You may have heard the saying, "The way to health is to walk." ”
There is indeed some truth in this sentence, walking can not only exercise the body, but also relax the mind, and long-term perseverance is good for our body, but is this sentence still applicable to the elderly over 70 years old?
What should the elderly pay attention to when going out for a walk? Is there anything special about it? Now that the cold winter is coming, it is recommended that you read this article before going out to exercise.
1. Research has found that walking exercise can not only keep fit, but also prevent dementia!
Walking is a very basic and easy exercise to do in our daily life, it not only helps with physical health, many people don't know it, it can also help our mental health.
Alzheimer's disease, a disease that affects the cognitive function of the elderly, can cause damage and death of nerve cells in the patient's brain, resulting in memory loss, weakened judgment and reduced thinking ability, which brings inconvenience to the life of the elderly. In recent years, scientific research has gradually revealed the relationship between walking and the prevention of Alzheimer's disease, especially Alzheimer's disease.
One such study was conducted by a team of researchers from China, who pooled data from more than 10,000 participants in 10 cohorts of the League of Nations, divided the participants into four groups based on time spent on physical activity and energy expenditure, and then compared the incidence and risk ratios of dementia between the different groups.
ResultsThe study found that:
• There is a relationship between physical activity in later life and the risk of developing dementia, and moderate exercise can effectively reduce the risk of dementia.
However, this study also tells us that excessive exercise does not bring more benefits, so it is recommended that older adults get 3-6 hours of moderate physical activity per week, or 9-18 hours of exercise energy expenditure per month, which is actually sufficient.
So, why can walking exercise prevent Alzheimer's disease?
Studies have found that walking not only improves blood circulation and provides more oxygen and nutrients to the brain, but also involves stimulating the production of nerve growth factor in the brain. The answer may lie in this, these growth factors are crucial, not only maintaining and repairing nerve cells, but also enhancing brain plasticity, thereby effectively reducing the risk of cognitive decline.
As we all know, the psychological stability of the elderly, as well as the amount of stress, these are very important for dementia, such as the long-term psychological stress of the elderly, which is regarded as one of the main factors accelerating cognitive decline, and walking, which can promote mental health, help us relax our minds, and relieve stress, anxiety and depression symptoms.
Walking exercise is indeed a simple and effective method for older people who aspire to keep their minds active in their later years. However, many people may ask, are those who have already entered their 70s still suitable for walking?
2. Is a 70-year-old still suitable for walking exercises?
As we age, the body naturally undergoes the aging process, which includes loss of muscle mass, decreased bone density, wear and tear on joints, and overall physical decline, which can lead to inconvenience when walking in older adults, increasing the risk of falls on uneven or slippery ground.
However, this does not mean that people over the age of 70 should avoid walking altogether.
In 2018, 26 researchers from nine countries issued the Copenhagen Declaration, which emphasized the importance of active exercise among older people. One of the cases mentioned in the declaration is:
• A 73-year-old man with high blood pressure successfully controlled his blood pressure within the normal range by walking for half an hour in the morning and evening, with proper breathing and relaxation Xi exercises.
Therefore, it is not difficult for us to see that even the elderly over 70 years old are suitable for walking exercises, because proper walking exercise has many benefits for our body.
1. Strengthens muscles
Walking is not only a simple daily activity, but also an effective aerobic exercise that is especially beneficial for the muscles of the thighs and calves.
This activity maintains muscle strength and endurance while slowing down muscle loss with age, and walking also stimulates blood circulation in the muscles and boosts the vitality of muscle cells.
This means that our muscles are able to use oxygen and nutrients more efficiently, stay healthy and functional, and simply put, by walking regularly, we are not just exercising our legs, but also helping our entire body to stay energized and flexible.
2. Make bones "stronger"
Not only that, but walking is also a low-intensity but effective gravity-loading exercise, and every time we walk, the weight of the body and the resistance generated by the contact of the feet with the ground will work together on the bones.
