Silver&Fit Offers Six Tips for Healthy Aging During "September is Healthy Aging Month"

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 4, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- America's baby boomers are planning
to be around for a long, long time. Many, in fact, will see their 100th
birthdays! Already, the U.S. has more centenarians -- people who are 100 years
of age or older -- than any other country in the world, according to a 2009
report released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Institute on Aging.
By 2050, centenarians are expected to be the fastest growing segment of the
world's population!

"Today's newly retiring seniors may easily have 30 or more years ahead of them,
so there is no more important retirement gift they can give themselves than the
gift of good health," said Dr. Douglas Metz, chief health services officer for
American Specialty Health (ASH), a national health and wellness company that
provides the Silver&Fit(r) healthy aging program.

Silver&Fit offers seniors unique fitness, nutrition, and health education
classes and events. While many older adults seem to agree, in theory, that they
want a healthy, vital and vibrant life for decades to come, poor health habits
and lifestyle choices from the past can hamper their progress to improve their
health. Silver&Fit offers a few tips below to help seniors reach their healthy
aging goals.

1. Exercise -- Your "Fountain of Youth"

Exercise could be called a fountain of youth for seniors because of the many
benefits it provides. Study after study has shown that seniors who exercise
benefit from increased strength, endurance, balance, cognitive abilities,
cardiovascular health, and improved outlook. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, seniors should get 2.5 hours of
moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking) per week, or 1.25 hours of
vigorous aerobic activity (like swimming or running) each week, in addition to
strength training two times per week. Many community centers and fitness clubs
offer senior fitness classes, including dance, tai chi, and yoga classes. For
seniors who are less mobile, there are many types of exercises that can be done
from a sitting or reclining position utilizing light weights or weighted balls,
ankle or wrist weights, elastic bands, and stretching.

2. Eat Your Way to Good Health

A healthy diet can help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol and blood
pressure, and reduce your risks for cancer, heart attack or stroke. One of the
best ways to establish healthy eating habits is to remember to "keep it simple."
Eat simple whole foods like fruits and veggies, and whole grains, such as brown
rice. Minimize the amount of fatty meat in your diet. Simple baked chicken or
fish is delicious and has less fat than heavy meats like beef. Eliminate
processed foods that are loaded with lots of additives, chemicals, and calories.
Grow your own fresh herbs, like rosemary and basil, to "spice" up your salads,
vegetables, and lean meats. Think simple and fresh, and you'll be on your way to
a healthier diet.

3. See Your Doctor Regularly

Don't forget your checkups. Seeing your doctor regularly and having him or her
perform preventive health checkups, such as screenings, is one of the best ways
to hang on to your good health for years to come.

4. Learn Something New

As we age, it is important to continue doing new things that help to stimulate
our brains and stretch our minds. According to a 2003 study from The New England
Journal of Medicine, seniors over age 75 who continued to read actively and
engage in other physical and artistic activities had lower rates of memory
disease such as Alzheimer's and dementia. Learning challenges our brains and
gives us a sense of pride with each new accomplishment. Learning a new language,
playing bridge or chess, or simply reading can all stimulate the mind's
cognitive abilities.

5. Stay Connected

Family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors can be our lifelines to the world as
we age. But keeping connected can sometimes be difficult, especially if we are
in poor health, if family and friends are distant, or if we are unable to drive.
Clubs, churches, libraries, gyms, senior centers, and neighborhood associations
all offer opportunities that can keep you connected. Set up carpools with others
to help you get around, check out bus routes, or utilize community senior
transportation services. If you're unable to get out as much as you like, check
out Internet chat rooms for older adults or for people who have the same
interests as you. Online connections can add a new dimension to your life and
can help stave off feelings of loneliness or depression. Most importantly, don't
let the television become a substitute for your social life. Make yourself stay
connected, and you'll have a happier, healthier outlook.

6. Keep Doing the Things You Enjoy

Never before has there been a generation so determined to not let age slow them
down. Today's seniors play tennis and golf, run races and swim well into their
90s. Many continue to work a job or volunteer. That "joie de vivre" helps keep
their minds sharp, their bodies strong, and their spirits high. So keep doing
the things you love, and your health will benefit.

Healthy Aging Month is the perfect time for older adults to begin thinking about
how they'll spend their next 10, 20, or even 30 years. Through healthy living,
their golden years can be truly golden.

About Silver&Fit and American Specialty Health

Silver&Fit is a fitness and healthy aging program designed to help older adults
achieve better health through regular exercise. Silver&Fit provides access to
local participating fitness clubs, with such amenities as cardiovascular
equipment and weights, whirlpools, exercise classes, and saunas, where
available; senior exercise classes; access to an online health library, a
quarterly newsletter, health trackers, a health store; and support from
Silver&Fit's toll-free member services hotline and Web site. Unless required by
their health plans, Silver&Fit members pay no copays, coinsurance, or
deductibles to participate in these activities.

Silver&Fit is made available through American Specialty Health and its
subsidiaries, which comprise one of the nation's premier personal health
improvement organizations, providing clinical provider network, fitness, and
wellness programs to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and
trust funds nationwide.

Based in San Diego, ASH has over 700 employees and covers more than 12 million
members in benefit programs and more than 750,000 members in wellness programs.
For more information, visit Silver&fit.com or ASHCompanies.com, or call
800.848.3555.

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CONTACT: American Specialty Health
Debby Clark
619.557.3120
debbyc@ashn.com
Tim Curns
800.848.3555
timc@ashn.com