HealthyLife Articles

Tag: movement

Reduce Flight Risks

Healthy Travel

Don’t let motion and a long flight ruin your trip.

Flying can trigger more than anxiety in airplane travelers. Sitting for hours in narrow, cramped seats can cause a decrease in blood flow and poor circulation in the legs. These problems can lead to “economy-class syndrome” which refers to a deep vein thrombosis – a blood clot in the leg. Even if you sit in first class or business class, there are things you can do to help avoid this problem. If your seatmates stare, suggest they join you!

Airplane aerobics:

* Tense your feet for five seconds, then relax them. Repeat with each muscle group, including your calves, thighs, buttocks, shoulders, neck, forearms, and hands.

* Drop your head forward. Then move it slowly to the right, to the back, then to the left and the front again.

* Raise both shoulders. Move them back, then down, and then forward in a circular motion.

* Reach toward the ceiling with your right arm and stretch. Repeat with your left arm.

* Flex and extend your feet. Spread and then point your toes up and down.

* Get up and walk at least once every hour.

* Focus on your breathing. Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply. It’ll help you get enough oxygen into your blood so you don’t feel fatigued.

To deal with motion sickness:

* Reserve a seat over one of the wings, if you can.

* Avoid sitting in the tail section, which is usually the bumpiest.

* Get plenty of rest before you fly.

* Avoid drinking alcohol before or during travel.

* Take a motion sickness medication, such as Dramamine, 30 minutes before your plane takes off.

* Open overhead vents and direct air at your face.

* Don’t read while traveling and don’t focus on any other stationary object.

* Breathe slowly and deeply.

Action Step

Wear loose-fitting clothes, socks, and shoes. If you have cardiovascular disease, talk to your doctor about wearing compression stockings and other advice before you take long flights or travel long distances by car or train.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Time To Get Physical

Fitness

Get fit and stay fit.

“Fitness: if it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body.”

– Cher

Having six pack abs doesn’t come from drinking a six pack, and you don’t need to have six pack abs to be fit. Get fit by making exercise and healthy eating a regular part of your life.

How much exercise do you need?

Each week, adults should do:

A. At least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking…OR

B. One hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, such as jogging, aerobic dancing, and jumping rope…OR

C. A combination of activities from A and B

For increased fitness or to lose weight or keep lost weight off, do:

* Five hours of moderate physical activity a week…OR

* Two hours and 30 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week

Tips for aerobic activity

* Warm up. Spend five to 10 minutes stretching or doing the aerobic activity at a slower pace. For example, walk at a slower pace if your aerobic activity is brisk walking.

* Aerobic activity. To be aerobic, the activity needs to use large muscles of the lower body and be steady and nonstop for at least 10 minutes at one time. During this time, you should reach your target heart rate. (See chart on this page.)

* Cool down. Choose a slower pace of the activity you were doing or stretch for about five minutes.

Target Heart Rate Zone

Age

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65+

Beats per 10 Seconds

20-27

19-26

19-25

18-25

18-24

17-23

17-23

16-22

16-21

15-20

Action Step

In addition to aerobic exercise, do muscle strengthening and stretching exercises on two or more days a week.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Reduce Sit-Time

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 5

Find ways to move more throughout the day.

* Set an alarm on your watch or phone to get up every hour, if sitting.

* Stretch and walk for a few minutes to get more oxygen flowing through your body.

* Drink water regularly so you need to use the bathroom at least once every few hours.

* Get up to use a drinking fountain.

* Get up during commercial breaks on TV to tidy up a room or dust.

* Walk outside for a few minutes. Take a deep breath of fresh air.

* Have walking meetings with co-workers and friends. Walk and talk.

* Walk to get lunch.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
10 Ways To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

HEALTHY EATING

It can be especially hard to avoid extra pounds when there’s holiday food everywhere you turn. Stick to the basics of healthy eating so you can make it to the new year without regrets.

1.Drink more water:Drinking water before you eat may help you feel fuller and eat less.

2.Skip the soda, hot cocoa and high-sugar coffee drinks:Replacing sugary drinks with water can help you lose weight.

3.Get exercise:Even just a few minutes a day has health benefits and can help you burn calories.

4.Eat fruits and vegetables:These foods are generally packed with nutrition and low in calories.

