The moment that changed everything:

At age 30, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which continued to progress, leaving my joints very stiff and my hands and feet deformed. Last year while doing housework I fell and broke my hip. But I was determined not to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. After I had my hip replaced I did everything possible to continue my normal daily activities. Eventually I was able to walk without assistance, but I was exhausted all the time from the constant pain.

Small steps, big changes:

I began researching ways to decrease my arthritis and hip pain and found that a healthier diet and regular physical activity were supposed to help. Then I found SilverSneakers and began going to my local fitness location twice a week. I started slowly using elastic bands, small exercise balls and light weight training and kept progressing.

Where I am today:

Healthy eating habits and attending SilverSneakers classes have helped me improve my strength and energy level. My husband saw how much better I was doing and he now goes with me to the classes and our friend who also has arthritis started going with us too!

What does this mean for you? Not only are there more fitness centers for you to choose from, Anytime Fitness offers amenities including:

• access 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
• state-of-the-art fitness equipment, treadmills and free weights
• more than 1,600 locations nationwide

Now you’ll be able to find a fitness center that accommodates your schedule, day or night.

To find your nearest participating location, visit www.silversneakers.com, then call your nearest Anytime Fitness location to schedule your orientation. When you arrive, show your SilverSneakers ID card at the front desk. It’s that easy!

Try out one of these new locations, open 24 hours a day, and take another step toward a healthier, happier lifestyle. And don’t forget to call before your first visit to schedule an orientation

The moment that changed everything

I got a call from my health plan saying it included the SilverSneakers Fitness Program. I was told the program was designed just for people like me.

I had nothing to lose, so I hung up the phone and made up my mind to change my situation.

Small steps, big changes

While still using oxygen, I decided to go to the gym near me and join SilverSneakers. I couldn’t climb the stairs, so I took the elevator. After starting SilverSneakers

classes, I also began working with a trainer; I got nutrition training and began eating healthier too.

Where I am today

I’ve lost 74 pounds, got my diabetes under control and got rid of numerous aches and pains. The best part is that my doctor reduced my oxygen use to nighttime only.

He continues to encourage me to keep eating healthier and getting daily exercise. I’ve already achieved one of my main goals, to reduce reliance

on an oxygen tank, and I know walking with my granddaughter on the beach isn’t far behind.

Words for others

You are responsible for your own life choices, and joining a program like SilverSneakers is a life-saving choice. You can do it! All you need to do is go at your own

pace surrounded by wonderful, supportive people.

Ready to submit your nomination form for the 2012 Richard L. Swanson Award?

If so, visit us on Facebook to submit online or visit our web site.

The moment that changed everything

I suffered a debilitating stroke in 2005, leaving my left side (arm, leg and foot) paralyzed. I spent 45 days in a rehab hospital, and when I got out I was released in a wheelchair and given two months of outpatient therapy. I joined SilverSneakers in 2009, coming to class with a cane and wearing an ankle-foot brace.

Small steps, big changes

I began in the SilverSneakers class using two chairs for additional stability and to assist in getting up and down. Determined to get better, I worked hard to gain my strength and range of motion back. Eventually, I could go from seated to a standing position without the aid of my cane or a chair.

Where I am today

I now attend the Muscular Strength & Range of Movement class three times a week and YogaStretch twice a week. After seven months of SilverSneakers classes, I was able to stop using the foot brace. I’ve also been able to decrease my blood pressure meds and been able to stop taking certain cholesterol medications. I’ve lost 20 pounds and my waistline shrunk from 42 inches to 36. My left hand and arm have gone from total paralysis to moderate usefulness and I can even lift my arm over my head; previously I could barely lift it to shoulder height. YogaStretch has improved my flexibility, posture and balance. I am now able to lift my left foot and leg off the floor without help.

Words for others

We have a lot of fun in the SilverSneakers classes. It’s a great group of people who share love and concern for each other. As far as I’m concerned, everyone should join SilverSneakers!

Ready to submit your nomination form for the 2012 Richard L. Swanson Award?

If so, visit  us on Facebook to submit online or visit our web site.

But what if you thought about it this way? Making the time to exercise daily will give you more time. Not only does exercise improve your quality of life, it can actually
add years, too.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of activity a week in order to improve health. This may sound like a lot, but it’s really only a little more than 20 minutes per day. That’s less time than it takes to watch an episode of Wheel of Fortune! In fact, you could be doing exercises while watching Wheel of Fortune. That’s multitasking with some serious benefits. 

