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Waltz Your Way to Good Health
Do you find yourself tapping your
foot to a catchy melody? Get up
and dance! Twirling across the
floor is good exercise and a great
social outlet.
A Healthy Pleasure
Regular dancing can relieve
joint stiffness, increase flexibility,
and improve balance. It also
may help:
- Lower the risk for heart disease
- Decrease blood pressure
- Manage weight
- Reduce stress and tension
- Increase your stamina for other activities
Dancing challenges the brain,
too. Mature adults who dance at
least twice a week can reduce
their risk for dementia by 76
percent, according to a study
in the New England Journal of
Medicine.
Fill Your Dance Card
If you haven't danced in a
while, you may feel shy at first.
These tips will help you start
stepping again:
- Brush up on the basics. Many
community centers and YMCAs
offer affordable ballroom dance
classes.
- Invest in a pair of dancing
shoes. Shoes that provide arch
and ankle support are best for
both men and women.
- Talk with your doctor if you
smoke, are obese, or have a
high risk for a chronic disease,
such as diabetes. Fast-paced
dancing is vigorous exercise
and may require some adults to
make moderations.
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