5.Get enough sleep:Lack of sleep can cause more cravings for unhealthy foods.

6.Listen to your body:Stop eating when you start to feel full, not when you’re stuffed.

7.Start with small portions:Start with smaller amounts of food on your plate, and wait to see if you need more later.

8.Keep a food diary:This helps you get a clear picture of what you’ve eaten.

9.Don’t eat and watch TV:This can lead to mindless eating and consuming too many calories.

10.Build muscle:Muscles help your body burn more calories, even when resting.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
10 Ways To Extend A Healthy Life

SELF-CARE CORNER

“Whether you’re turning 30, 40, 50, 65, or 90, there’s no reason to assume you’re doomed to decline after a certain age-especially if you’re doing everything you can to stay healthy and active,” says Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging. Milner offers the following “E-tips” to help you extend a healthy life.

1. Expectations:

If you’ve been following a healthy lifestyle, simply keep going. If you need to make changes, anticipate succeeding, not failing-and don’t let age be a barrier. Research has shown that thinking positively about getting older can extend your life by as much as 7.5 years.

2. Enthusiasm:

Few people are thrilled with every aspect of their lives, but many have at least one area-family, friends, work, a hobby-they feel good about. Identify an activity or connection that sparks your enthusiasm and make it your lifeline. Try to extend that enthusiasm to other areas of your life.

3. Energy:

Having the energy and motivation you need to age well are hallmarks of healthy living. If you’re tired all the time, don’t let it drag you down. Get a checkup to try to determine the cause-and the solution.

4. Eating:

Eating a balanced diet and attaining/maintaining a normal weight are keys to physical and mental health. If you need to lose weight or make changes in your diet, keep your expectations high-you can do it.

5. Exercise:

Staying physically active fuels the body and mind. If you’re already exercising regularly, keep it up. If you’re getting started, know your skill level, set goals, progress at your own pace, and be consistent.

6. Engagement:

Volunteers have higher levels of well-being and life satisfaction than those who don’t volunteer. Get involved.

7. Emotions:

Everyone feels down at times, but full-blown depression is a major cause of disability. If you’re feeling out of sorts for two weeks or more, talk with your doctor or take an online screening test atwww.mentalhealthscreening.org. Often, simply exercising and eating right can change your mood.

8. Education:

Life-long learning is important to living an independent and fulfilling life. Start now to learn a new area of knowledge or physical activity. It’s good for the brain.

9. Effort:

Changing expectations and embarking on new behaviors takes energy and effort, but the results are well worth it.

10. Enjoyment:

A healthy life generally is a joyous one.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Agility Means Mobility

SELF-CARE CORNER

Want to be able to move around well as you age? Finding it more difficult to get down on your knees (and get up)? Interested in keeping your joints strong and flexible to meet the demands of daily life?

Join the club. Without our ability to get around, all kinds of health problems set in, according to the CDC. MySilverAge.com challenges not just seniors but everyone else to work out to improve mobility with these 3 functional fitness workouts:

*Use sandbells to minimize strain.While exercise equipment such as dumbbells strengthen arms, many weights can place too much strain on the hands. A sandbell-a weighted, contoured fabric bag filled with sand-is an easier alternative for older adults and others who have trouble gripping items, because they offer customizable weight and grip for strength exercises, while minimizing stress and strain on hands.

*Use interval training for quick bursts of energy.Children tend to have short bursts of energy followed by periods of rest before they start again. Keep up with the kids with interval training. Walk on a treadmill at a normal speed for 5 minutes, then increase to a more challenging pace for 1 minute and repeat.

*Use an exercise ball for better balance.Good balance is vital for safe walking, stair climbing, and avoiding falls. Use an exercise ball in place of a chair during traditional workouts, such as lifting weights, to help improve balance. The instability of the ball forces all the body’s muscles to work together to support stability and steady balance.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Avoiding The Afternoon Slump

WORK LIFE

Do you often feel tired and worn out after lunch? It can be hard to stay productive and get through the workday if you’re fighting fatigue and exhaustion. Often times, this afternoon slump can be avoided by making a few simple changes:

*Use caffeine sparingly.A cup of coffee or tea can give you a boost in the morning, but drinking too much can cause an energy crash after it wears off. Finish your last caffeinated drink before noon, and limit intake to four 8 oz. cups of coffee.