And it may take even less exercise than that to increase your life span. A 2011 study entitled ‘Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: a prospective cohort study’ found that only 92 minutes of moderate activity a week can extend your life by three years. That’s less than 15 minutes a day. What would you do with three more years?

Watch your grandchildren graduate from college? Maybe even meet your great-grandchildren? Go on that cruise you’ve been thinking about or even finish that novel? When you believe you’re too busy to exercise, think of all you can accomplish with that extra time!

Let us know what you would do with that extra time! Leave a comment below.

The moment that changed everything

I’ve always been athletic and independent, competing in the Senior Olympics, walking daily, shopping and driving myself to church. But in 2010 I was diagnosed with dementia. In the following months, I became depressed and dizzy, and I developed high blood pressure.

Small steps, big changes

I wanted to start off 2011 right, so I joined SilverSneakers. After a few months of participating, my sons and I have seen a huge change. I walk about an hour at the gym, and I got both my sons (ages 69 and 72) involved in SilverSneakers as well.

Where I am today

Thanks to SilverSneakers, I have become involved in church and social activities again. I continue to be independent and live on my own in my own home.

Words for others

If  you can walk then you should do that every day. I’ve never seen any gain in quitting; you just have to keep on trucking.

Ready to submit your nomination for the 2012 Richard L. Swanson Inspiration Award? Visit us on Facebook or SilverSneakers.com for more information!

]]> http://blog.silversneakers.com/2012/06/small-steps-big-changes-for-thelma-brasuell/feed/ 0 http://blog.silversneakers.com/2012/06/talking-prevention-with-your-doctor-2/ http://blog.silversneakers.com/2012/06/talking-prevention-with-your-doctor-2/#comments Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:25:37 +0000 Sims http://blog.silversneakers.com/?p=554 Does this situation sound familiar? You go to the doctor, you fill out some paperwork and the doctor sees you. Your doctor wants to make sure you’re healthy, so you go over any current medications and your present health. But do you talk about prevention?

Going to the doctor is an important step in caring for your health, but it’s important to get a complete picture of your future health and not just your present state. While you’re there, you might only have a few moments with your health care provider, so be prepared with the questions that address prevention.

Preventive health includes the actions you can take to prevent illness and promote your overall wellness. Exercise is one of those actions. Exercise can help you keep your weight under control, improve your cholesterol levels, and manage high blood pressure.

Some of the questions we often forget to ask:

• What are my health risks? Will exercise help
  lower my risks?
• If I exercise and follow a healthier lifestyle
  could I reduce the number of medications I take or take lower doses?
• Is it OK for me to start exercising? Is there
  any exercise I shouldn’t do?
• How will exercise help me stay healthy?
• How much exercise is appropriate for me?

It might even be a good idea to keep a health journal to help you track different aspects of your health, and take notes during your appointments.

For other ideas on questions to ask your doctor, visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website: http://www.ahrq.gov/questions/.

Prevention is a key component of our health that we often overlook, but staying healthy in the future means being healthy now. You can address this with your doctor and make sure you’re taking the right steps to stay healthy and stay young!

If you’ve met with your doctor about prevention and started SilverSneakers, how did it go?

Was it easier than you expected? Were you anxious or nervous about discussing prevention and ways to keep yourself healthy? Or did you learn something that you wouldn’t  have learned if you hadn’t asked?

However, SilverSneakers impacts the lives of more than just our members.  Our fitness center partners get to experience the program and the changes it makes in our members’ lives on a daily basis.  We recently received a letter from one of our fitness center partners, 24 Hour Fitness – Lakewood Sport, that had begun promoting the SilverSneakers Fitness Program -to better engage the older population. They had no idea a simple promotion could have such an impact on the lives of their staff.  Club Manager, Nastasia Genova, shared her story with us.

“Today was an extremely impactful day for me.

We’ve spent a lot of time focused on driving visits with SilverSneakers members.  We’ve spent the last month reaching out to the local community and our current SilverSneakers members.   We were serving refreshments to welcome our guests and SilverSneakers members to one of our classes.  As I was bringing into the club a cart filled with orange juice, plates, bagels, cream cheese, water, and 5 bunches of balloons blowing in the wind making me resemble a super hero, all I could think of was, “gosh, I hope at least 5 people show up to this thing!”

You can imagine my pure joy when the floods of seniors ran in (literally, ran through the parking lot) with excitement to attend our launch today as I count … 5,6,7 …. 40!  I felt a sense of accomplishment and told my staff, “WE DID IT!”

