Benefits of Dancing & Quick Tips for Staying Healthy

By Barbara Craddock

The Benefits of Dancing

1. Forever Young. Dancing is tremendously beneficial in keeping us young. It retards the aging process immensely. It benefits our heart, cardiovascular system and increases our lung capacity. Fact: The muscle exertion and breathing rates of dancers performing in one dance competition is equivalent to those of cyclists, swimmers and an Olympic-level 800-meter runner.

2. Strong Bones, Lubricated Joints. Dance aids in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, which is a major concern for woman, especially during post-menopause because of the significant drop in estrogen that occurs at this stage. A decrease in our estrogen levels is what stops calcium from being absorbed into our bones. Dance also keeps joints lubricated, which helps prevent arthritis.

3. Calorie Blaster. Dance exercises our bodies to allow for increased circulation. It helps us burn those calories away, while improving our stamina. It is estimated that dance burns anywhere from 5 to 10 calories per minute depending on speed and intensity. For example, swing and mambo burn more calories than a slow waltz. Check out approximately how many calories you burn while dancing to your own tune:

STYLE OF DANCE	Approximate Calories Burned Per Hour
	100 lb. Dancer	125 lb. Dancer	150 lb. Dancer	175 lb. Dancer	200 lb. Dancer
Disco, Ballroom, Square, Latin, Mambo, Salsa	264	330	396	462	528
Fast, Ballet, Twist	288	360	432	504	576
Slow, Waltz, Foxtrot	144	180	216	252	288

 

4. Better Blood. New research has discovered that it is necessary to measure both good and bad cholesterol levels when determining our health. Dancing aids in lipid control, which raises our HDL (good cholesterol), and lowers our LDL (bad cholesterol). Dancing is also great for diabetics because it aids in blood sugar control.

5. Mental Mastery. Dance improves our memory by making us recall steps, routines and dance patterns making it a great mental exercise for our brains. The big benefit is that increasing mental exercise keeps your mind young, quick, alert and open.

6. It’s All About Balance. Balancing yourself in one position may be easy, but balancing in the numerous types of positions involved in dancing is much more difficult. Dancers have mastered the ability to balance themselves in a number of positions. This strengthens our stabilizer muscles, while protecting our core and keeping us less prone to injury in our daily lives. Dancing also aids in co-ordination and helps strengthen our reflexes. It is a great way to keep our Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System in tip-top shape by improving the connection of our bodies to our mind.

 

7. Socially Satisfying. Dancing is recreational and entertaining. It creates a social life for us, while affording us the opportunity to make new friends. Friends helps us grow, make us laugh and support us as we learn.

8. Culturally Diverse. Dancing has no cultural barriers. People from all parts of the world, with different ideologies, meet on the dance floor. Cultural interaction improves our health by expanding our mind and sharing our spirit!

9. Groomed to perfection. Dancing is not only fun and romantic, but it helps promote good grooming because everybody wants to look his or her best while they dance. Good grooming keeps us healthy by keeping us high on hygiene.

10. A Happy Self. Dance elevates our mood by raising our endorphin levels. This is what allows us to heal stress and depression – two of our immune system’s biggest enemies! It helps us establish our self-confidence and self-discipline. It improves the harmony between our mind and body, giving us a sense of well-being.

Quick Tips for Staying Healthy

These are a few quick and easy steps that we should follow and apply to our lives to ensure that as dancers, we maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Kick the smoking habit and limit alcohol intake.

If you are overweight, go on a sensible diet. Cut back on saturated fat intake, eat more fruits and vegetables and take a daily multi-vitamin and calcium supplement.

Add strength and resistance training exercises to your workout.

Get plenty of rest and sleep.

Have an annual physical examination, with a cardiac risk profile and a base-line bone density. For women, include a GYN exam and mammogram. For men, see your urologist for a prostate screening.

Reduce Stress! Reduce stress via meditation, joining a support group, massage therapy, aromatherapy. Be sure to take time for yourself every day, even if it is just fifteen minutes.

