WALKING YOUR WAY TO GOOD HEALTH

The correct way to do brisk walking. 

When I sold my Chrysler Alpine in 1998, I did not know at the time that it would be the last car I owned. I have not driven since, and have been depending largely on public transport and my own very reliable two feet to take me to my destinations. Together with rides from my friends, I can say it's definitely possible to survive in Kuala Lumpur without a car. I know many of my friends will disagree with me.

It's not that difficult to chalk up 10,000
steps a day on the pedometer.

Not having wheels means I walk a lot. Almost every day I walk to the nearest bus-stop to catch the bus to KLCC. From there I either take the LRT, RapidKL bus or Go-KL shuttle bus to my destinations, which can be anywhere in the Klang Valley.

I look at walking as good exercise. I walk to my neighbourhood supermarket to get my groceries, to the bank to do my financial transactions and to the post office to pay my bills. Sure, I can do most of these chores online, but that would reduce my daily dose of walking. If I do my errands early around 9 am or 10 am, I get the warm morning sunlight on my skin. That's free vitamin D.

Walking for hours in a shopping mall does not count as exercise as it is not continuous. To derive any health benefits from walking, it has to be brisk walking for at least 30 minutes and done on a regular basis.

I can't think of a better exercise for seniors than brisk walking. It is not as taxing on our knees as jogging or aerobics at the gym. It is free, apart from a small investment in a good pair of walking shoes. You can do it practically anywhere, alone or with friends or neighbours in your housing area. Back in the 1980s when I was a gym enthusiast, I did power walking either with light weight dumb-bells or ankle weights to strengthen my arm and leg muscles. But I wouldn't recommend this to anyone above 50.

Nordic Walking session led by Mrs Jagjeet Singh

There's also Nordic Walking, that is walking with a pair of sticks or poles to give the body a total workout. My good friend, Mrs Jagjeet Singh is the only certified instructor for Nordic walking in Malaysia. If you are interested to learn more, you can email her at mrsjagjeetmrsj@gmail.com

Getting ready to brisk walk for charity

To add variety to your walking regime, participate in walking events that are open to the public. It is a pity the Malay Mail has stopped organizing the popular Big Walk. The inaugural Big Walk was held in 1960. I believe the last one in 2007 attracted more than 10,000 participants. It was one of my favourite sports events. These days there are so many charity walks that you can sign up for, and help a good cause as well. I took part in the Love PJ Run on 6 July. I chose to walk not run, and finished the 3 km route in a decent 20 minutes. My next one is the annual Terry Fox Run which raises funds for cancer research.

Walking the dog gets you walking too

Here's what Mayo Clinic has to say about the health benefits of walking:

Physical activity doesn't need to be complicated. Something as simple as a daily brisk walk can help you live a healthier life.

For example, regular brisk walking can help you:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
• Strengthen your bones
• Lift your mood
• Improve your balance and coordination
• The faster, farther and more frequently you walk, the greater the benefits.

If you can't do brisk walking, even a leisurely stroll after an evening meal can do wonders for your health. Work those leg muscles. Remember if you don't use them, you lose them. When that happens, you lose your mobility and independence. If your housing area is not conducive for walks or strolls, go to the nearest park. The popular ones are Bukit Kiara and Taman Jaya. In Kuala Lumpur you have Taman Titiwangsa and KLCC Park. There are many more, I am sure.

For the elderly, a leisurely stroll in the park can be invigorating

Even a few slow steps daily with a walking
aid can improve blood circulation and
strengthen leg muscles

Happy Walking!

SEX AND ROMANCE IN THE GOLDEN YEARS PLUS NORDIC WALKING

With Jagjeet, more popularly known as Mrs J

If you were at the Star Health Fair last Sunday morning, you would have been drawn to the music and laughter coming from Hall 3.

What was going on? Senior citizens were doing the macarena led by Mrs J. She was prepping them physically to get in the mood for her talk "Sex and Romance in the Golden Years".

I have known Mrs J since our teaching days back in the 1980s. She and her husband were featured in Seniorsaloud second blog post "Forever Young" in May 2008. Five years on, Mrs J is still looking fabulous at 73, and still as feisty.

"Raise your hands - how many of you sleep in separate beds, or separate rooms?" Mrs J asked her silver-haired audience. I had expected a no-holds barred session, and Mrs J didn't disappoint.

Here are some of the slides from her one-hour presentation to share with those who were unable to make it last Sunday morning because they were attending church services or celebrating Vasakhi, the Sikh New Year.

In general, middle-aged Asian couples have more conservative views about sex and intimacy than their western counterparts.

So true! The changes we go through as we age are mostly physical and external. We are still the same person inside, perhaps a bit more mellow.

Thanks to the little blue pill and personal lubricants, elderly couples can still enjoy sexual intimacy

Mrs J lamented the rise in divorce among older couples. "I don't believe in throwing away a relationship that took 40 years to build. Challenges should strengthen love, not erode it," she told the audience.

Mrs J's message to older couples - "Never too late for intimacy, sex and romance. Go on, do it!"

How does one rekindle romance in the golden years? When a couple has spent more than half a lifetime together, they often take each other for granted. They are so comfortable with each other that they no longer see the need to delight each other with little romantic gestures.

"Go for a vacation together, just the two of you," suggests Mrs J. "Rediscover each other." She also shared personal stories from her 50-year marriage, and recommended that we use the 5 Languages of Love as a guide.

Later that afternoon, Mrs J and her team gave a demonstration on Nordic Walking. She is the only certified coach in Malaysia trained to conduct classes on Nordic Walking.

"A few years ago, my knees gave way. They literally buckled under me. I experienced such excruciating pain each time I took a step. I tried all kinds of treatments, but nothing worked. Then one morning I saw my neighbors exercising. They were walking briskly with a pair of 'sticks'. Their backs were straight, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. They told me they were 'Nordic Walking'. I googled the term, and that's how it all started. I took up Nordic Walking, and the rest is history. It gave me back my active lifestyle. I did a certification course in Australia, and today I conduct Nordic Walking sessions every weekend in my neighborhood, " explained Mrs J.

Mrs J and her team of Nordic walkers

Here's a video demonstration of Nordic Walking that Mrs J shared with the audience. Her talk generated so much interest that many stayed back to ask questions. If you would like to know more about Nordic Walking, you can contact Mrs J at mrsjageetmrsj@gmail.com