The Fountain of Youth
Would you take the time to visit the fountain of youth if it were discovered today? It has been discovered and unfortunately most people haven't taken advantage of it. In this edition of Bridging the Gap, we examine information from eight different journals giving us the solid evidence on how we can be younger and prevent the perils of aging through easy exercise.
Regular easy physical exercise increases life expectancy. It also helps older adults maintain their functional independence, an important concern for the whole society. Presently, the average number of non-functional years in our elderly population averages almost 12. That's a dozen years of doing nothing because of the inability to care for oneself, walk, talk and not to mention just enjoy life. As a matter of fact, easy exercise enhances quality of life at every stage.
More specifically, regular easy physical exercise can help in both the prevention and management of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., as well as hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and depression. This is accomplished through improved balance of blood fats, better clotting factors, and the ability to more efficiently regulate blood sugar.
Lack of exercise places more people at risk for coronary heart disease than all other risk factors. Lack of exercise is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease, doubling the risk. Inactivity is almost as great a risk for coronary heart disease as cigarette smoking and hypertension.
Need more reasons to exercise? Regular easy physical exercise is also associated with a lower rate of colon cancer, stroke, low back injury.
All this can be accomplished with easy aerobic exercise. How easy? The equivalent of a sustained 30 minute walk. Too cold outside? Ride an inexpensive stationary bicycle. Too hot? Walk in a local air conditioned mall (many are open specially for walkers in the morning). There are many other complaints which are only excuses. And for every one there's a counter. But whose life is it anyway? Yours. And the quality of that life is all in your hands.
Unfortunately, only 12% of Americans are this active on a daily basis, and only 22% exercise this much 5 times per week. Only a few people work a job which provides enough activity.