Immerse yourself in something that you enjoy and something that is just for you. Reward yourself with a special treat, whether it is something that you have always wanted or something that you have always wanted to do.

Be kind and gentle to yourself!

Medical Benefits of Dancing

By Shanika Chapman, eHow Contributor
Dancing is an excellent way to increase your health and fitness level. One of the oldest forms of exercise, dancing is perfect for all ages due to its flexibility and potentially low impact. If you are looking to improve your health, take a look at the many medical benefits of dancing.

Bones

• Dancing can help strengthen bones.

Blood Pressure

• Regular dancing, like any form of cardiovascular exercise, can lower blood pressure.

Oxygen

• Dancing helps your body utilize oxygen more efficiently.

Weight Loss

• Depending on the type of dancing, you can burn anywhere from 200 to 400 calories per half hour.

Social

• Dancing with others can be much more motivational than working out on your own. For seniors, dancing can help keep the brain and body active, reducing the risk of dementia.

Dance to Keep Your Mind Sharp

Ballroom Dancers

Did you know stepping onto the dance floor is a great mental workout, too? by: Phil Scott

When she was just 13 or 14 years old philanthropist Hillie Mahoney learned the waltz from her father. She’s been ballroom dancing socially ever since, but Mahoney says she’s still learning the nuances—posture, for instance—especially since she recently began dancing competitively. “I thought I knew how to dance until I took classes,” she says. “It’s more than dragging the feet around. There’s coordination between the brain and the feet.”

Ballroom dancing attracts a wide variety of participants, although, like Mahoney, 73, the majority is older than the tattoo-and-nose-ring set. It’s easy to figure out why dancing makes great exercise—just go dancing. For hard scientific proof, in a study presented at last November’s annual meeting of the American Heart Association, a group of 110 individuals who had suffered chronic heart failure were randomly assigned traditional aerobic exercise (such as cycling or walking on a treadmill), waltzing, or no exercise. After performing their assigned tasks 3 times a week for 8 weeks, the exercise group showed an oxygen consumption increase of 16 percent versus 18 percent for the waltzers, and an 18 percent increase in cardiovascular fitness, compared to 19 percent among the dancers. While the percentages between the groups are close, the dancers also reported an improvement in their emotions, compared with no improvement for the non-exercisers. And they were more likely to stick with dancing after the test. Really, how much fun is riding a stationary bike?

What Scientists Have Learned

As for a mental workout, a study published in 2003 in The New England Journal of Medicine analyzed 469 people at least 75 years old who answered a questionnaire about physical and mental activities, ranging from crossword puzzles to dancing. Within a median timeframe of 5 years, 124 had developed dementia, though the frequent dancers showed a reduced incidence. According to the study’s lead, Joe Verghese, MD, assistant neurology professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, dancing was the only physical activity tied to a lower risk of dementia.

The physical exercise increases blood flow to the brain, but dancing has a social aspect, too: Fewer dancers felt depressed and lonely. In addition, dancers must memorize intricate steps and movements, master timing, and coordinate movements with a partner—the type of mental acrobatics that hold off memory loss and dementia. According to William Greenough, professor of psychology, cell and developmental biology at the University of Illinois, “Learning intricate physical skills improves subsequent learning of other skills.” Greenough adds that his significant other, Nancy Blake, is an accomplished tango dancer, and he’s been trying to follow in her footsteps (or rather lead her) the last four or five years. “Very definitely the package as a whole enhances my motor skills and mental skills as well,” he says. But still, he says, Blake dances much better.

Doing the Tango, Looking Gorgeous

In another study, presented at the 2005 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience by Patricia McKinley of Montreal’s McGill University, 30 people between ages 62 and 90 were chosen. Half were assigned to tango classes, while the other half walked twice a week for two hours. After 10 weeks both groups scored better on cognitive tests, yet only the tango dancers did better on a multitasking test. They also displayed improvement in balance and coordination.

Larissa Velez, who, since 1999, has been teaching ballroom dancing to a range of ages, says she notices a boost in her students’ energy levels. “I see folks walk in with a slow gait,” she says. “But when swing music comes on, they dance a fast swing. It’s almost like their memory gets into that rhythm.” Also, she says, ballroom dancing gives people an opportunity to feel sexy-especially the Latin dances. Greenough agrees: “There is a real grace to tango—it just looks gorgeous.” The McKinley study backs up Greenough and Velez. According to McKinley, when dance classes began the students showed up in sweats and jeans, but by the third or fourth class they were wearing makeup and jewelry.

For Hillie Mahoney, dance classes have turned out to have benefits beyond exercise and memory improvement. After leaving the studio one night she ran into friends. “They said to me, ‘Where have you been? You look wonderful,’” she recalls. “Then I realized it was because of the waltzing.”

Phil Scott is the author of “Hemingway’s Hurricane.”

What Purpose Does Dancing Serve?

Dancing - an energizing, captivating experience

Dancing provides many great benefits and, while it’s not possible to list them all, some of the greater benefits are listed below:

1. Dancing allows one to express oneself.
2. A sense of unity is found within the dance.
3. Dancing provides physical/mental refreshment and relaxation.
4. Laughter and fun – dancing can provide a lot of entertainment.
5. Dancing is a form of exercise.
6. Dancers find inspiration and motivation as they become lost in the dance.
7. Dancing allows professional dancers to form affiliations.

America Goes Dance Crazy!

By Holly G. Miller

Going by the numbers, America is gaga about ballroom dancing. The nonprofit USA Dance, Inc., reports a 35 percent spike in the number of people taking lessons and attending ballroom events over the past 10 years. People of all ages are trying it out. Teens like the pace—the faster the better—and older folks point to research that shows dancing keeps the body agile and reduces chances of dementia.

Dancing is also just plain fun. “It’s the most joyful way for me to get my exercise, get my heart rate up, and get the endorphins I crave,” says actress Jennifer Grey, who has done as much for dancing as it has done for her. As costar of the 1987 hit film Dirty Dancing, she motivated millions to head for the ballroom. Last year she had a similar impact when she earned top honors on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) and proved, at age 50, that it’s never too late to strap on 4-inch heels and out-perform competitors 20 years her junior.

“Dancing takes me out of my busy monkey mind and dumps me in a physical space where I can be free from thinking,” says the actress. “It’s the best way for me to feel connected and alive. I take one dance class every week, but it’s not enough. I want to be able to do it every day.”

Although ballroom dancing has never lacked for fans, its soaring popularity has certainly been boosted by shows like DWTS and its FOX counterpart, So You Think You Can Dance. Statistics confirm that Americans are giving ballroom dancing another whirl.

“People are definitely getting off their sofas and starting to dance again,” emphasizes Carrie Ann Inaba, one ofDWTS’s three professional judges. “During our first season on television people would come up to me on the street and say, ‘I watch the show every week.’ By the time the second season rolled around they were saying, ‘I’m talking my husband into getting into a dance class.’ Now they’re telling me, ‘We’re taking lessons and having a ball!’”

The least likely folks are taking up dance these days. Donna Thomas, 65, was raised in a conservative church and graduated from a college that frowned on anything that resembled what it categorized as “rhythmic activity.” Yet two years after becoming a widow, Donna summoned her courage, walked into a studio near her Springboro, Ohio, home, and announced, “I want to dance.”

It changed her life. “I needed to be with people,” she recalls. “I figured I had a choice: either withdraw and stay in my shell or step out and try something new.” The “something new” included mastering the waltz, samba, cha-cha-cha, and jive. Her timing—on the dance floor and off—was perfect. At home, she was learning to operate solo and make all the decisions that she and her husband used to make jointly. In the studio, she felt the pressure ease and the responsibility shift as she became part of a team again. “I didn’t have to be in charge,” she says. “All I had to do was follow my partner’s cues and react to the music. That lifted my spirits.”

People are also dancing in the least likely places. One of the most colorful offshoots of the trend is the “flash mob,” best described as a spontaneous outbreak of dancing in very public settings such as shopping malls, school cafeterias, hotel lobbies, food courts, and train stations.

Participants, alerted to a planned flash mob through social media, congregate and wait for their cue. “People are just milling around when all of a sudden one or two start dancing,” explains Angela Prince, a spokesperson for USA Dance. Others join in and before long—in a flash, you might say—everyone’s toes are tapping, hips are swiveling, and bodies are gyrating. It’s as if one were in the center of a Broadway musical. “I remember being on a Caribbean cruise when a couple of passengers started a flash mob while we were eating dinner,” recalls Prince. “Everyone, including waiters and crew, caught the spirit and formed a conga line of about 300 people that snaked its way around the entire dining room.”

Although Prince agrees that shows such as DWTS have encouraged the ballroom craze, she credits other factors as well. “Dancing seems to experience a bump in popularity after events that change our lives,” she says, using the years following World War I and II, Vietnam, and 9/11 as examples. “Music is great therapy, and dancing gives people the opportunity to come together.”

Technology also may have a hand in the revival. Mary Murphy, a studio owner and frequent choreographer and judge on So You Think You Can Dance, says dancing provides a degree of human contact that is sorely missing since people have come to rely on the Internet as their primary mode of interaction. She works with elementary and middle school students to introduce them to what she calls the language of dance. “Some of the kids come kicking and screaming into the classes, but teachers tell me that they see positive changes within a few weeks.”

The idea of a young couple joining hands as the boy guides his partner and the girl follows his lead, is certainly part of the appeal. Dancing allows young people to communicate without the pressure of finding the right words. “Kids who have behavior problems naturally calm down and find new ways to express themselves,” says Murphy.

When it comes to the therapeutic benefits of dancing, Murphy can speak from first-hand experience. She underwent treatment for thyroid cancer a year ago and faced the possibility of losing her ability to talk. Today she is cancer-free and as exuberant as ever. She used dancing to help prepare for surgery, and she integrated it into her recuperation regimen. “Getting that diagnosis and hearing the word cancer was the one time in my life I just wanted to shut down and have a major pity party, which I did for a couple of days,” she admits. “Then I decided I absolutely had to keep my body moving. So I added a lot of activities to my pre-surgery program to increase my lung capacity. I did yoga, pilates, and dance exercises every day. I wanted to be in the healthiest condition possible.”

Her plan worked. She sailed through the operation and the recovery that followed. The reason? “I absolutely believe it was because of dance.”

Fans of the two hit TV dance shows can attest to similar dramatic effects that dancing has had on several of the competitors. “Kirstie Alley immediately comes to mind,” says Inaba. Dubbed “the incredible shrinking Kirstie” because of the weight she lost during Season 10 of DWTS, Alley decided to wear the same costume on the show’s finale as she wore for the initial competitive round. This proved to be a challenge for the wardrobe staff because the dress had to be downsized by 38 inches. The combination of a healthy diet and rigorous dancing had caused her to lose almost 100 pounds.

“A lot of times our self esteem is determined by the shape we’re in and how good we feel about ourselves,” says Inaba. “Dancing brings you back to a place where you feel physically confident about your body because you’re strong again. Your core muscles are working; you’re in shape; and you’re in tune with your body. I watched Kirstie rediscover her confidence last season.”

Dancing also can replenish a zest for life. Donna Thomas, the conservative-turned-dance-enthusiast, certainly discovered this when she was still newly widowed and stepped out of her comfort zone to sign up for ballroom lessons back in Ohio. Over a period of time, she became so engaged in dancing that she was a regular at Friday night dance parties, and her skill level rose to the point where her instructors encouraged her to enter competitions. Although she no longer competes, she still has the sassy black dress and high heels that she wore when performing, and somewhere there’s a scrapbook of photos, certificates, and ribbons. Her favorite memory, though, doesn’t involve winning prizes or gaining recognition. It’s more personal. “I remember the night I invited my kids to attend a dance with me,” she recalls, with a laugh. “You should have seen their faces! They were just so surprised at how good I was!”

