You don't have to be out there competing with everybody. You probably remember the Surgeon General's report warning people about the dangers of cigarette smoking. I feel my day isn't complete without some physical activity. I know I do miss it on the days that I don't do it. In fact, there aren't very many health reasons to keep older adults from becoming more active.
Most older people think in terms of getting their doctor's approval to start exercising.
As you will see in this chapter, that's a good idea for some people. But given what we now know about the importance of exercise for older adults and about the health risks of not exercising, we feel that there should be another side to the discussion. Traditionally, exercise has been discouraged in people with certain chronic conditions. But researchers have found that exercise can actually improve some chronic conditions in most older people, as long as it's done during periods when the condition is under control. In people with CHF, the heart can't empty its load of blood with each beat, resulting in a backup of fluid throughout the body, including the lungs.