WELLBEING

The way to wellness:

Aerobic exercise and your mentality

Swim, cycle, and plié your way to improved mental wellbeing

Ahobby that doubles as a means of enhancing your mental health (with a host of residual benefits to boot) is one worth nurturing.

Though it’s not exactly groundbreaking that aerobic exercise often acts as a conduit to the release of happy hormones, what’s less known is to what extent it’s beneficial.

Sure, you dry off from swimming laps at the pool or cool down from a barre class feeling like you’re on top of the world, but what you might not realise is that aerobic exercise is known to enlarge the hippocampus in the brain which can improve memory, minimise the chance of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and reduce blood pressure helping to mitigate stress.

In fact, the Public Health Association of Australia found that 13 per cent of Alzheimer’s cases globally are attributed to inactivity, and that by increasing one’s physical exercise, neuronal health, neurotransmitters, and brain blood flow all see substantial benefit.

Meanwhile The Medical Journal of Australia found that those who habitually participate in aerobic exercise (of any sort), aged 60 years and older, had less chance of developing depression.

The Village Redcliffe’s accomplished dance class facilitator, Gail Bubb, can’t sing the praises of aerobic activity high enough.

“There are so many wonderful benefits from weekly aerobic activity for elderly people such as improved mental health and wellbeing through community connections and social interactions within the Village, improved cardiovascular health, overall strengthening of muscles to prevent or aid in speedier recovery from falls, improved cognitive function and coordination with repetition of movement, and simple and complex patterning sequences to improve memory skills, balance, and agility,” she says.

In her experience, the students who partake in her ballet classes reap an array of benefits that in turn, holistically contribute to mental wellness and tenacity.

“Undertaking ballet classes has led to positive wellbeing outcomes such as a real sense of achievement and feeling more happy and excited,” she says.

“Students look forward to their ballet classes each week and look forward to catching up with their class friends. Ballet improves control and awareness of muscles as well as balance and stability. Ballet is an opportunity to mindfully focus within the class for its duration, allowing students to immerse themselves and enjoy the experience.”

While you may aspire to plié, jete and chassé your way to an enhanced mindset, ballet is not the only way to see the same benefits — a simple 30 minute walk a day is enough to boost your mental wellness.

With a plethora of exercise classes on offer across the Villages, you can find an activity that excites you to participate independently or with a friend to help you on your journey to wellness.

This health information is general in nature. As always, please seek personal advice from a health professional before commencing any new exercise program.

&VEGETABLE HAM POT

Perfect for mid-week dinners or

entertaining a group, enjoy this hearty recipe filled with fresh produce, protein, and plenty of delicious flavour.

INGREDIENTS

3 beetroot 2 sweet potatoes 300g pumpkin flesh

4 tbsp olive oil Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pinch chilli flakes

2 sprigs parsley

175g canned chickpeas, drained

175g cooked ham, thinly sliced

FOR THE DRESSING

2 tbsp walnut oil 3 tbsp cider vinegar

½ tsp mustard

GREAT FOR LEFTOVERS!

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Peel the beetroot and sweet potatoes and cut into chunky pieces together with the pumpkin flesh. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, and chilli flakes and spread out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Roast for 45 minutes. For the dressing, mix the remaining olive oil, walnut oil, cider vinegar and mustard with a little salt and pepper. Roughly chop the parsley. Leave the vegetables to cool then mix with the chickpeas, dressing and parsley. Cut the ham into bitesized pieces, add to the vegetables and spoon into bowls to serve. Add a grinding of pepper to taste.