Dance for Your Health

…in BODY VITALITY, SAFETY, & SELF-IMAGE

By Laurel Kallenbach

Maybe you’re mad about mambo or you’ve got disco fever. Does a samba really send you? Ever been wild for a waltz? Or jazzed from a jitterbug? Take away the inhibitions that hold us back and everybody loves to dance – to move their limbs to music with abandon. There’s no doubt about it – dance lifts your mood and gets your heart pumping. Just a few minutes of swinging around the room will make you realize that dance is a great way to stay in shape.

“Dance gets you into your body,” says Nancy Cassman, a dance/movement therapist and founder of Express Your Self, a dance and movement center in Boulder, Colo. “In our society, people sit at desks and on couches all the time, and we’ve become very brain-oriented,” she points out. “Dance bridges the gap between the brain and the body so that you tap into your physical, emotional, spiritual and mental being.”

Cassman believes wholeheartedly that when you start moving your body, you’ll start moving the energy in your life too. One reason is that dance releases endorphins, so it functions as a mood enhancer. Part of her work as a movement therapist is exploring how and where people experience emotion in the body. In dance movement therapy, movement – especially the sensual, rhythmic response aroused by dance and music – is used as a way of bypassing the conscious mind and making contact with the inner emotional world. Through dance, hidden emotions can be expressed in a nonverbal way and accepted by the conscious self.

 

Move Your Body
“When you get into your body and use your senses, you naturally feel more grounded and more present,” says Cassman. “And, you’ll feel better – it’s that simple.” Dance’s physical benefits include:

Increase in range of motion and flexibility.

Lubricates connective tissue and joints to help you maintain better health.

Stretches and strengthens muscles. You move in a variety of ways when you dance, so, many different muscle groups get worked.

Improves circulation throughout the body and brain.

Works the heart and lungs, thereby improving cardiovascular health.

Burns calories, making it a fun way to manage weight.

 

The Soul of Dancing – Freedom of Expression
“I think dance is a spiritual experience – it’s a manifestation of joy!” Cassman says. “When you dance, you’re using your body; you feel alive, you’re happy. I think our purpose in life is to figure out how to use our bodies as instruments of joy. When you align your spirit with your body, you become a fluid, expressive, in-the-moment creature.”

Though dance has many of the same physical benefits as other forms of exercise, it goes one step farther. By adding rhythm and music into the mix, you add the element of inspiration. Plus, dance frees your creativity as you try out different ways of moving.

Most popular forms of dance let you open up your creativity and express yourself. For instance, Latin and African classes, while being highly aerobic, also allow time for you to ad-lib your movements with the lively music.

One of the hottest movement trends now is NIA (it stands for “neuromuscular integrative action”) – a type of dance that integrates mind, body and spirit. NIA classes blend movements from ballet and jazz dance, the martial arts, yoga and tai chi so students can achieve cardiovascular benefit; improve strength, balance and flexibility; and learn about breathing and consciously moving energy through the body. The results can be very freeing, since much of NIA is self-expressive.

Women also flock to belly-dancing, a sensual and ancient art. Belly-dancing encourages you to freely move the abdomen, an area that most women tend to hold rigid. Instead of sucking your stomach in, you thrust it out during belly-dancing, so you get to shed some inhibitions and move in ways that society tends to frown on.

