Author: Bob McMillan

This is a topic I’ve never covered and while it may not seem relevant to your health and fitness, it’s more important than you might think. So here’s a short primer on foot fitness. The goal of this article is to create or build an awareness of the role that your feet and ankles play in the overall fitness equation. It is not intended to be a lengthy discussion of foot health.

Your feet are involved in your posture, balance, stability fall recovery, walking, lower body strength and flexibility, and a myriad of other things that you should be concerned with as you get older.

Common problems are sore feet, weak ankles, weak foot and ankle joints, corns or callouses, fungus on toenails, blisters, lack of feeling in the feet and ankles, etc.

Poor fitting shoes are often the cause of foot problems. We spend a lot of money on shoes and foot products. But we don’t always get the good results we want. Poor fitting shoes can cause balance problems, chafing, problems with walking, cramped toes, etc. Some of those are causes and some are effects. Some are both.

Lack of circulation in the legs can be a problem too. Neuropathy is a syndrome where your feeling in your lower legs, ankles and feet are diminished or gone. This can be serious but not always. Sometimes numbness in the legs and feet can be caused by a pinched or compressed nerve, or sometimes it be caused by a more serious medical problem. this is a matter for your doctor to look at and make a determination.

Here are just a few simple things you can do to keep your feet healthy and fit. Google something like “feet and fitness” and you’ll find a lot more:

1. Pick shoes that fit comfortably. They should be able to absorb the impact of daily walking and other use.
2. Keep your feet clean and dry. This helps prevent fungi, blisters and other preventable infirmities.
3. Keep your toenails trimmed to prevent ingrown toenails and to prevent discomfort when wearing shoes.
4. Some experts suggest going barefoot as often as possible, including running or walking outside. Personally I don’t go barefoot outside except on the beach. Senior feet are a bit more tender than those of our younger brothers and sisters.
5. Give your feet an occasional hand massage. It feels good. As an alternative, roll your feet on top of a golf, lacrosse, tennis or other small ball. It feels good and does wonders for your feet.
6. Rotate your feet and ankles as a simple exercise you can do anytime your are sitting down. Sit in a chair or on the floor with your legs extended either in the air in front of you, or on the floor. Stretch your ankles and feet forward and then back toward you. Rotate your feet in circles both clockwise and counter-clockwise. It loosens you ankles and feels good.
7. Stand on one foot occasionally to test your balance. You can feel the ankles working hard to keep you upright.
8. Walk on both the insides and the outsides of your feet on occasion. It will help strengthen the muscles and joints of your ankles and help you with your balance.
9. Curl your toes in the sand or even on a solid floor. Curl them in and out much the way you might do with your fingers to open and close them.
10. Rise up and down on your toes. It exercises your calf muscles as well as giving a good workout to your ankles.

These are just suggestions and is by no means a complete exercise program for your feet and ankles. Remember there are muscles and joints your ankles, feet and toes that need exercise just like the rest of your body. Try the suggestions above and make them part of your daily routine. Do them when you are watching TV after dinner or simply as “Exercise Snacks” during the day.

Thank you for reading.

According to the Washington Post, July of 2019 was the hottest month in recorded history — Worldwide. July and August have historically been the hottest months of the year and this year, July exceeded all expectations.

So, I have updated an article from over two years ago, another hot Summer, and revive it here as we cycle in and out of the sweltering heat of these hottest months in history.

Seniors tend to dehydrate and overheat more easily than younger people. Dehydration can be a serious problem with Seniors. As we age, we lose the recovery power of our youth so that when we get truly dehydrated, it may take substantially longer to rebound. The more we age, the longer it takes to recover. Of course, the better physical condition we are in, the better we can handle the recovery.

What are the symptoms of dehydration? Mild to moderate dehydration results in increased thirst, headache, lightheadedness, constipation, dry mouth, fatigue, and lack of the need to urinate. Severe dehydration may result in severe thirst, lack of sweating, confusion, irritability, fever, low blood pressure, rapid breathing and heart rate, and may end up in loss of consciousness, and even death. Severe dehydration can also result in kidney problems and overall decreased blood flow resulting from low fluid content in the body.

