Hottest trend in fall prevention exercise classes hits Sacramento

As the Fall Prevention Lady, I teach balance and mobility training classes in the Sacramento region. These fall prevention exercise classes meet twice a week for 4-weeks and enrollment is closed after the second class. These beginner level classes are perfect for older adults who have not exercised in years, who have been released from physical therapy but are not ready for community-based 'senior fitness' classes, anyone who has fallen or is concerned about falling.

I have been teaching summer sessions at Parkside Community Church, Clarksburg Community Church, Fremont Presbyterian Church and St. John's Retirement Village. I started at Parkside with a beginner level and now offer intermediate and advanced levels for those who have completed the first level of balance training. These training sessions are progressively challenging and build on skills taught in the first few classes which is why a person cannot join after the first week.

I have just added two new class locations to my September schedule. I will be teaching at the Senior Connection in Fair Oaks and the Carmichael Presbyterian Church. I also added two classes to the October schedule; I will be teaching classes at the Asian Community Center and the Swanston Community Center. And guess what? I have plenty of time in my schedule for more classes!

If you live in the Sacramento region and are interested in hosting or attending a FallProof™ balance and mobility training session, contact me, the Fall Prevention Lady.

Do it for your independence. Do it for your loved ones. Do it for you.

Email: info@thefallpreventionlady.com

Telephone: 916-821-5715.

Please note: There is a reasonable cost to attend these classes.

Be Smart, do preventative testing

So I'm at the Nevada County fairgrounds in Grass Valley, CA this beautiful September weekend to watch the draft horses. I'm talking with a friend of mine from the Sacramento TALL club (women have to be at least 5'10 and men 6'2... by the way, I"m 6'0 and he's 6'7!).

When asked why he wouldn't indulge in any of the normal fairground "cuisine", he told me about his recent "health scare" in December 2007. Apparently, my TALL friend was diagnosed with colon cancer and his doctors immediately scheduled surgery to have the polyps removed. That scared him enough to motivate major lifestyle changes in his diet and exercise habits. He was lucky, he is living cancer free to this day.

But the twist to the story, the reason I'm writing about this, is because his sister died from cancer the year before. Colon cancer to be exact. The irony is that she had been battling colon cancer for 10 years prior to her death and didn't tell anyone, not even her family members, until she was on her death bed.

As a Public Health educator who firmly believes in the power of prevention, I find this woman's actions upsetting because if she had told her family members that she had colon cancer, that would have alerted her surviving siblings to their risk of cancer. See, the risk of developing cancer and the subsequent need for preventative testing doubles if you have an immediate family member who has or had cancer. Immediate family is mother, father, brother, sister.

f you are struggling with a health risk, if possible, please tell someone in your immediate family. Sharing that type of information does not indicate weakness but reflects a loving concern for the health and well-being of your family. Life is not all about you but about relationships. If you are struggling, be a blessing to those you love by at least passing on a part of your family history.

Blessings,

The Fall Prevention Lady

Fail to plan=plan to fail

Planning for future, especially retirement, has become a necessity rather than an option as society ages.   Or perhaps it has become more of a reality as I get older.    Either way, planning for the type of future you  want requires planning on your part today.

In the fitness world, failure to plan means you plan to fail, especially when it comes to nutrition.  Successful weight loss requires a person to burn more calories than he consumes.  To do that, a person needs to plan meals in advance.  Preparation and cooking ahead of time results in healthier choices, smaller proportions, stabilized blood sugar and less calories consumed.  Result:  weight loss.

Advanced directives are the wise way to plan for an accident.  Accidents happen and are part of life.  I lost my father when he died of a sudden heart attack and unfortunately, he had not planned for his death.   A retired Brigadier General at the age 59, he was enjoying life.  Plan for the unexpected and designate a person to make decisions in the case you cannot.  Advanced directives secure your wishes and protect your assets.

Accidents happen and sometimes those accidents can be life altering.  If you plan to age gracefully and do what you can to reduce the risk of a fall, make plans to consistently exercise in the proper manner.  

Plan on making the time to Take 5 to Exercise each day.  Try to practice better posture and your body will adapt and change as you strengthen weak, over-stretched muscles and stretch shortened, tight musculature.  You will breathe easier, your organs will function more efficiently, digestion will be improved.  

Plan on replacing the Cycle of Fear with my COPE strategy, this Cycle of Postural Energy will increase bodily efficiency, increase energy levels, and promote awareness of physical being which will successfully reduce the risk of a fall. Day 3 of my series, Take 5 for Posture, provides tips and some corrective movements I learned from Paul Chek  to improve posture.  

Plan on learning about the 4 components of a comprehensive exercise-based approach to fall prevention when you purchase your Take 5 to Exerise dvd set.   