Self-Esteem Booster
Another advantage of dance is that it can help you feel more self-assured. When you’re dancing for enjoyment, you shed inhibitions and gain self-confidence in your body. “Dance helps tremendously in self-esteem issues,” Cassman emphasizes. “In my studio, I work with many shy and withdrawn children who literally come out of their shells after just two or three weeks of dancing,” she says. “As they free up their self-expression, they develop a much better sense of themselves. For instance, my daughter has a wonderful presence when she’s dancing, but she doesn’t feel so confident at school. So, we focus on how self-assured she is while she’s dancing, then transfer that feeling to school.”

The key to developing self-confidence through dance is to choose a class that’s fun and is suited to your skill level. Finding the right teacher is important too – you want someone who’s supportive and encouraging. “What ruins dance for most people is an environment where they feel slow or inadequate,” says Cassman, who adds that the right dance class will keep you motivated and help you gain self-confidence.

The Clothes Make the Dancer
When you’re choosing clothing to move in, keep in mind that you want to feel unfettered. Whether you choose tights, tanks or tees; a svelte unitard; or a loose, flowy dress, your dance clothes will be as much an expression of yourself as how you move. Here are a couple of things to remember:

Choose clothing that won’t bind or restrict your movement. You should be able to bend low or reach high and your clothing should provide both adequate coverage and maximum move-ability.

Be sure the fabric you wear is breathable. Organic cotton is always nice, although many stretchy fabrics will also feel natural on your skin. Also, be sure that an expandable, comfortable waistband allows you to breathe easily.

Whether you dance in a class, with a friend at a club, or alone in your living room, you’re having fun and being healthy. And, while you’re moving your arms and feet, you’re also moving your soul – because it’s hard to be sad when you’re dancing.

Rick comments: Dance represents to me the expression of power of the body, the matching of your vibration to the rhythmic vibration of the music, and the inclusion of NON-HABITUAL movement into your day. Indeed, if one of my coaching clients asks whether to work out on the treadmill or dance… I recommend DANCE! You don’t have to make it formal OR pretty. Move within what feels good to you. Just enjoy and…

Dance, Dance, Dance Your Dreams Awake!

Dancing Your Way To….

Dancing Your Way to Better Health

Brain Teaser

Dance can challenge your mind as well as your muscles.

“The coolest dance begins with one step. The rest will follow.”

The Health Benefits of Dancing — Including Specific Benefits of Different Dances

by www.SixWise.com

If you secretly sashay across your living room when you’re home alone or long to cha-cha with your significant other, you’re in luck. Not only is dancing an exceptional way to let loose and have fun, but it also provides some terrific benefits for your health.  In fact, Mayo Clinic researchers reported that social dancing helps to:

Reduce stress, Increase energy, Improve strength, Increase muscle tone and coordination, Dancing the night away can burn more calories per hour than riding a bike or swimming.  And whether you like to kick up your heals to hip hop, classical or country, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) says that dancing can:

Lower your risk of coronary heart disease, Decrease blood pressure, Help you manage your weight, Strengthen the bones of your legs and hips

Dancing is a unique form of exercise because it provides the heart-healthy benefits of an aerobic exercise while also allowing you to engage in a social activity. This is especially stimulating to the mind, and one 21-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine even found dancing can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in the elderly.

In the study, participants over the age of 75 who engaged in reading, dancing and playing musical instruments and board games once a week had a 7 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those who did not. Those who engaged in these activities at least 11 days a month had a 63 percent lower risk!

Interestingly, dancing was the only physical activity out of 11 in the study that was associated with a lower risk of dementia. Said Joe Verghese, a neurologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a lead researcher of the study, “This is perhaps because dance music engages the dancer’s mind.”

Verghese says dancing may be a triple benefit for the brain. Not only does the physical aspect of dancing increase blood flow to the brain, but also the social aspect of the activity leads to less stress, depression and loneliness. Further, dancing requires memorizing steps and working with a partner, both of which provide mental challenges that are crucial for brain health.

How Good of a Workout is Dancing, Really?

