Learning and Sharing

GET GOING.   

Objects in motion stay in motion.

Get glued to your chair and you’re stuck.

Yet it needn’t be so, no matter our age, and there’s lots of reasons why.  Multiple studies conclusively show that regular exercise significantly decreases risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, certain cancers, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis and depression.  Exercise boosts attitude, energy and immunity while improving fitness, strength, flexibility and body composition--- making us look better, feel better, live longer and enjoy a higher quality of life as we grow older.  Exercise enhances today, and allows us more tomorrows.

Even so, recent statistics show that 70 percent of adults in the United States don’t get enough exercise...and more than a third of children don’t either. A study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 400,000 annual deaths in the United States are linked to the combination of poor diet and lack of physical activity—-an increase of 33 percent in less than two decades. It’s ironic that this is true when exercise can help us so much.

The most famous study of exercise and longevity ever done tracked 17,000 Harvard alumni for almost two decades, and concluded quite simply that, “for every hour a person exercises, he/she gets back that hour plus an extra hour of life.”  Since exercise slows “premature” aging and forestalls the onset of disease, some have come to consider it “an attainable fountain of youth.” 

1.  Decreases chances of early death; Increases longevity. 

Studies show that active people statistically have lower rates of early death and longer lives than their inactive peers, with decreased rates of heart attack, diabetes, some cancers and stroke.  One study of a half million people showed that active women and men were (respectively) 57 percent and 50 percent less likely to die mid-life than their non-exercising peers.   

2. Improves the heart and arteries.

Regular exercise strengthens the heart and arteries and actually can change the heart’s performance: decreasing its rate (blood pumped more efficiently), increasing its stroke volume (more blood pumped with each contraction) and training arteries to expand to let more blood through (lowering blood pressure).  Exercising for 45 minutes lowers blood pressure for an additional 16 hours after finishing. It helps muscles create new capillaries, improving oxygen delivery and nutrients to all cells. It increases good cholesterol, protecting arteries from a build up of plaque, and lowers triglycerides---blood fats that increase risks of clotting, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.  More than 40 studies document that regular exercise reduces cardiac risk by between 30 and 50 percent. 

3. Reduces risk of cancer.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, exercise fights cancer on several fronts by increasing metabolism, preventing obesity and modifying hormone levels. Research shows it’s most helpful in preventing colon, breast and prostate cancers. 

4. Lowers risk of diabetes.

5. Strengthens bones, decreasing risk of osteoporosis and fractures.  After the age of 30, men and women naturally lose bone at the rate of about one percent a year.  After menopause, bone loss in women increases to three percent annually.  Weight-bearing exercise, especially lifting weights and using resistance machines, places healthy stress on bones, encouraging new bone growth. This slows the progression of osteoporosis, the bone-thinning disease which often leads to hip, back and neck pain and fractures.  Exercise also improves strength and balance, reducing risks of falling.   

6. Helps prevent/control obesity.

Physical activity decreases appetite while it burns excess calories, controlling weight and reducing the risks associated with obesity---even if weight itself doesn’t decrease. Exercise also builds muscle, which increases metabolism to burn more calories all day (and even during sleep).

 7. Improves muscle strength, tone and body shape.

Exercise prevents injury to muscles, ligaments and joints by keeping them stronger.  A well-conditioned muscular system keeps the body in better alignment, helping to prevent degenerative joint disorders (especially arthritis) as bones and their connections compress together.  Exercise helps reduce muscle tension, and regular exercise helps improve lung function.

8. Improves mental health; Fights depression.

Regular activity enhances mood, boosts self-esteem and creates feelings of confidence and well being. Exercise increases the brain’s production of the mood-elevating chemicals dopamine and serotonin, which serve as major combatants against depression. Exercising in the sun adds additional “feel-good” effects, as sunshine also stimulates serotonin.  Regular physical activity helps lead to more natural sleep, decreasing insomnia and dependency on sleeping pills.     

9. Improves mental performance;  Helps prevent Alzheimer’s Disease.

For young and old alike, exercise improves brain function, probably by improving blood flow.  Studies show younger people who exercise regularly do better on tests, while older people are 30 to 40 percent less likely to develop age-related dementia.  Protection against Alzheimer’s is true even if they do only modest amounts of gentle exercise, such as walking for 15 minutes just three times a week. 

How much movement is enough?    