This gravity acts as a "workout" for the bones, prompting them to rebuild and reshape themselves so that they become denser and stronger, and the bones of the spine and legs can be kept as healthy as possible.
3. Enhance heart function
When we walk, we are actually helping the heart to work more efficiently, and if we exercise properly, this simple exercise can increase the pumping efficiency of the heart, making the walls of the ventricles thicker, and thus making the heart muscle more forceful when contracting.
That is, the heart is able to pump more blood each time, which enhances heart function and efficiency, which can prevent the risk of heart failure to some extent.
4. Helps lower blood pressure
In the same way, during walking, the peripheral skeletal muscle capillaries in our body open up a lot, which not only helps to reduce blood resistance in the periphery of the body, but also promotes the smoothness of overall blood circulation.
Moreover, walking exercise itself can increase the secretion of natriuretic, a hormone that helps promote the excretion of urine and potassium ions, thus producing the effect of "lowering blood pressure" and allowing us to control blood pressure better.
In addition, an important benefit of walking is the activation of endothelial cells, which release vasodilating factors such as nitric oxide, which work by causing the coronary arteries to dilate, which in turn increases blood supply to the heart muscle and helps lower blood pressure.
3. Doctor's advice: You can go in winter, but you must do a few things in advance!
In the blink of an eye, we are about to enter January and enter the icy winter, for the elderly friends who are over seventy years old, it is also possible to walk properly in winter, but the winter is too cold, we need to take some extra precautions to minimize the risk of walking.
Here are a few key points that the elderly need to pay attention to when going out for a walk in winter, and it is recommended that the elderly take a look before going out:
1. Keep warm and cold
In winter, the temperature is low, the skin and mucous membranes of the elderly are thinner, the resistance is relatively weak, and they are easily affected by the cold, causing colds, coughs, asthma and other respiratory diseases. Therefore, when going out in winter, the elderly should wear more clothes, especially to protect the head, neck, chest, abdomen, hands and feet, and avoid exposure to cold winds.
At the same time, increase or decrease clothing according to weather changes to prevent excessive sweating that can lead to a drop in body temperature and bacterial infection.
2. It is best not to exercise at these 2 time points
Due to the short sunshine hours in winter, low temperatures in the morning and evening, and a lot of water vapor in the air, the weather is prone to haze, which may affect the breathing and vision of the elderly.
Older adults should avoid traveling before 7 a.m. or after 5 p.m. when they go out for a walk in winter. The best time to do this is between 9 and 11 a.m. or 2 to 4 p.m. so you can enjoy the warm sunshine while avoiding the cold and pollution.
3. Adjust the exercise time according to your physical condition
The physical condition of the elderly is different, and some people may have chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes, so when going out for a walk in winter, you should choose the right exercise time according to your physical condition.
In general, healthy seniors can walk for 30 to 60 minutes a day, while for those with chronic diseases, it is recommended to walk for 15 to 30 minutes a day, and it is best not to force yourself to do high-load exercise, especially in winter, when the ground is slippery and easy to fall.
All in all, walking in winter is beneficial for the elderly, as cold air stimulates the body's metabolism and strengthens blood circulation, while sunlight helps to elevate mood and minimize seasonal depression. However, considering the current flu situation, it is still necessary to maintain a certain social distance when going out and don't catch a cold.
Bibliography:
1. Liu Pan, Ma Lina, Li Yun. Interpretation of the International Expert Consensus Guidelines for Exercise Management in the Elderly[J]. Chinese Journal of Geriatrics, 2023, 42(6): 626-632
2.Chodzko-Zajko W J, Proctor D N, Fiatarone Singh M A, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and physical activity for older adults[J]. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 2009, 41(7): 1510-1530
3. Chen Xiaohua, Zhao Xiaoyan, Wang Xiangsheng. Effect of walking exercise on cardiovascular health in the elderly[J]. China Sports Science and Technology, 2018, 54(12): 29-35