The amount of benefit you get from dancing depends on, like most exercises, the type of dancing you’re doing, how strenuous it is, the duration and your skill level.  Says exercise physiologist Catherine Cram, MS, of Comprehensive Fitness Consulting in Middleton, Wisconsin, “Once someone gets to the point where they’re getting their heart rate up, they’re actually getting a terrific workout. Dance is a weight-bearing activity, which builds bones. It’s also “wonderful” for your upper body and strength.”

Most people agree that social dancing gives them a more positive outlook on life.  Plus, dancing requires using muscles that you may not even know you had.  “If you’re dancing the foxtrot, you’re taking long, sweeping steps backwards. That’s very different than walking forward on a treadmill or taking a jog around the neighborhood … Ballroom dancing works the backs of the thighs and buttock muscles differently from many other types of exercise,” says Ken Richards, professional dancer and spokesman for USA Dance, the national governing body of DanceSport (competitive ballroom dancing).

Specific Benefits of Different Dances

If you’re looking for specific health results, here’s a breakdown of the benefits of some popular dances. Just remember that any type of dancing is better than no dancing at all!

 

Belly Dancing

Improved posture and muscle toning

Maintains flexibility

Helps prevent lower back problems

Tones and firms arms and shoulders

Helps with weight loss

Helps prepare women for childbirth

Reduces stress

Dancing Off Those Calories

How many calories will you burn while dancing? That depends on the type of dancing. Here’s a range of some of the most popular varieties, based on a 150-pound person, per hour:

Swing dancing: 235 calories/hour

Ballroom dancing: 265

Square dancing: 280

Ballet: 300

Belly dancing: 380

Salsa dancing: 420+

Aerobic dancing: 540+

 

Ballroom Dancing

Conditions the body

Helps keep the heart in shape

Builds and increases stamina

Develops the circulatory system

Strengthens and tones legs and body

Increases flexibility and balance

Helps with weight loss

Relieves stress

 

Salsa Dancing

Builds endurance and stamina

Helps with weight loss

Relieves stress

Helps you release toxins via sweating

May help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels

Can lead to a reduced heart rate over time

 

Square Dancing

Provides cardiovascular conditioning

May lead to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and an improved cholesterol profile

Strengthens bones

Helps you develop strong social ties

Loosens and tones muscles

Physical benefits aside, dancing has a way of brightening up a person’s day, says ballroom owner and operator Karen Tebeau.

“A lot of times, when people come into the studio, it’s because there’s been a change in their life: a divorce or they’ve been through a period of depression. They (continue) coming in, and you see a big change. After a while, they’re walking in with a sunny expression. You know it’s the dancing that’s doing that,” she says.

 

7 Pains You Shouldn’t Ignore – Health Check

Experts describe the types of pain that require prompt medical attention.

By Leanna Skarnulis

Whoever coined the term “necessary evil” might have been thinking of pain. No one wants it, yet it’s the body’s way of getting your attention when something is wrong. You’re probably sufficiently in tune with your body to know when the pain is just a bother, perhaps the result of moving furniture a day or two before or eating that third enchilada. It’s when pain might signal something more serious that the internal dialogue begins:  “OK, this isn’t something to fool around with.”  “But I can’t miss my meeting.”  “And how many meetings will you miss if you land in the hospital?”  “I’ll give it one more day.”  Etc.

You need a guide. WebMD consulted doctors in cardiology, internal medicine, geriatrics, and psychiatry so you’ll understand which pains you must not ignore — and why. And, of course, if in doubt, get medical attention.

No. 1: Worst Headache of Your Life

Get medical attention immediately. “If you have a cold, it could be a sinus headache,” says Sandra Fryhofer, MD, MACP, spokeswoman for the American College of Physicians. “But you could have a brain hemorrhage or brain tumor. With any pain, unless you’re sure of what caused it, get it checked out.”  Sharon Brangman, MD, FACP, spokeswoman for the American Geriatrics Society, tells WebMD that when someone says they have the worst headache of their life, “what we learned in medical training was that was a classic sign of a brain aneurysm. Go immediately to the ER.”

