Abacoa & Alton Neighbors - July 2026

4 A B A C O A & A LT O N N E I G H B O R S | J U LY 2 0 2 6 S ome people exercise for physical fitness, some for mental health, some as preventive practice against declining health, and others simply because they enjoy it and can’t imagine NOT staying active. Bryan Rocafort, CSCS, CEAS, a health/fitness professional for more than 10 years, offers advice for anyone currently involved in or considering an exercise plan: follow strategies to keep yourself safe, comfortable, and able to continue well into later life. One of the most important factors about exercise is consistency, says Rocafort, an exercise physiologist at Jupiter Medical Center. “Commitment is important to support good health and embrace a lifestyle change,” he says. “Some people still have a belief that exercise is going to hurt them. But what’s true is that people at any age can engage in physical activity if they focus on time-tested safety practices that support good health, positive results, and lifelong benefits.” BASIC TIPS ATANYAGE For those already involved in a fitness program: • Drink fluids before, during, and after exercising. If you’re notably dehydrated, do not engage in vigorous physical activity or long-duration moderate physical activity. • Eat something before physical activity, but time it correctly. After eating a large meal or if you have slow digestion, you may want to wait up to 4 hours before engaging in physical activity. Pay attention to your body and how it reacts to food. • Warm up and cool down. Stretching to loosen muscles/ tissues can be part of a pre-exercise warm-up, and stretching in place can be an optional part of a post-exercise cool-down. – By Sue MacDonald – Starting anExercise Plan? FOLLOW TIME-TESTED DO’S AND DON’TS A cool-down means gradually reducing the intensity of activity to bring vital signs closer to resting levels and to prevent lightheadedness. Walking is an ideal cool-down activity, or stretching for 5-10 minutes can be included as part of the cool- down to allow your heart and lungs to return to normal. • Honor your limitations and pain. If you have arthritis pain, for example, it’s OK to exercise with your normal arthritic symptoms or to engage in therapy that’s been prescribed by a qualified medical professional. • Make moving/exercise a priority because you care about your longevity and maintaining or improving your daily quality of life. CAN EXERCISE-RELATED BENEFITS BE QUANTIFIED? Studies show that exercise can improve quality of life, reduce/reverse risk factors, boost moods, and reduce mortality. Among the findings: • 19%-21% lower risk of all causes of death by engaging in moderate to vigorous activity (e.g., 75-150 minutes a week or 150-300 minutes a week), with an even lower risk of mortality for those who exercise longer • 31% lower risk of death from heart disease for individuals who met the AHA guidelines for vigorous physical activity: at least 70 minutes of aerobic activity and an above-normal maximum heart rate. • 28-38% lower risk of heart-related death for engaging in 300- 600 minutes/week of physical activity DO EVERYDAYACTIVITIES QUALIFYAS “EXERCISE”? Indeed, they do! Common daily activities such as gardening and mowing the lawn to swimming, dancing, and pushing a stroller can EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR