Hundreds of invited guests and residents recently filled the Performing Arts Center at Edgemere, an SQLC retirement community, to hear Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, founder and chairman of Cooper Aerobics, give a presentation on the benefits of exercise and how it can improve your life. Dr. Cooper provided tips during the presentation about ways to possibly prevent dementia, and he suggested that people exercise their minds daily, get 30 minutes of physical exercise most days of the week, socialize and get at least seven hours of sleep a night. When it comes to cancer, Dr. Cooper says exercise is a factor in preventing cancer and can be used to lessen fatigue in patients having chemotherapy, and according to multiple patient studies, exercise improves the physical function and health-related quality of life for a person with Parkinson’s. To improve your overall health, he recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. The goal of the event was to emphasize the importance of exercise to ensure a healthy mind and body regardless of age. Edgemere and The Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society teamed up to host the event.

“The residents and invited guests were impressed with Dr. Cooper’s presentation,” said Martha Bonilla, outreach coordinator at The Plaza at Edgemere. “He has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to exercising and the benefits that come with it. We were grateful that Dr. Cooper gave us his time to present the topic ‘Exercise is the Miracle Drug.’ We hope to have Dr. Cooper back again in the future.”

Dr. Cooper sets an example for maintaining a healthy lifestyle by exercising on a regular basis. At 86, he has logged over 38,000 miles running. Dr. Cooper is a former Air Force Lieutenant Colonel from Oklahoma, who introduced the concept of aerobics. He is the author of the