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Sports
Living with Parkinson’s and looking for local support?
Your Local Advisor is there to make sure people who are affect-
ed by Parkinson’s and their families, have all the information
they need to take control of life with a neurological condition.
They can also assist with:
•
Information about, and links to, local services and
groups that can help you
•
Information about benefits and help with the applica-
tion process
•
A supporting voice if you need to complain or are hav-
ing problems getting your needs assessed or met
•
Emotional support for you and your family
Free confidential service offering tailored support and infor-
mation by telephone, email and home visits.
Get in touch today with your Local Advisor:
Kelly Boulter; Tel: 0344 225 3777,
Email: kboulter@parkinsons.org.uk
Did you know that although life expectancy overall has in-
creased to 79.2 for men and 82.9 for women,
healthy life ex-
pectancy
is only 63.4 for men and 64.1 for women. This means
you may live your final 16-18 years with increasing poor health,
pain and dependence. The good news is, there is something
you can do about it. Regular exercise is the miracle that can
reverse, stop or reduce the effects of aging
in every system
in
the body - including bones and joints, muscles and muscle fi-
bres, the cardiorespiratory system including lungs and heart,
the nervous system including the brain and psychological and
psychosocial aspects of aging.
Regular activity is important at all ages, but 50 years of age
marks a point in middle age where regular physical activity can
prevent many of the physical, psychological and social hazards
that are associated with increasing age (WHO 1997) and the
older one becomes, the more regular physical activity is need-
ed. As a guideline adults should be doing 150 minutes of mod-
erate physical activity a week or 75 minutes of intense physical
activity per week. One of the biggest misconceptions and barri-
ers to exercise, is that many people believe they are already
active when in fact they are sedentary. Is this you?
Why not try something new even if you think you are doing
enough. How about Nordic Walking your way to fitness? Nor-
dic Walking uses specially designed poles to improve your nat-
ural walking experience. With a poling technique that is similar
to cross country skiing, Nordic Walking becomes a whole body
exercise that can be enjoyed at many levels, at low, medium or
high intensity. More than 10 million people globally enjoy this
outdoor activity all year round.
Nordic Walking combines the simplicity and accessibility of
walking with core and upper body conditioning similar to Nor-
dic skiing. The result is a full body workout, which means that
you:
•
exercise around 90% of your skeletal muscle
•
burn up to 46% more calories compared to walking
without poles
•
release tension in the neck and shoulders
•
improve your posture and gait
•
strengthen your back and abdominal muscles
•
reduce the impact on the joints
And because Nordic Walking doesn’t feel like hard work you’ll
be happy to walk further and for longer.
Nordic Walking is a very accessible activity and something that
can be shared by people of different fitness levels. It’s an ideal
activity for people who haven’t exercised for a while or who
dislike traditional sports or gym activities. An injured person
can use the poles to support and guide, working to improve
fitness as part of their rehabilitation. Athletes can use Nordic
Walking for cross training and incorporate Nordic running.
Community groups find it a sociable way to keep fit. If you’d
like to shed a few pounds, then Nordic Walking is an enjoyable
way to do this. Nordic Walking is also shown to improve life for
people with Parkinsons, Essential Tremor or lympatic drainage
issues. Whatever your age from 8 to 80+, Nordic Walking can
improve your quality of life.
Free Taster Sessions in August.
If you would like to try Nordic
Walking contact Loraine at
www.peacockhill.co.uk
lo-
rainehilton@hotmail
.com or call 0783 725 7895.
Nordic Walk to improve your quality of life