And then … the class began.  I stood in disbelief at how innocent, excited and connected this group of people was with us, the teacher and a whole group of strangers. As they danced the hour away, they were cheering, clapping, laughing, and chatting with their neighbor who had quickly moved from being a stranger to being a friend. They thanked us endlessly and encouraged each other to come back on Friday and bring a friend.  They socialized, stuck around to share stories, make jokes and really appreciate the moment they were in.

It is easy for us to get consumed in our daily rhythm and forget to take a minute to savor the special moments in our lives.  Today, I made the choice to stand back and take in the moment.  I quickly realized this group of individuals doesn’t take these moments for granted.  They weren’t concerned with what they were going to do or how good they were at doing it – they were there to celebrate each other and their own lives.

Today, our team made a difference.  Yes, we had 40 visitors that may not have come in without the event, but more importantly, we impacted
the lives of 40 people and THAT is why SilverSneakers’ classes are a great way for the older population to stay active and meet new friends.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve our community.”

How has SilverSneakers impacted your life? Share your story in the comments below or email us at info@silversneakers.com.

• Only self-diagnose when you are familiar with your symptoms. A cough with congestion is probably something you’ve experienced before, but a cough with lung pain is probably a good reason to call the doctor.

• If over-the-counter medicine doesn’t work, it’s time to call the doctor. You may be having what seems like a normal cold or flu, but if the basic medicines you’re using don’t have any effect, or if your symptoms get worse, you need to contact a professional. Generally you can give your illness three or four days before calling the doctor.

• Do your homework before going to the doctor. Make sure you know the names of the medications you’re already on—write them down if you have to—before you go to the doctor’s office. State your symptoms and your expectations clearly at the beginning of the visit.

• Follow the doctor’s orders. If you get advice from a medical professional that you don’t think you can follow, be upfront about it. That will allow the doctor to give you other advice that might be better suited to your situation and prevent misunderstandings in follow-up visits.

• Pay attention. Being on your cell phone or distracted with other things is a terrible way to start a visit. It wastes the doctor’s time and yours, and may lead to misunderstandings and unclear communication.

• Tell the truth. Occasionally, doctors will ask about uncomfortable parts of people’s lives: sexual habits, drinking, and other aspects of our lifestyles we might want to keep private. Doctors are prohibited from revealing personal details of your life unless medically necessary (with minor exceptions), so go ahead and divulge that info. It will only help the doctor diagnose you.

And the most important tip of all:

• Rest. Get more sleep than you usually do. Drink more water. Don’t push yourself, and don’t stress yourself. In most cases, you’ll want to stop exercising until you get better. (The commonly-held rule is that you should stop working out if your illness affects any part of your body below your neck.)

There you have it—you can’t really stay healthy until you get healthy first. Take care of yourself and you’ll be back on track in no time.

Allergies are a result of the body’s reaction to things that wouldn’t normally harm it. For reasons that aren’t completely understood, some people’s immune systems send off a red alert when they come in contact with pollens, animal hair, insect droppings, or other mundane items.

The body’s first reaction is to produce an antibody against the invading substance. That antibody’s job is to seek out and destroy things that don’t belong in your body.  Unfortunately, those antibodies cause your immune system to produce other hormones and chemicals to help them along. One of those, called histamine, causes irritation throughout the body, including runny nose, congestion, and itchiness.

In rare cases, or in cases of contact with a severe allergen (like peanuts or bee stings for some people), the body can go into anaphylaxis—also known as shock—which presents itself as full-body itchiness, wheezing or shortness of breath, throat congestion (including hoarseness), and tingling in the hands, feet, or scalp. In these cases, seek emergency medical help immediately.

If you’re not going into shock, here are some things you can do to avoid the sniffles during allergy season:

• Watch the weather. Most weather websites these days include a pollen count for your area. If it’s high, stay inside. You might also take allergy medications early, to beat the onset of symptoms.
• Clear the air. Use air conditioners. If it’s too cold for A/C, some home heating and A/C units have a “fan” option that will push air through the filter before you breathe it. Consider a HEPA air filter for your bedroom or home office.
• Keep it clean. If you have an airborne allergy problem, and it’s a heavy allergy day, don’t line-dry your clothes. Do, however, vacuum your floor with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter. You may want to wear a dust mask while doing so.
• Slack off. If you have a bad allergy problem, don’t mow the lawn. Get someone else to do it, or wait for a day after a heavy rain. (The trick is to wait for the grass to dry, but not the air. Good luck.)
• Stay updated. Change the air filters in your home and car often.

There you have it—beat the sniffles and make sure you exercise somewhere that filters their air. If you don’t have allergies, just be grateful. You’re lucky.