Over 50s Keep Fit

We meet weekly on Wednesday mornings from 10 to 11 am in the Upper Hall, restarting on Wednesday 1st September. Bring a bottle of water. £2 donation to church funds.
Our basic principle is “gain without strain”. We aim to improve posture, flexibility, balance, coordination and fitness within the capabilities of each individual, bearing in mind the need to take account of any medical conditions or joint problems.

The format varies from week to week, always including a warm-up and basic stretching techniques, with a variety of aerobic and rhythmic exercises, drawn from sport in general, tai-chi, capoiera and taekwon-do.
Emphasis is placed on drinking plenty of water, to maintain hydration, avoiding getting over-heated and keeping level of exertion within each individual’s capability.

For further information please contact the Church Office.

Regular Exercise reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

The British Medical Journal of 21 January 2006 reported an American study, led by Eric Larson, director of the Center for Health Studies at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle.  The study, completed over some six years on 1740 people aged 65 years or over, showed that people who exercised for at least 15 minutes at least three times a week reduced their risk of developing dementia by 38%.

The following quote from the study is of interest:
‘The group that benefitted the most were the people who were frailest at the start of the study. So this means that older people really should ‘use it even after you start to lose it’  because exercise may slow down the progression of age-related problems in thinking.’
A session of exercise was defined as ‘ at least 15 minutes of physical activity at any one time, including walking, hiking, aerobics, callisthenics, swimming, water aerobics, weight training and stretching.’

Please have a word with Katharina in the Church Office if you’d like a copy of the report.

Eddie Moore