If you hate the treadmill but love the tango, I have great news for you. Social dancing in not only fun, it’s also really good for you. All you have to do is watch Dancing with the Stars, and you’ll want to get your own hips moving. Who doesn’t want to move like that?

While the foxtrot may not be as physically intense as your Body Pump class, it’s good for your body and mind. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, social dancing keeps your mind sharp. This isn’t surprising to anyone who’s taken dance lessons – there’s a lot to remember!

And it’s a great way to spend your Friday nights. They call it ‘social’ dance for a reason: it’s an exciting way to connect with your significant other and meet new friends.

Why Dance?

There are many reasons to get your cha-cha on, and we can boil them all down to four categories:

1. It burns a lot of calories!

An hour of salsa dancing can burn around 400 calories.  If you watch Dancing with the Stars, you’ll notice that many lose a significant amount of weight over the course of a season.

2. It’s healthy.

Regular aerobic activity, like dancing, lowers your blood pressure and reduces your risk of heart disease. It also strengthens the bones in your lower extremities and builds endurance so you’ll have more energy for your everyday schedule.

3. It helps you age gracefully.

The study I mentioned above found that seniors who dance were less likely to develop dementia over five years than inactive seniors were. It also enhances flexibility and improves balance, which will reduce the risk of falling.

4. You’ll love it!

Dancing puts a smile on your face. Besides being fun to do, vigorous physical activity helps to relieves stress and may fight depression. And watching yourself advance in any discipline will do wonders to improve your confidence!

Think Before You Swing

Nearly everyone has at least one physical limitation.  Like any other form of exercise, you need to listen to your body.  If it hurts, modify the movement.

Also remember that social dance is a healthy addition to your healthy living program.  Please continue your cardio and strength training regimen.

Just Dance!

So if you love to dance, what’s stopping you?  It’s time to start this healthy habit. Best of all, it’s one you can do for the rest of your life.

So check online or grab your local Yellow Pages to find classes in your area. Your body and mind will thank you!  You’ll have so much fun, you won’t even call it exercise!

Move to the music,

Molly

Originally published in GO, GlobalFit’s online healthy living newsletter.”  http://www.globalfit.com/gonewsletter/default.asp

Don’t wait for hot flashes to start thinking about the health of your bones.  Once you hit 30 years old, bone loss begins.  And here’s a real hot flash: your risk of getting osteoporosis is greater than your combined risk of having a heart attack, getting breast cancer, and having a stroke. 

I recently attended a fantastic lecture given by Mary O’Connor, M.D., Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at The Mayo Clinic in Florida.  Not only was she a great speaker, she delivered a very important message—loud and clear:  YOU CAN FIGHT OSTEOPOROSIS AND YOU, YOUR CHILDREN AND SIGNIFICANT OTHER SHOULD START FIGHTING IT TODAY. 

The Scary Statistics

• Only 50% of women are able to regain their pre-fracture abilities after a hip fracture.
• Half of all women over 50 will develop osteoporosis.
• One in four men over 50 will develop osteoporosis.
• One in three men will not survive one year after a hip fracture
• Hip and spine fractures frequently lead to death.
• Bone loss does not only occur in men and women over 50.  The University of Memphis men’s basketball team showed a 6.1% decrease in bone density during an intense training period.  The loss of calcium in sweat impacts bone loss.

 The Prescription is Simple

Get enough Calcium.  Get as much as you can through your diet with calcium-rich foods like yogurt, sardines and spinach. Take a supplement to help you meet the recommended daily requirement.  Note that growing children need the most calcium while their bones are growing.

1000 mg   

Children: 4-8 yrs

Men & Women: 19-50 yrs

Men: 51-70 yrs

1300 mg   

Children:  9-18 yrs

1200 mg   

Women over 50 yrs

Men over 70 yrs

2000 mg    Safe Upper Limit

Take Vitamin D.  If you didn’t read my article about Vitamin D, please take a look at it.  The benefits of taking a Vitamin D supplement are enormous.  According to Dr. O’Connor, EVERYONE should be taking this inexpensive and important supplement.

Perform Weight Bearing Exercises on a Consistent Basis.  Lift weights, walk, run or play tennis.  Do anything that “stresses” your bones in a good way.  Regular weight bearing exercises cause your bones to adapt to the impact of the weight by building more cells which makes them stronger. Without the ability to “bear weight” astronauts come back from an extended flight into outer space with significant bone loss.

Fall Prevention.  Making your home as safe as possible is especially important for older individuals.  Keep floors clean and all rooms free of clutter, Install handrails in the bathroom where needed.  Talk with family members to determine if your house is a “safe” place for you to live.

Along with regular strength training, you can also practice balance exercises which will help prevent a fall.  Ask a personal trainer at your gym to teach you a few simple balance exercises and incorporate them into your weekly routine.

As Dr. O’Connor said, “No one EVER wants to rely on a walker to get around.”  Be proactive when it comes to the health of your bones and hopefully you won’t have to deal with this devastating disease.  If you’d like more information please check out this informative site. 

Strong Body, Strong Bones,

Molly