America's Best Spa Value
Call Today 800.753.OAKS (6257)

Sheila Shares

Seven Best Things For Your Body

Founder of The Oaks at Ojai

Quick! Name the seven best things you can do for a fit body.

Here are my answers. They are simply, powerful ways to stay well for a very long time. If you share my desire for a fit future, take heart and these suggestions seriously.

1. Listen to your body. As we age, our bodies change. Perhaps the days of running the Boston Marathon are over for your knees. It could be that you are now playing double tennis. And while you once worked ten hours at the office and then swam for an hour, now you’re anxious to get home to dinner and a good book.

To pay little attention to the everyday “whispers” from our joints and organs is silly. To ignore them could be dangerous. But you don’t have to throw in the towel. Become creative with your health program. Rather than running, begin brisk walking. Join a tennis club to stay motivated and meet sports-minded people and take aqua aerobics rather than a singular sport like swimming.

2. Fight the flab. A recent guest at the spa was laughing, “It’s gravity’s fault!” I thought she was a scientist and complaining about something akin to global warming…until I listened closer. The laugh was on me. She was talking about a sagging bottom and drooping upper arms. Just because we have our 50th or 60th or 70th birthday, it doesn’t mean we must look wilted. No most of us over the age of 45 will never have the smooth skin of a teenager, but through a total body workout, such as brisk walking and stretching, we can prevent and firm up what gravity is dragging down. Massage, facials and professional services performed by a dermatology expert might just help keep you looking and feeling younger.

In your quest to say vital, select activities you enjoy. An hour of serious gardening such as digging and raking and hauling compost will provide the workout of an hour of jogging. Scrubbing the house, waxing the car, vigorous dancing are wonderful for our bodies and after reaching a certain age, they’re much more fun than some of the other sports we did in our youth.

3. Get information. If you have a medical condition or concerns about a loved one, read up on the situation, learn everything you can. A friend joked recently, “I got a third opinion on my disease on the Internet.” What she meant was that she learned about the type of cancer she had so that she was more confident that her physicians were treating her effectively. I’m delighted to say it’s true.

You may not have a life-threatening illness, but if you’re experiencing a significant change, such as menopause, retirement or loss of a loved one, then information will help you make good decisions for the future.

4. Wear your seat belt. I was eavesdropping at the checkout line last week and appalled when I heard a young woman in her 30s almost brag how she never wears a seat belt. This is dangerous behavior. She might be the best driver on the planet, but it’s the other gal or guy who could be distracted for a fatal second.

5. Watch your weight and your height. It’s smart to seek professional help if you’re over a comfortable weight. What’s comfortable? Answer this: Do your clothes feel like the dryer shrunk them? Do they pinch or pull? More than 65 percent of adults are over their comfortable weight. Blame it on super-sized food portions in restaurants or too much TV. The concern is that there is a direct link between being overweight and diseases such as diabetes; heart disease and some even say various types of cancer.

Watch your height too. If you feel you’re getting shorter, and your slacks getting longer, it could be that you are losing bone mass. That means you really could be shrinking. Talk with your physician. Osteoporosis is deadly. We’ve seen too many elderly love ones break hips but it doesn’t have to be that way. Bone loss is especially prevalent in post-menopausal women. There’s a simple bone density test, where you need not get undressed, to determine if you may need supplements or medication. Next time you visit your doctor, ask her to measure you. Stay on top of this.

6. Don’t smoke, and get away from that smoker in your life or office. Just because some people are in denial about the negative effects of smoking, doesn’t mean you have to be a part of it. Move out of smoke’s deadly reach or ask the loved one to smoke outdoors and away from you and the children.

7. Eat well and exercise. “Moderation in all things” has been my personal motto for a long time, but at the core is the need to eat as if the future depends on it and exercise to stay fit for life.

###

Sheila Cluff, fitness expert, television celebrity and owner of The Oaks at Ojai, is the author of Take 5: How You Can Benefit from Just Five Minutes of Daily Exercise and The Ultimate Recipe for Fitness by Sheila and Eleanor Brown. Visit Sheila's Spa on the Internet and see all that's happening at the resort: The Oaks at Ojai www.oaksspa.com.