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Never Too Old to Sweat
Exercise for Seniors
By Debbie Friedman
The Tarahumara Indians of Mexico are a group known for their running ability. Routinely, certain members of the tribe ran the equivalent of a marathon or more every day. Dr. Christiane Northup writes in her book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom (Bantam, 1998), that the most intriguing aspect of their culture, however, was they believed the best runners were those in their 60s. Amazingly, a team of researchers found that this age group had the best lung capacity, cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
It is estimated that by the year 2035, there will be 70 million American seniors. Technology is now pushed to discover and prescribe advanced medications, surgeries and nutrition for the growing senior population. Despite the technological advances, though, osteoporosis, adult-onset diabetes and heart disease continue to rise. According to Jan Elisabeth, M.S., director of Adapted Fitness Programs in Santa Cruz County, Calif., "We are neglecting to take the anti-aging prescription that works – physical activity."