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How can exercise help as we age?

It's never too late to start exercising and as we age, remaining physically active is crucial to staying healthy and independent. By taking part in 30 minutes of exercise five times a week - even in three lots of ten minutes - you can reap the benefits of a healthy later life.

"You can reap the benefits of a healthy later life”

Different types of exercise will have different benefits and research shows we need a little bit of everything to stay in tip-top condition. There may be more specific exercises you need to do for certain health conditions. Always check with your GP before starting any new exercise.

To maintain an overall level of fitness as we age, we need to focus on maintaining or improving our:

• strength, to keep steady and maintain our ability to carry out tasks such as walking and climbing the stairs
• power, to improve our reactions and co-ordination
• bone density, to prevent fractures in the future
• balance, to stay upright and prevent falls
• stamina, to improve the cardiovascular system and keep free of disease
• flexibility, to perform a range of movements for everyday tasks

Help the Aged has more information on different types of exercise to help you age healthily and has produced exercise books, videos and DVDs specifically for older people to stay active as they age.

www.helptheaged.org.uk

• Buy a fitness machineAchieve new levels of fitness in the comfort of your own home.

Copyright © 2007 Help the Aged

This information has been provided by the Help the Aged, an international charity working hard for a world in which older people are valued for their contribution to society, involved in their local communities and fulfilled in their needs, hopes and aspirations.

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