No. 2: Pain or Discomfort in the Chest, Throat, Jaw, Shoulder, Arm, or Abdomen

Chest pain could be pneumonia or a heart attack. But be aware that heart conditions typically appear as discomfort, not pain. “Don’t wait for pain,” says cardiologist Jerome Cohen, MD. “Heart patients talk about pressure. They’ll clench their fist and put it over their chest or say it’s like an elephant sitting on their chest.”  The discomfort associated with heart disease could also be in the upper chest, throat, jaw, left shoulder or arm, or abdomen and might be accompanied by nausea. “I’m not too much worried about the 18-year-old, but if a person has unexplained, persistent discomfort and knows they’re high risk, they shouldn’t wait,” says Cohen. “Too often people delay because they misinterpret it as [heartburn] or GI distress. Call 911 or get to an emergency room or physician’s office. If it turns out to be something else, that’s great.”  He tells WebMD that intermittent discomfort should be taken seriously as well. “There might be a pattern, such as discomfort related to excitement, emotional upset, or exertion. For example, if you experience it when you’re gardening, but it goes away when you sit down, that’s angina. It’s usually worse in cold or hot weather.”  “A woman’s discomfort signs can be more subtle,” says Cohen, who is director of preventive cardiology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. “Heart disease can masquerade as GI symptoms, such as bloating, GI distress, or discomfort in the abdomen. It’s also associated with feeling tired. Risk for heart disease increases dramatically after menopause. It kills more women than men even though men are at higher risk at any age. Women and their physicians need to be on their toes.”

No. 3: Pain in Lower Back or Between Shoulder Blades

“Most often it’s arthritis,” says Brangman, who is professor and chief of geriatrics at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y. Other possibilities include a heart attack or abdominal problems. “One danger is aortic dissection, which can appear as either a nagging or sudden pain. People who are at risk have conditions that can change the integrity of the vessel wall. These would include high blood pressure, a history of circulation problems, smoking, and diabetes.”

No. 4: Severe Abdominal Pain

Still have your appendix? Don’t flirt with the possibility of a rupture. Gallbladder and pancreas problems, stomach ulcers, and intestinal blockages are some other possible causes of abdominal pain that need attention.

No 5: Calf Pain

One of the lesser known dangers is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that can occur in the leg’s deep veins. It affects 2 million Americans a year, and it can be life-threatening. “The danger is that a piece of the clot could break loose and cause pulmonary embolism [a clot in the lungs], which could be fatal,” says Fryhofer. Cancer, obesity, immobility due to prolonged bed rest or long-distance travel, pregnancy, and advanced age are among the risk factors.  “Sometimes there’s just swelling without pain,” says Brangman. “If you have swelling and pain in your calf muscles, see a doctor immediately.”

No. 6: Burning Feet or Legs

Nearly one-quarter of the 24 million Americans who have diabetes are undiagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association. “In some people who don’t know they have diabetes, peripheral neuropathy could be one of the first signs,” says Brangman. “It’s a burning or pins-and-needles sensation in the feet or legs that can indicate nerve damage.”

No 7: Vague, Combined, or Medically Unexplained Pains

“Various painful, physical symptoms are common in depression,” says psychiatrist Thomas Wise, MD. “Patients will have vague complaints of headaches, abdominal pain, or limb pain, sometimes in combination.”  Because the pain might be chronic and not terribly debilitating, depressed people, their families, and health care professionals might dismiss the symptoms. “Furthermore, the more depressed you are, the more difficulty you have describing your feelings,” says Wise, who is the psychiatry department chairman at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Va. “All of this can lead the clinician astray.”  Other symptoms must be present before a diagnosis of depression can be made. “Get help when you’ve lost interest in activities, you’re unable to work or think effectively, and you can’t get along with people,” he says. “And don’t suffer silently when you’re hurting.”  He adds there’s more to depression than deterioration of the quality of life. “It has to be treated aggressively before it causes structural changes in the brain.”