Health
A Physical Health Instructor, Mr Jeje Adeoye, has advised the elderly to avoid cold drinks, especially shortly after physical exercise.
Adeoye gave the advice at an aerobic session held for elderly people at Festac town in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise was organised by the Charity Organisation for the Welfare of Aged People (COWAP) in collaboration with Amuwo Odofin Local Government (LG).
Participants walked a three-kilometre distance from the LG council office at 41 Road to the 206 Road Park on Second Avenue.
Adeoye, 73, cautioned the participants, who were mostly retired citizens, to avoid taking cold drinks when they feel hot or when they are sweating.
He said this precaution was necessary so that they would not suffer dehydration.
“If you take any drink, it must be warm; reason being that the body is warm, so the body needs something warm.
“Not that you go into your freezer and pick very cold water to drink.
“If you try it, all the water in your body will now come out and you will sweat profusely,’’ he said.
The septuagenarian also advised senior citizens who have orthopaedic beds to exercise on their beds every morning or use mats where possible.
Adeoye urged them to ensure they ‘coast’ before getting up from their beds daily.
He described coasting as a process where someone takes some time after waking up to get used to his environment, instead of getting up suddenly.
This, he said, will help set the pace of the day.
“Our body is a walking machine; we don’t need to rush, we need the brain to work with our body.’’
Dr Sunday Orebiyi, the Medical Officer of the LG told NAN that the quarterly walking exercise was designed to help reawaken the bodies of the participants.
According to him, most foods consumed contain toxins that need exercises to be burnt off the body.
“Most times when we’re taking foods and we don’t burn them, they turn to toxins in our body.
“We have people that are above 80 years old amongst us doing these exercises.
“They’re retirees, and as a local government, we are showing our responsibility by being in their midst, giving the right advice and preparing them for any case of emergency,’’ he said.
Orebiyi urged private organisations and pharmaceutical companies to support the group so they could scale up the walk to a monthly event.
Also, Mrs Agnes Kiladejo, 82 and Chairperson of COWAP, Festac Chapter, said the walk was aimed at keeping the elderly fit.
According to her, the tips she gets from the group have been very useful to her.
The octogenarian said: “virtually, almost everybody here is a retiree and at home and this is an opportunity to get out of the house’’.
Mrs Adetutu Jekamo, 70, told NAN that she practises what she learns from the group on her own at home.
“I used to have arthritis that bothered me for years.
“I was even recommended for an operation, which I did not do, but I thank God, I’m getting better with the exercises I engage in,’’ she said. (NAN)
– Jul. 13, 2018 @ 17:39 GMT |
Tags: Expert advises elderly to avoid cold drinks