The American College of Sports Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that every adult participate in at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity on most---but preferably all---days of the week (or 45 minutes five days a week). For children and adolescents, 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity at least five days a week is recommended.  Jogging, bicycling, weight training, cycling, dancing, swimming and brisk walking all fill the bill, but whatever activity is picked should be done in addition to regular physical chores such as gardening, home cleaning and repair. Contrary to popular belief, exercise doesn’t have to be vigorous* or difficult. Moderate activities that place an extra demand on our bodies beyond that normally experienced are all that’s required to make a vast difference in fitness.  How to tell what’s moderate?  When an activity requires deep breathing and creates a light sweat, it’s a good sign it’s adequate to benefit health.        

Exercise advocates also suggest integrating more “easy” fitness into our daily routines: Walking or riding a bike instead of driving short distances, parking the car as far away from the store as possible, switching from escalators and elevators to stairs, taking walks with a friend or using a pedometer to log daily steps (aim for 10,000!). In a jam-packed schedule, breaking up the suggested daily 30 minutes into two or even three segments may help make it more attainable.  Ten-minute morning and afternoon walk breaks could be the “better body answer” to cholesterol and caffeine! [Top]    

Tough time getting started?

Surveys show that most people don’t have a regular physical activity program, although they say they’d like to. Tricks to getting and keeping with it?  Experts cite several predictors of longer-term exercise success: Not waiting for the “right time” or the right piece of special equipment, but starting as soon as the decision is made, setting goals and keeping a diary of progress. Exercising with a friend or finding an encouraging mentor also can add incentive. Scared of the gym?  Lots of its patrons aren’t as tough or buff as may be expected. (Drop in and check out the competition!)  Don’t like sweating in public?  Get moving at home with music, exercise videos, stair stepping or gym sets. The easiest exercise?  Plain old walking, a gentle, low-impact activity that still swiftly leads to higher levels of health and fitness. It’s one of the body’s most natural forms of exercise: free, safe and simple---yet its health benefits are many. The most important thing to remember:  It’s not necessary to be an endurance athlete to achieve better health through physical activity.  The important thing is to find an enjoyable activity...and just do it. [Top]

But what about those older?

Research has shown that exercise can be beneficial even if begun late in life, provided it’s done in a sensible manner.  Sadly, studies indicate that just 30 percent of those 65 and over now regularly participate in some type of physical activity. Yet people who take up exercise after age 50 live from 1½  to nearly 4 years longer---and almost always better, than their non-exercising peers. They’re slower to develop most major ailments, including cardiovascular disease, the nearly common denominator for all those 65 and above, and now the expected cause of death for more than one in two women. This trend has shown a marked increase since the 1980’s, and is just one more reason the American Heart Association recommends exercise and weight control to help delay and prevent all age-related degenerative diseases.  [Top]

Better Together.  

The simplest slogan for good health is  “Eat Right and Exercise.”  Like two oars on a boat, proper diet and regular physical activity work together to get and keep us healthy.  

Consider making fitness part of the new you by scheduling regular active times into that weekly routine.  Join a gym, grab a buddy and boogie, walk the neighbor’s dog ...but whatever you choose, just get up and go!*   

For a smart start, see http://www.s2mw.com/choosetomove/ or http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/ or http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/measuring/examples.htm  

Some alternative, on-the-move activities, from Shape Up, America!  

wGo for family walks after meals  wPut on some music and DANCE!   wPlay catch (football, baseball, softball or Frisbee) wPlan bicycling trips on safe trails   wShoot some hoops  wPlay "Hacky Sack" footbag (check out www.footbag.org)  wKayak, canoe or paddleboat for an afternoon  wWash a car, rake some leaves---clean up and have fun   wGo to a driving range or enjoy a game of miniature golf  wUse a hula hoop — see how long you can keep it going!  wTake a martial arts class (We can’t say enough about http://www.karateamaa.com)   wGo hiking — locate a nearby trail   wGo swimming and play water tag or volleyball   wJump rope — practice rhythms, rhymes and tricks   wPlay soccer or just kick a ball around    wEnter a "bike-a-thon" or "fun run"  (Brea 8K, anyone?)   wDesign a Frisbee golf course, and then play Frisbee golf  wPlay hopscotch (have a tournament?)  wTennis, anyone?    wTake the dog for a walk or jog  wGo fly a kite   wWalk a city — see the sights!   wLearn yoga (take a class — or get a book or video)   wPlay whiffle ball or badmitten

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