“Eat your fruits and vegetables” is good advice for everyone – but, for seniors, it’s just a starting point. Comprehensive nutritional and exercise advice can help seniors improve their health, avoid obesity and help manage conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, depression and osteoporosis.

That’s why the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services has joined the national campaign, “You Can! Steps to Healthier Aging.” This campaign is part of County Executive Andy Spano’s BeFit Westchester initiative and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Steps to a Healthier US Initiative.

The local program, “Eating Better and Moving More,” goes beyond the physical fitness programs already in place at some Westchester County senior nutrition centers. The 12-week program helps participants through a mix of nutritional and exercise advice, weekly progress checks and group support. A nutritionist from the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services helps seniors understand the role that fruits and vegetables, calcium-rich foods, and fiber-rich foods play in preventing and treating numerous conditions. Participants are also encouraged to walk and, through the use of pedometers, log in their daily number of steps. Five senior nutrition centers are already participating and others are expected to join the program later. For more information, call:

Senior Nutrition Center	Phone Number
Mt. Kisco	(914) 666-8931
Mt. Vernon (Armory & Doles)	(914) 665-2434
New Castle	(914) 238-2093
New Rochelle (Doyle)	(914) 235-2363
Yorktown	(914) 962-7447

 

For more tips on senior fitness, visit Lifelong Fitness Alliance.  Lifelong Fitness wants to help people start or continue in achieving an improved level of fitness.  The goal of the program is encourage individuals and communities to "step up" their physical activity through cooperation, encouragement, goal-setting and incentives.  The folks at Lifelong Fitness continually strive to find more ways to get everyone moving.