MEMBER SPOTLIGHT- Eleanor Jones

I have had the pleasure of working with Eleanor for a number of years. She is a vibrant, energetic, intelligent 94 year old. Her skill at the bridge table is only surpassed by her dedication to wellness. She is an amazing woman who has inspired many from near and far.  Her attitude and drive is incredible.  She is willing to try anything I throw at her. Her posture, ranges of motion and walking have improved remarkably over the time we have worked together. If you workout in the morning at the Cheek Powell facility you have run across this dynamo on a piece of equipment or hanging off the stretching cage.

 

Eleanor began with the wellness center back many years ago when they first  built the pool ( that is now gone) and started the first Arthritis class.  She worked in the pool for two years and then started at the wellness center when it was located on Corbett Street.

  Eleanor loved all the exercise classes from Ti-Chi to strength training and aerobics.  She has been very consistent over the years, but has had to take breaks for a hip replacement, knee replacement, a pacemaker and a very serious time with internal bleeding.  Over the last few years her health has remained strong and Eleanor has been an almost daily sight in the mornings at the wellness center.  She works out twice a week with me. We work mainly on balance, improving posture, coordination and agility. You may see her throwing the sandbells or stretching on the TRX.  On her own, she does the machines and the bike, nustep and arc trainer.

In a conversation with Eleanor she has stated, “I give the wellness center full credit for being able to do anything.  They keep up the equipment well and the personnel are very helpful.  It just couldn’t be any better.  I have all these people who talk to me and I feel like they are all my friends.”

She believes that “Exercise is something that should be made part of your lifestyle, a part of your day.  If you have to ‘work it in’, then you haven’t made it part of your lifestyle. I need to have something very important to happen for me not to come in, unless it is very important, I am here.”

Enough words, check out Eleanor in action!

Blood Pressure Awareness

Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries.  Blood pressure is the product of the heart pumping blood out and the resistance it gets traveling through the peripheral vascular system. From a physiological point of view, age, weight, gender, ethnicity and family history all affect blood pressure. Mechanically, the pumping of the heart creates a force as the blood pushes against the walls of the arteries.  This is generally a good thing.  When our blood pressure is too low, we often times feel dizzy and faint, because there is not enough pressure to push the blood to the brain.  Many times this low blood pressure is due to medication or dehydration.  Other times our pressure is too high.  This again can be caused by medication, heredity and/ or lifestyle choices (high fat diet, smoking, lack of exercise)

In reading blood pressure the higher (systolic) number represents the pressure while the heart contracts to pump blood to the body.  The lower (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart relaxes and fills between beats.  The systolic pressure is always stated first.  Blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) or below is considered optimal for adults. A systolic pressure of 120 to 139 mmHg or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89 mmHg is considered "prehypertension" and needs to be discussed with your doctor watched carefully.  A blood pressure reading of 140 / 90 or higher is considered elevated (high) and you will need to confer with your doctor about your best course of action.

Regular exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight, which is an important way to control blood pressure. But to keep your blood pressure low, you need to keep exercising. It takes about one to three months for regular exercise to have an impact on your blood pressure. The benefits last only as long as you continue to exercise. Studies have shown that moderate aerobic exercise (like walking) is effective in lowering resting blood pressure. Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure.

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