells and causes them to regenerate themselves faster. It’s the cells that that produce the collagen and elastin so the skin will get smoother and look younger.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is said to affect as many as 12 million people just in Britain alone. Symptoms include:

Swollen abdomen

Unpleasant tastes in mouth

Diarrhea alternating between diarrhea and constipation

A diminished appetite

Stomach pains that occur low in the abdomen and frequently.

Gas and belching along with a rumbling in the gut in the bowel area.

General feeling of depression and lethargy.

Heartburn

Because Aloe Vera is natural, it works gently within the intestinal tract to help break down food residues that have become impacted and help clean out the bowel. When the bowel is cleaned out, it greatly reduces bloating, discomfort, and helps ease stress, which only leads to more attacks of irritable bowel syndrome. The sufferer of Irritable Bowel Syndrome must also begin watching his or her diet, as there are some foods that are triggers for an attack. We should stress that professional help should be obtained at the earliest onset of abdominal problems and pains.