Most of us have a sense of where we are in space, as well as the relation of one body part to another.  This is called proprioception.  As we age, we naturally lose proprioception and balance.  The change happens so slowly that many don't notice it is happening. 

Maintaining good balance and proprioception is key to performing your activities of daily living, coordination, confidence, fall prevention, overall health and independence.  It can be affected by muscular strength and endurance and can be maintained and even improved as we age through practicing balance specific training exercises.   

The goal of balance training is to increase your body's agility, and improve your awareness of your center of gravity.  One of the most immediate effects of balance training is a reduction in the risk of falling.  People are also less prone to back, knee and ankle injuries caused by minor balancing problems.    Increasing your balance can also help to increase your flexibility and help your body move more efficiently.   

Men and women of all ages and activity levels can benefit from balance training.  Start slowly and gradually increase the difficulty of each exercise.  You may start by standing on two feet with your eyes open.  Then close your eyes.  Try to keep them closed for 30 seconds without swaying, eventually working up to 1 minute.  Once you have mastered that, try standing on one leg for 30 seconds.  Then close your eyes for 30 seconds, trying to work up to standing on one leg for 1 minute with your eyes closed.  Repeat using your other leg.  When you need to be challenged beyond this exercise, implement a balance tool such as balls, discs, weights, etc.

Balance training is something you can do daily to improve your overall stability.  For a personalized program and one that is appropriate for your current fitness level, give us a call.

Purpose:  To strengthen arm, back, neck, and leg muscles and to improve balance and coordination.

Instruction:  Sit in the center of an exercise ball with your hips and knees at 90 degree angles and your pelvis in neutral position.  Extend one arm in front of your body as you lift your opposite knee and hold the position.  Begin by holding the position for 5 seconds and increase time.  Repeat on other side.

Lack of time can be detrimental to our physical, emotional and overall health.  When we are stressed and feel pulled in many different directions, we tend to exercise less, make unhealthier food choices, spend less time with family and friends and forget about our own needs and wants. 

Here are some simple tips to help you take back some of your time:

• Do you have to do it all? It can be easy to get caught up in the details. Are the things you feel you have to do really necessary?
• Learn to say no.  Set limits around how much you will do and when. 
• Delegate.  Do you value your time?  How much is it worth to you?  It may be worth the cost of hiring someone to do things for you like housekeeping, gardening, etc.
• Do what you don't want to do first.  If you do the things you don't want to do first they are done and over with and you can move on to more enjoyable tasks.
• Get organized.  Spending a little extra time to organize yourself can help save time in the long run.  Nothing is worse than spending a half hour looking for your keys.
• Every little bit counts.  Even if you can't complete a task or project, it is better to do something and take a small chunk out of it rather than letting the whole thing slide until later.
• Make time for you each day.  If it's impossible to take 1 hour each day, start with a smaller amount of time like, 15 minutes, and work your way up from there.
• Do something special.  No matter how busy you are, make time to do whatever makes you happy every day.
  
  

Osteoporosis is most often associated with inadequate calcium intake. However, a deficiency of vitamin D also contributes to osteoporosis by reducing calcium absorption. According to the National Institutes of Health, people with vitamin D insufficiency absorb less than 10% of available calcium. In other words, even if you have an adequate calcium intake, you may not absorb it effectively if you have low levels of vitamin D.

Signs and symptoms of osteoporosis usually don't appear until later of life. Osteoporosis progresses slowly and silently, and as our bones become more porous and fragile, we often don't realize we have osteoporosis until we fracture a bone. Nutrition plays an important role in keeping our bones strong and healthy.

Calcium - How much?
Average adults, including pregnant women, need at least 1000mg of calcium daily, while post-menopausal women need up to 1,200mg a day.

Vitamin D - How much?
Average adults including pregnant women need 200 IU of vitamin D daily while adults over 50 need 400 IU daily.  The recommendation for vitamin D intake further increases to 600 IU for people over 70 years of age.

Vitamin D is found in fortified milk, cod liver oil and some fish such as sardines, salmon, tuna and mackerel. Some yogurt and breakfast cereals are also fortified with this vitamin.

Healthy By Design Nutrition Specialists recommend you ask your doctor about a blood test called the 25(OH)D for a more accurate assessment of your vitamin D status.

Stacey Whittle, RD, CPT and Dorothy Bernet, MS, RD, CPT are Registered Dietitians and Co-Founders of Healthy by Design Nutrition Specialists in Santa Monica, CA. For more information visit their website at: www.healthybydesignnutrition.com

According to the National Institute of Health, 9% of adults age 65 and older report having difficulty with balance.  This, along with a decline in lower body strength and stability, leads to an alarming 300,000 admissions to the hospital for fall related injuries in older adults.

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