Move Your Body at ANY Age
Written by: Devyn Quinn, Outreach Coordinator
Living gluten-free, especially with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, can take a toll on both the body and mind, and movement can be a gentle, accessible way to support overall well-being without adding pressure. Movement looks different for everyone, and each person’s level of mobility and mental capacity is unique. It can be easy to compare ourselves to what we see online, but the reality is that no two journeys are the same, and that’s more than okay.
Mental Health:
Let’s talk about how your mental health and movement go together. Many people think that to be healthy, they need to exercise intensely or must eat a specific number of calories and move for a specific amount of time. This, however, is very unrealistic.
When you go on walks, go on a shopping trip, or walk around a local fair, you are exercising, and you are moving. Also, have you ever noticed how great you feel? You might be doing something with friends, loved ones, or maybe on your own, but you feel satisfied. Doing things that make you happy and fit in with your daily life and routine is exactly what exercise and movement are supposed to feel like.
Emotional Health
Through every stage of life, people feel a wide range of emotions. If kids feel angry, they may throw a toy or say something mean to their parents. Adults may be facing financial difficulties and become short-tempered with people at work. Adults in later stages of life may experience limited mobility and feel saddened by the fact that they cannot drive themselves and become depressed.
Knowing you have options for how to move your body can help people of any age feel more in control not just physically, but emotionally too. As humans, we learn from patterns and from watching others. If we feel angry and go for a short walk, that can become a habit over time. Eventually, you will be able to recognize and name the feeling, step away from the situation, and regain control.
Something people often do not think about is being in control of their emotions. Yes, they do come depending on specific situations, but you can allow yourself to feel all the feelings, and know you can choose what you do with them!
Using movement to deal with emotions is normal and great for your physical health too!
Read more about behavior and movement from Peak Behavioral Health.
Physical Health:
Now, this one may seem like a no-brainer, but it is still important to read about. There are many benefits to exercising/movement, such as helping prevent health conditions, boosting your energy, supporting better sleep, and even leading to new friends!
Like we have talked about above briefly, it does not need to be intense, nor does it need to be a “typical” form of movement. Going on a walk while you are on a call, taking a pet on a walk, helping your kids get ready for after-school activities, or even making dinner!
As long as you are moving in a way that feels good for you, you are doing great!
Interested in the CDC’s view of physical health benefits.
Activities for everyone:
In this last section, we will get into some different ways people can move their bodies. There are sections for kids, adults, and older adults.
For Families with Kids:
- Freeze Dance Party
- A game of Twister
- A color scavenger hunt (hide colored objects to find)
- Stomping on bubble wrap
- An indoor snowball (wool balls) fight
- Kid and family-friendly yoga video
- Hula Hooping
- Keeping a balloon in the air
- Hopscotch
- Mini Golf
- Bowling
- Tissue dance (keep a tissue on your head and dance for a whole song)
Adults:
- A regular dance party
- Gardening
- Hiking
- Water gun battle
- A yoga session
- Going for a walk
- Paintball
- Volunteering
- Shopping (clothes, groceries, gardening, shopping, etc.)
- Rollerblading
- Riding a bike
Limited Mobility:
- Going on walks with loved ones
- A nature hike
- Walking heel to toe (like on an imaginary tightrope)
- An age-appropriate yoga session
- Swimming
- Chair dancing (dancing from a chair)
- Sewing and knitting
- Painting
- Writing stories or poetry
- Baking GF goodies
- Gardening
- Spa Day
- Playing a game (cards, chess, puzzles, etc.)