Introduction***

The Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter is written monthly, solely for information to help seniors, baby boomers and anyone who may have an interest in staying healthy, living a vigorous, active lifestyle and combating the aging process. It does not constitute the practice of medicine and is not meant to prescribe treatments. It is offered strictly as an educational aid. Any medical problems you may have, we recommend that you seek the help of your physician or other healthcare professional. Discussing your intentions with your doctor is always the proper procedure. The newsletter also includes know-how in the form of useful tips and links to more extensive material on the Internet. You may wish to share this newsletter by sending a copy to a friend, neighbor or relative and suggesting they subscribe to it.

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Healthfully Yours***

Historically the Holiday Season has been known to be a very stressful time for a great many people. It seems the holidays, combined with the winter weather play havoc with the body’s “circadian rhythm”. This is the body’s 24-hour inner clock. This becomes more apparent in the individual when they do not have the love and support of nearby family and friends. Loneliness is very palpable and the chief factor for the stress that plagues these individuals during this holiday season.

According to a National Institutes study conducted in 2000, BEFORE 9-11, stress, anxiety and mild depression affects nearly 50 million people in the United States. Unfortunately, the stress factor has been raised to an even greater degree during this holiday season. With the constant threat of terrorism that has reached our shores, we all live with that buried deep in our subconscious thoughts. Those of us old enough need only to reflect on events that have occurred in the past to stir up memories that have lain dormant these many years.

Sixty-one years ago our Nation lived through the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor and the war that followed--and we prevailed. Following that time to the present, we had other horrendous incidents. The bombing in Oklahoma City (1995)—and we prevailed. September 11, 2001, the destruction of the World Trade Center—and we prevailed. In October of 2002, the States of Maryland and Virginia were held hostage, causing a great deal of fear and anxiety by two criminal madmen, who went on a sniper-shooting rampage, shooting 18, including13 of whom died. The ensuing fear affected everybody in the Nation. The fear continued until they were taken into custody—and we prevailed.

The specter of war looms over our nation, and we must remain strong in our resolve to fight those who have resolved to take away our freedoms and change our way of life forever. Remaining strong not only means that we all have to be physically strong, but mentally strong as well, and we will prevail.

I apologize if the foregoing sounds like an editorial in a health newsletter, but it needed to be said if we will be able to cope with the stress we are all living under.

Stress, is the way we react to a physical or emotional situation. Stress can either be positive or negative in how we react. Our reactions will result in how we face certain situations. In some situations when faced with a challenge, we will choose to fight, in others we will run. Your stress anxiety threshold will determine what it will be.

Positive stress can be helpful in some situations, allowing the individual to deal with a given task and completing that task to their satisfaction. Once completed, they will be able to relax and be happy for having completed that task to their complete satisfaction. In other words, it will be a job well done. For some individuals, they will have to be under some stress to do these jobs.

Negative stress is when the individual can’t cope with a situation. Not being able to cope with a situation or given task, keeps the individual under stress so as to interfere with them from completing the task to their satisfaction. Relaxing under this scenario is impossible, and the individual remains fidgety. When this occurs, the individual’s health and well-being will suffer. The end result will manifest itself in various types of physical ailments, because of a weakened

Immune system caused by the stress.

To maintain your physical and mental health, the individual has to learn how to deal with stress. A starting point would be to analyze what your stressful situations are. Become aware of the things that set you off. Recognize such signs as tense muscles, clenching of teeth, and seething anger. When you learn to “listen” to what your body is trying to tell you, you can start to deal with stress. Read below in Health Hints in how best to cope and alleviate the stress in your life.

Health Hints***

Take the time to relax and practice some simple relaxation techniques. This a good starting point. These relaxation techniques will slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, prevent headaches and prevent your muscles from being abnormally tense.

Start with the simple technique of deep breathing slowly and deeply. This can be

performed in a sitting or standing position. Place your hands comfortably on your

stomach. Inhale slowly through your nose. You will feel your stomach rise. Hold your breath for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly while pursing your lips as if you were

whistling. You will feel your stomach deflating. Repeat this exercise at least 3 or 4 times during each session.