Plan on successful aging. Balance challenges DVD coming soon!   

Plan on talking to you soon,

the Fall Prevention Lady

Breathe in, breathe out....

    Well, maybe not if you are outdoors and you happen to live in the Sacramento, California region like I do.  

    Unfortunately, there are hundreds of forest fires burning in our beautiful state and the result is unsafe air due to the smut, fire particles and pollution looming in the air.   Not only is the air polluted but it's also HOT, somewhere around the undesirable 100 degree mark, compounding the polluted air by forming a unbearably hot, smokey cloud around us.  This condition reminds me of life back east in the heat, haze and humidity that I grew up in.  It was awful.  This is awful.

    So my friends, I'm sure you are asking what in the world this has to do with Fall Prevention... well, my point is how important it is to deeply breathe in clean air.  Often.  When you have it, don't take it for granted, right?  Right.

    Practice breathing in deep through your nose so your nose hairs can filter out the impurities, hold that for a second, then exhale through your mouth.  Slightly close your mouth as if playing a musical instrument (also called pursed lips), as you force the air out of your lungs, feeling your diaphram squeezing as you exhale.

    Practice this deep breathing at least 3 times a day.  You pick the times but make it a habit.  Heck, take in a deep breath whenever you remember.  Too much air isn't such a bad thing....as long as it's good air!

    Deep breathing encourages oxygen exchange at the cellular level and that oxygen is necessary for energy.  And life requires energy, especially since you are following a consistent stretching and strengthening routine.  

     My Take 5 to Exercise routines:  Flexibility, Strength 1, Posture, Strength 2, and Maintenance.  Your body will adapt to these movements designed to reduce your risk of a fall and to improve the quality of your life.   And it all starts by when you Take 5 to Exercise.

Visit www.take5toexercise.com and order your copy.

Your Fall Prevention lady.

Hydration and Fall Prevention...

101 degrees in May. Unseasonably hot. Unfortunately, this hot spell fell on the first annual Citrus Heights Senior Health Fair. As a result, the overall turn out and opportunity to educate seniors about the importance of exercise as a part of a Fall Prevention program was limited.

Thankfully, the excellent staff set up my Take 5 to Exercise Fall Prevention booth in an air conditioned room b/c they know about the importance of staying cool, staying hydrated and not overexerting yourself when exercising, especially if older adults are exercising.

I wanted to rename my booth, Take 5 Daily Waters because water is vital to your well being. Our muscles are 70% water so if you don't Take 5 Daily Waters, your body will be running low on water, and you won't have much energy.

If you don't drink enough water, you will be tired. In most cases, it is easier on your liver and kidneys if you stay hydrated, especially if you take prescription medicine. Be sure to talk to your doctor about the medicines you are taking and how Taking 5 Daily Waters will affect you.

If you would like to see one of my live presentations, please feel free to contact me to discuss arrangements at: info@thefallpreventionlady.com

Be sure to make the time each day to Take 5 to Exercise and try to Take 5 Daily Waters everyday, especially throughout the upcoming hot summer months. You will feel better and have more energy as a result of healthy choices.

Fall Prevention Education

The Davis Senior Center in downtown Davis, California is an active hub in the agricultural town.  The seniors not only have a welcomed, home-town staff but a wide variety of educational presentations to attend.   As  I walked into the center to give a Take 5 to Exercise Fall Prevention workshop with the Area 4 Agency on Aging, I couldn't help but notice there were 4 rooms with 4 different lectures going on.

The group of seniors who attended our 2-prong approach to Fall Prevention:  Exercise and Medication management, were well educated about their health and how to reduce their risk of a fall.   They enjoyed our presentations and gave us some valuable feedback.  I appreciate talking with people who are taking responsibility for their well-being by increasing their knowledge of current health issues as well as what preventative measures they can do to reduce future disability.

Unfortunately, there is no escaping old age.  We can minimize the effects of aging cosmetically but our bodies are getting older and thus, we face new limitations.  And that's ok.  It's time to learn as much as you can about your body, respect your limitations, and keep on keeping on!  Life is a blessing, no matter how tough it gets.  

        That's why I want to teach, share, and demonstrate preventative exercises that reduce the risk of an unnecessary, and potentially life altering, fall.   I designed and produced  Take 5 to Exercise, a 5-day series of seated exercise routines, that focus on what the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Senior Fitness Association recognize as the 4 essential components of an effective Fall Prevention exercise program:  flexibility, strength, balance and endurance. 

     I invite you to visit my site, www.take5toexercise.com to view sample clips.  The dvds will be for sale online SOON, so please take a look, bookmark the page and remember to Take 5 to Exercise everyday. 

Dedicated to enhancing your total body balance, 

The Fall Prevention Lady