With seniors, the symptoms of dehydration do not appear suddenly. But once you become dehydrated, the symptoms can escalate quickly. Studies tell us that Seniors also lose their sense of thirst as they get older, so they are not as likely to notice the need for fluids as early as younger people.

How about increasing salt intake? Here is an interesting bit of information. Studies have shown that lack of salt contributes to cardiovascular problems. What? I always heard that salt is bad for you. These studies show that seniors should consume no less than one teaspoon of salt, nor more than three teaspoons of salt per day. Those who did the studying found that most seniors were well within this range when they were totally on their own. But most independent living facilities provide a low salt diets at dinnertime which can potentially lead to mild dehydration.  What kind of salt should we use? Sea salt or ”Himalayan” rock salt are better by far that normal table salt.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, the best way to prevent dehydration in seniors, and everyone else for that matter, is to drink plenty of water, eat plenty of water content foods like fruits and vegetables, and to avoid alcohol.

We are also told that seniors should be careful about venturing out on really hot and humid days, and to keep plenty of water handy at all times. Don’t skimp on salt, but don’t go overboard either.

Most medical websites say basically the same thing relative to seniors. Drink plenty of water whether you are thirsty or not (remember the sense of thirst is diminished with seniors). Be alert for symptoms and catch them early. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance if the symptoms are noticeable, and don’t hesitate to contact emergency or medical personnel if you or anyone with you deems it advisable.

I hope you found this useful. Thank you for reading.

Breathing is moving air in and out of the body. The Respiratory System works with the Cardiovascular system to insure proper cellular function by providing a way to collect oxygen from the environment and move it to the blood stream. For this to happen, there must be a means to move the air in and out of the body and get it into your cells.

The nervous system recognizes the need for oxygen and triggers your incoming breath.  Basically, when the internal pressure in the lungs is less than that of the outside atmospheric pressure, the air is drawn into the lungs. That internal pressure is reduced when you exhale and the lungs empty out.

You breathe normally during everyday activities. When you exercise, air is drawn in harder and faster. The muscles in your abdomen and chest fire more powerfully to force more air in and push it out when you exercise.

More than anything else, you need oxygen for your body and mind to function. Your body breathes in oxygen through the nose and mouth, where most of the impurities are filtered out. The air proceeds down the bronchial tube into the lungs, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream and pumped out through the cardiovascular system to the cells. There it is turned into energy and converted to a waste (CO2). The deoxygenated blood is returned to the heart (through the lungs) and the CO2 is expelled when you breathe out.

Oxygen is the catalyst for the production of energy in the body. Energy is defined as the “capacity for work.” That energy results from the breakdown of food (mostly carbohydrates and fat) and its absorption into the cells via a cellular compound produced in the cells called ATP.  ATP supplies the energy for muscular contractions and other body functions.

The point is that the air you breathe is the catalyst for the creation of energy in the body through the breakdown of the food you eat. Air is in continuous circulation in the body and without an ongoing supply, we die.

As with diets, there are lots of theories on the best way to breathe. These are mostly based on ways to reduce stress (or to sell an online course). Your body already knows the best way to breathe. With the exception of perhaps a structured breathing pattern during meditation, your body really is programmed to do it right. The respiratory system is designed to function quite well without playing mind games with your breathing. The more you exercise and move, the stronger and more efficient your breathing becomes and the more energy your body has available. Keep your body moving.

I hope all this made sense to you. Your physical body is a complicated series of systems that function well together. When you move your bodies and eat intelligently, your body thrives. When you don’t move and when you eat junk, your body’s systems break down.  When these systems break down, you develop physical problems and become susceptible to disease. Remember the air you breathe and the foods you eat produce energy for life. It’s best when you do it right.

Thank you for reading.