It is true. Exercise really does help your overall health and well-being. So why is it so hard to make exercise a regular part of my day? To me, it feels like homework. If I am organized and a do a little bit every day, then I feel better. However, if I procrastinate, I produce many feelings of guilt. What I have forgotten, is that as a youth, I never thought about exercise as homework. It was fun, and it allowed me to be a part of a larger group of people. I actually enjoyed it.
Having fun is a good motivator to get you to exercise. But there is also new research that aerobic exercise may be able to produce new nerve cells. The simplistic theory is that physical activity can help to stave off the beginnings of Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD and other cognitive disorders. Exercise increases heart rate. Heart rate increases blood circulation. Increased blood circulation increases oxygen in the body and thus better nourishes brain cells.
That is why participating in many different forms of exercise have proven to keep people active on a regular basis. As a senior in this community, you are able to participate in different activities offered through Mercer Island Parks & Recreation. And to add to the diverse forms of activity, the City of Mercer Island has joined together with other cities to provide a venue site for the 2007 Northwest Senior Games. The Community Center at Mercer View will be hosting pickleball on Saturday, June 9 and Sunday, June 10. So far this event has the most seniors registered.
This is the first time that the city of Mercer Island has had a venue site for this event. The competition is all over King County and runs from June 1 through June 17. Other events include golf, kayaking, swimming, softball, badminton, table tennis, tennis, track and field, ice hockey and dance for fun. Part of the mission of the NW Senior Games is “to provide opportunities for the participants to increase physical activity and competitive experience while having fun”.
But don’t forget the other varied exercise programs that are offered through Mercer Island Parks and Recreation. There are classes that concentrate on balance and range of motion like Parkinson’s Exercise. In the spring and summer there is a golf group for seniors that do either nine or 18 holes of golf at many of the courses in the area. There is yoga for seniors and activities in the gym like pickleball and drop in volley ball for seniors. You can even play a game of pool at the Community Center at Mercer View.
Reintroducing the “fun” back into any form of exercise may mean you actually enjoy exercising. Trying new activities and interacting with others seem to always point to very good health benefits now and throughout the lifespan. I know that if I am having fun, I no longer think of exercise as a chore or homework. So in the spirit of the 2007 NW Senior Games motto, “Grab Life and Go!”
Helpful Resources:
www.northwestseniorgames.org or 684-4240
www.miparks.net or 236-3545
Betsy Zuber, Geriatric Specialist has been working in the field of aging for 16 years. She provides social services to people 55+ and their families who live on Mercer Island. Please contact her at (206) 236-3525, e-mail betsy.zuber@mercergov.org, or mail MIYFS 2040 - 84th Avenue S.E., Mercer Island, WA 98040. Mercer Island Youth & Family Services is a department of the City of Mercer Island.