*Include lean protein and healthy fats in your lunch.This can help stabilize blood sugar levels and fight fatigue. Examples include turkey, low-fat dairy, avocado, nuts and fish.

*Drink plenty of water.Even mild dehydration can make you tired. Aim for eight 8 oz. glasses per day.

*Get moving.If you can, walk outside at lunch and get fresh air, even for just 10 minutes. This can energize and relax you. But even walking indoors or stretching in your office can be helpful. Sitting at a desk for hours without getting up can make you feel tired. Do alternative activities and walk around when you can.

*Having more energy starts the day before.If you find that you’re tired every day despite these tips, you may need more sleep. Aim for 7 to 9 hours a night.

Sometimes, ongoing fatigue can be a sign of a health issue. If you find that your energy levels are always low despite making healthy choices, talk to your doctor. Problems such as sleep disorders, anemia, depression, diabetes, and many other conditions can cause energy levels to sag. Certain medications can also cause sleepiness. You and your doctor can discuss your health history and make a plan to address any issues to get you feeling better again.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Back In Action

MEDICAL NEWS

Back pain. In the last 3 months, about 1 in 4 adults has had at least one day of back pain, mostly in the lower back, according to NIH in Health.

The good news is that most back pain goes away by itself-in time. If pain continues for more than 3 months, you have chronic back pain. If doctors can find out the source of your pain, you may be treated effectively with certain surgeries.

But even chronic pain can clear up without surgery. Don’t let the pain take over. Doctors advise:

* Stay active and maintain a healthy weight.

* Stretch before exercise or other strenuous physical activity.

* Don’t slouch when standing or sitting.

* Make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height for you.

* Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.

* Lift, if you must, with your back straight, bend at the knees, and put the stress on your legs and hips.

* Don’t smoke.

* Talk with your doctor to make sure you’re getting enough calcium and vitamin D.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Beat Winter Doldrums By Using A Pool Indoors

BE FIT

If you think swimming pools are just for summer fun, think again. Winter is a great time to take advantage of an indoor pool to get some low-impact exercise. Exercising in water offers many benefits no matter what the season. Try it this winter because:

* It’s low impact, so it’s easy on joints that may get sore with activities like running or jumping.

* It helps you be more flexible. In the water, you may be able to move your arms and legs in ways that are difficult on land.

* Warm water pools can feel soothing, especially in cold weather.

* It helps people with arthritis or orthopedic/joint injuries to improve joint movement without pain or strain from traditional exercise.

* It offers a nice change from land exercises – and variety may help you stick with a workout.

* A pool workout helps keep you cool, even if you’re working hard.

* Water exercise may improve mood and mental well-being.

* Water offers natural resistance that can tone and strengthen muscles.

Don’t swear off pool exercise because you can’t swim.

There are many exercises that can be done in the water that don’t include traditional swimming. If you can’t swim, stick to the shallow end or wear a life jacket. Try these exercises:

* Walk or jog from end to end in the shallow end.

* Grab the edge of the pool and kick your legs from side to side.

* Try the “superman”: hold the edge of the pool and point your body out straight behind you. Keep your body in a straight line and hold the pose for a few seconds.

* Do jumping jacks in chest-deep water

Many local fitness centers have pools for exercise and even water aerobics classes. A community center, hotel or school may offer public swim times as well.

To help keep public pools clean and to avoid illness:

* Shower before and after using a pool

* Don’t get pool water in your mouth

* Don’t use the pool if you’re sick, especially if you have had vomiting or diarrhea within the last week

* Stay out of the pool if you have an open wound that’s not fully healed or fully covered with a waterproof bandage

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Exercise May Keep Some Cancers Away

BE FIT

A recent study from the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society says the most active people have a lower risk of getting 13 different types of cancers. The study said the most active people saw the most benefit, but even moderate exercise (150 minutes per week) was still very helpful. Examples of moderate exercise are walking, swimming and running.

According to the study, people who exercise regularly have a lower risk of:

* Colon cancer

* Breast cancer

* Endometrial (uterine) cancer

* Esophageal adenocarcinoma

* Liver cancer

* Cancer of the gastric cardia

* Kidney cancer

* Myeloid leukemia

* Myeloma

* Cancers of the head and neck, rectum and bladder

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026