Keeping fit and healthy in an unsafe world

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Thanks to the family dog, I used to take a walk at least twice a day.

When I downsized, my daughter took the aging dog to live in the burbs where she could roam unrestricted in a vast backyard.

For a while, I kept up my walking routine. But as reports grew about seniors being robbed and beaten in broad daylight, so did my fear.

That's not good, especially for seniors.

Living in a community where they can safely walk is a must to remain active and healthy as they age.

Don't take my word, look around.

I see a lot of seniors in wheelchairs and leaning on walking sticks. Research bears this out.

"Older adults who walk three to four miles a day (about 6,000 to 9,000 steps) were 40 to 50% less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those who walk a mile (2,000 steps) a day," according to a study published in Circulation, a journal that publishes research related to cardiovascular health and disease.

Don't get me wrong.

I don't want to see anyone robbed or beaten.

But it is disgusting that there are young men and women, including juveniles, preying upon on the most vulnerable among us.

These criminals aren't just harming their victims, they are traumatizing the rest of us, especially seniors who are trying to live out their golden years in peace.

The muggings and robberies also are causing a lot of stress in communities that are already dealing with a host of problems.

No one wants their grandmother, grandfather, mother or father stuck in the house because they are afraid of being attacked on the street.

The good news is seniors can still stave off illness with exercises that can be done while looking at their favorite talk or game shows.

I know this because during COVID, my trainer showed me how to turn my living room into a makeshift gym, using two plastic bottles of water, a broom, a mat, and a dining room chair.

After three years of working with Earnestine Davis, founder of “Present Your Body Fitness,” I finally lost the extra 20 pounds I carried for two decades, and I have maintained the weight loss.

“For those who are not feeling safe outside, they can walk in groups or they can find a mall and walk inside the mall," Davis told me. "They used to do that years ago.

She added that they also can use a well-lit neighborhood track.

"If they live in a building, they can use the stairs," Davis said. "They can play some good music and dance. It helps your posture and your balance. It is all working on cardiovascular."

She taught me how to work with bands, kettle bells and weights.

She is pushing me to get in at least 10,000 steps daily.

For those who enjoy walking, I urge you to don't do it alone. In fact, if you choose to walk during the evening, carry a big stick.

And please don’t limit yourself because of age.

I’ve met women in their ‘70s and ‘80s who can run circles around much younger women, so it is not too late to benefit from an exercise routine.

Not convinced?

Here are some tips from the National Institute on Aging about the benefits of exercise. The institute suggests four ways to be active: endurance, strength, balance and flexibility.

Try to build up to at least 30 minutes of activity that makes you breathe hard on most or all days of the week. You don't have to be active for 30 minutes all at once.

Strength exercises like weights build muscles and helps prevent falls.

You can work on balance by putting the heel of one foot just in front of the toes of your other foot. This is tricky, so use a hallway wall to steady yourself, and stretching can improve your flexibility.

As much as I miss my walking companion (my dog), I’m glad she’s found a happy place in her senior years.

I am hopeful that one day all of our neighborhoods will be a pleasant trail and not one of peril.