At its on-site fitness center and hotel, Cooper Wellness helps clients understand the importance of exercise and nutrition in healthy aging by offering exercise and dietary classes during stays of two and six days.
“Our Wellness Program incorporates The Cooper Institute's findings that many changes attributed to aging are actually the body's adaptive response to not moving around enough,” says Todd Whitthorne, executive director at Cooper Wellness. The Cooper Institute was founded by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, who became known as the “Father of Aerobics” when his trailblazing book, Aerobics, hit stores more than 40 years ago.
Aerobic exercise—activity that's brisk enough to stimulate oxygen use and breathing for a prolonged period—is key to staying healthy during aging, says Dr. Riva Rahl, medical director of Cooper Wellness and staff physician at Cooper Clinic. With regular, aerobic exercise, the aging process is slowed and some of its effects can be reversed.
For people of any age, walking can be an easy-to-adopt, aerobic exercise. “Seniors can begin walking at a moderate pace in the first week, and then try to speed it up a bit over several weeks,” says Susie Kania, exercise physiologist at Cooper Wellness. Exercise that requires endurance over a long distance or period is better than short, fast bursts of energy, she says.
Aerobic activity has advantages for the entire system, according to Rahl. “It strengthens the heart muscle, gets the blood flowing, normalizes blood pressure and helps balance cholesterol,” she says. Deep breathing clearly pays off: a large lung capacity increases energy, endurance and mental alertness, and is associated with longevity.
During the aging process, bones typically become weaker, more brittle and prone to fracture. After age 30 or so, natural bone growth ceases and steady loss begins, Rahl says. Physical activity can begin to make bones denser and sturdier however.
“You can begin to act against bone deterioration at any age, and one of the best strategies is to include weight-bearing exercise in your fitness program,” Kania says. Weight-bearing exercise causes muscles and bones to push or pull against resistance or gravity. Brisk walking is an example. “Each time your foot hits the ground, the downward force of your weight puts pressure on your hips, legs, and feet and on the bones in those parts of your body,” she says. Cells are stimulated to make extra bone, helping to protect against natural loss.
Chronic back pain and stooping from inadequate muscular activity are often relieved with fitness training, Kania says. Skin tissue, which tends to get thinner and lose flexibility over time, also benefits from aerobic exercise. And as a result of muscle stimulation, the whole, gastrointestinal system operates more efficiently. For women, the risks of colorectal cancer decline with regular activity. Numerous studies have found that with greater activity, a woman's risk of colon cancer can be reduced by 50 percent.
Regular exercise relieves anxiety and induces healthy fatigue, encouraging rest at night, Rahl says. Aerobic activity promotes a more relaxed approach to handling problems and daily pressures. And staying active encourages self-confidence and positive feelings about oneself.
What's more, “exercise, along with sensible eating, is the best way to maintain desired weight, and when combined with a reduced-calorie diet, to lose pounds,” Kania says.
During Cooper Wellness stays, clients can elect to have a Cooper Clinic physical exam that screens for Vitamin D levels, Whitthorne says. Having the right level of Vitamin D helps stave off a range of cardiovascular problems, along with macular degeneration and some types of cancer. But after measuring D levels for several years, the Cooper Clinic found that over half of its first-time patients weren't getting enough of it. If your Vitamin D level is too low, Cooper Wellness recommends dietary changes and Cooper Complete supplements.
For centuries, explorers have searched in vain for the fountain of youth. But with regular exercise and good nutrition, middle-aged people and seniors can age in a healthy fashion and live life to the fullest.
Cooper Wellness hosts clients at the Cooper Guest Lodge, an elegant, 62-room hotel in Dallas.
For more information on the Cooper Wellness and their 6-day and 2-day wellness programs go to www.cooperwellness.com or call 972-386-4777.
MEDIA ADVISORY:
For more information or to arrange an interview with Todd Whitthorne, executive director at Cooper Wellness, please contact Jo Trizila, TrizCom, at (972) 247-1369 or (214) 232-0078 or jo@trizcom.com
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