First, it was one class a week. Then two. Then three. Some of our friends are doing four and even five.

We are talking about time in line dance classes throughout the week, including time we are instructors. And the classes are bursting out of the door. What’s the draw for happy seniors to be doing all this dancing?

Save with SPP took a look around to see what folks are saying about the benefits of dancing.

According to Yahoo Life UK, a new study from Northeastern University in Boston has found “that just 20 minutes of dance each day could help you hit your recommended exercise target.”

That’s any kind of dance, the article notes – the point is that you are being active.

And there are other measurable health benefits, the article continues.

A UK study found “moderate intensity dancing is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.” Mental health, the article continues, also benefits.

“Not only can dancing help you keep fit, it has a wide range of mental health benefits. If done in a social setting, dance can help improve connections and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation,” the article notes.

Dance also helps your brain, the article adds.

“In addition to its mood-boosting effects, dancing can also promote learning, memory and navigational skills. One study suggested that a 30-minute salsa class boosted spatial working memory by 18 per cent after just one session,” the article reports.

“Dancing has even been linked to a lower risk of dementia, with a 2003 research paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine finding that regular dancing reduced the risk of dementia by 76 per cent,” the article concludes.

The Everyday Health blog lists a few more benefits.

“Dancing can be many things: An expression of art, a fun hobby, a representation of culture, and a great form of exercise,” writes Leah Groth.

Dancing, which the article refers to as “the ultimate workout” helps build core strength.

“Dance requires balance and helps build core strength, which helps promote good posture and prevent muscle injuries and back pain, according to the Mayo Clinic,” the article reports. Ballet, the article continues, is particularly ideal for core strength.

Another dance benefit, the article notes, is flexibility. “Many forms of dance stretch the limbs of the body, which improves flexibility,” the article adds. Again, ballet does this the best, the blog notes.

If you are looking to drop a few pounds, dance can get it done for you, the blog tells us.

“Depending on the style of dance and your bodyweight, 30 minutes of dancing can burn between 90 and 252 calories, according to the Harvard Medical School. This type of high-intensity calorie burning can help support weight loss if you’re trying to shed pounds,” the article explains.

The Myacare blog suggests that there are many overall benefits from dance.

“Aside from improving both mood and cognition, dance is known to enhance several other aspects of one’s mental-emotional health. Life satisfaction increases through practicing dance, as does one’s confidence, connection to self and ability to socialize. Genetic studies reveal that dancers have elevated levels of active genes that regulate serotonin and vasopressin expression, both of which make them far more social,” the article notes.

It also, the article states, is a way to age gracefully.

“In a meta-analysis that aimed to assess the benefits of dance for the elderly, it was shown that dance of any style is able to improve metabolism and balance in aged individuals, with or without chronic illnesses. Most data included interventions that spanned a length of 60 minutes, three times a week for a minimum of 12 weeks.”

When we talk to our fellow line dancers about why they like it, they hit most of these points. One dancer says she has no problem jumping in the car to drive to dance class – but it is more of an effort to make the trip to the gym. We are all making new friends and going to new places through dance, she says.

Retirement is a great time to take up new hobbies, like dancing. So it’s important for those of us who are not yet retired to build up some savings to fund the fun of our future selves.

If you have a workplace retirement program, be sure to sign up and contribute as much as you can. If you don’t, not to worry – the Saskatchewan Pension Plan has everything you need. You provide the savings, and SPP will invest them in a low-cost, professionally managed pooled fund. You can transfer in funds from your RRSPs to boost your SPP balance. And like an RRSP, contributions you make to SPP are tax deductible. Check out this made in Saskatchewan retirement savings solution all Canadians can enjoy.

Check out SPP today!

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We’ve all heard the expression “you are what you eat, eat well.” So if the goal of retirement is for it to be a long and happy one, what eating tips are out there that may help us to better health?

Save with SPP had a look around the Internet to seek answers to this question.

At the Very Well Health blog, the top category on the list is “cruciferous vegetables,” which includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale or cabbage. These help “activate the body’s natural detoxification system and inhibit the growth of cancerous cells,” the blog advises. They work best if chewed thoroughly, or are “shredded, chopped, juiced or blended,” the blog says.

Other top foods on their list are salad greens (low calorie, so great for weight control) and nuts, “a low-glycemic food” which is good for “an anti-diabetes diet.”

At the Everyday Health blog, salmon is the catch of the day for longevity. “Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to decrease the risk of abnormal heartbeats, lower triglyceride levels, slow the growth of artery-clogging fat deposits, and reduce blood pressure,” the blog notes. Other top foods on their list include blueberries, a natural anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory, and yoghurt, “a great source of probiotics,” the blog reports.

An article on the Web MD blog called Aging Well: Eating Right for Longevity cites olive oil as being “rich in heart-healthy monosaturated fats” while being free of risky trans fats found in margarine and other processed foods. Beans, or legumes, are also recommended. Legumes “are packed with complex carbohydrates and fibre to ensure steadier blood glucose and insulin levels, and they provide a cholesterol-free source of protein,” the article notes. Whole grains are also praised for their “age-defying vitamin E, fibre, and B vitamins,” the article reports.

Finally, Prevention magazine recommends eggs (for lowering stroke risk), sweet potatoes (a staple in the diets of the countries with the most people living longer than 100), and fermented foods, like pickles or sauerkraut. This type of food “supplies good bacteria for maintaining a healthy gut.”

Probably most of us eat some of these things some of the time; a healthier approach might be to eat more of them more of the time. As is the case with retirement savings, it’s probably best to start small and gradually increase your efforts over time.

Buying fresh foods and vegetables will require a little moolah, particularly once you have retired, so a good tool to help build retirement income is the Saskatchewan Pension Plan. Even if you become a sweet-potato-loving centarian, your SPP annuity payments will continue to arrive every month for as long as you live.

Written by Martin Biefer
	Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. A veteran reporter, editor and pension communicator, he’s now a freelancer. Interests include golf, line dancing and classic rock. He and his wife live with their Shelties, Duncan and Phoebe, and cat, Toobins. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22