Another technique to add to your relaxation routine is visualization. In this technique you

will be using your imagination. Haven’t we all wished we were somewhere else? With this technique you will be doing just that. Free your mind of all extraneous thoughts and let it roam. Do you like the mountains, the seashore, skiing, horse back riding, boating, wherever or whatever, just let your mind go there. Allow yourself 10 to 15 minutes of quiet time while taking this mental vacation.

When stress affects the individual the muscles become tense. Stretching can be one of the greatest ways to overcome the tension. When stretching, you need to stretch the entire body, starting with the neck, arms, shoulders, upper back, lower back and legs. Stretching can be performed while sitting and standing. Start by tilting your head to the right, then to the left for a count of 12. Entwine your fingers raising your arms overhead, with the palms up, hold for a count of 12 and lower slowly.

Next stretch the upper and lower back. This is best done by sitting down. Sit at the edge of the chair with the feet flat on the floor and slightly spread. Let the arms drop between the legs and slowly lower your body as far as it can go without straining. At the lowest comfortable point, move your shoulders up and down in a spring-like motion for a count of 12.

While sitting, you can stretch the upper body. This can also be done while standing. Raise one arm overhead and tilt your body to the side with one arm lowered to the side. Repeat for a count of six and then finish by reversing the procedure, tilting to the opposite side.

The next and final stretch will be the legs. This is accomplished by standing with one leg on a low footstool or step, or even by placing 3 or 4 books on the floor. Lean forward as far as you can, keeping your back straight and try to touch your toes. You need not actually touch the toes. Straighten-up and repeat for a count of 6. Perform the same stretch with the other leg.

Exercise can be a very powerful force in your relaxation program. Find an exercise

program that suits you, and one you will be comfortable with. It should be a program that

challenges the total body, yet is a no impact exercise program. Once started you must dedicate yourself to it and should be performed on a daily basis, devoting 15 to 30 minutes to it, no ands ifs or buts. Dedication means that if you miss a day, you will feel guilty for having missed that day. To reach this point, you must stick with the program for 3 months. Generally, the finding is that People, who start an exercise program, will give up on it within 3 months. Three months seems to be the charm, and if they stay with it for at least the 3 months, they will stay with it.

Become more social in your reactions to others. Go out with a friend or neighbor for lunch or dinner. Utilize your local Community Center to meet other people and to socialize.

Do not hesitate to discuss your stress problem with a trusted friend. Their input will prove very helpful—so do not hesitate to open up to them—they want to help.

Try to find the time each day for some quiet time alone. Using the visualization techniques at this time would be very helpful. Listening to soothing music that you enjoy is also extremely helpful. Prayers can also bring solace and calm to a troubled soul.

Next remember, you are what you eat. When troubled, do not start on a food binge. Eat a nourishing balanced diet. Do not pig-out on junk foods that adds enormous amounts of calories without the needed vitamins and minerals. A mix of 50% carbohydrates, 30% proteins and 20% fats will keep you on the right track. Be sure that the fats are of the polyunsaturated and are not of the saturated or transfats variety. It is also wise to supplement your diet with a good multivitamin-mineral supplement. This will insure that you get the needed daily requirements of the essential vitamins and minerals lacking in your diet.

And finally, omit alcohol and caffeinated drinks. If you do drink, women should limit alcohol to one drink, and men to two drinks daily. Coffee should be limited to no more than two cups daily. And most importantly—if you smoke—STOP!

Not to over simplify the stress and anxiety one can go through, the above should be a great starting point to cope with it. However, if the individual has tried with the simple way to deal with this problem, they should by all means, seek help from their healthcare professional.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Healthy, Happy New Year and that Peace throughout the world will prevail.

Doc Cane

Copyright, Disclaimer, and Trademark information Copyrightă 1997-2002 Emanuel M. Cane. All rights reserved. Except stated below, this material or parts thereof may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed by any means whatsoever without explicit, written permission from the author.

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