Keep winter from putting a freeze on your healthy habits
By Michael Gibbs
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
“It is more difficult to exercise and stay healthy in winter, but people need to make the effort,” says Sharon Roberts of the Lake County Health Department. As a gerontologist, Roberts is an expert on the unique health concerns facing older adults. Winter, she says, can be particularly hazardous.
Along with the usual suspects like influenza, pneumonia, and the common cold, winter heralds in nasty weather conditions that heighten the risk of falls and potential fractures. To make matters worse, people exercise less, making their immune systems more susceptible to illness.
Ice and snow on out-side paths, streets, and sidewalks make exercise difficult in winter, Roberts explains. Bad weather conditions can make driving to the health club a hazard in itself. As a result, people just stay home. “When it’s dark, people tend to sit down and watch TV,” Roberts says.
“This inactivity leads to poor eating habits, sleep loss, and a host of other health risks,” says Dr. Elliott Kroger, medical director at Sedgebrook in Lincolnshire. In the human body, there is almost no organ system that doesn’t benefit from exercise, Kroger says. “Most obvious is the cardiovascular system. The heart is a muscle. It does better with exercise.” According to Kroger, being active is the key to great health in winter and all year round.
Walking towards winter health
Setting a goal to stay fit this winter is one thing, but how do you accomplish it when the weather is working against you? Otto Rehm, who lives at Sedgebrook, found a solution: he goes for long walks indoors.
“It’s important for me to walk indoors when the weather outside is not good,” Otto says. “I like to walk up and down the stairs and in the hallways. It’s one of the big advantages to living at Sedgebrook.”