Keep Moving for Longevity
Being a nutritionist focused on wellness, I often have to point out lifestyle choices that interfere with a person’s path to their ultimate goal of true health. No other subject than exercise, elicits so many negative responses from my clients …. “I have no time” “I don’t like to exercise” “I see no benefit (weight loss)” “My joints hurt too much” “I’m too old & tired.” etc, etc! But what if I told you that stimulating the genes for a long life-span requires daily movement? Let’s look at some of the ways that an individual can incorporate exercise into their everyday life – some of which are surprisingly easy to do!
MOVEMENT - A recent study investigated the link between mortality and time spent sitting – it found that individuals that sat for less than 30 minutes at a time had the lowest risk of early death. The study concluded that substituting 30 minutes of sitting with some form of low intensity exercise (ie,walking ) could reduce death by 17% and this percentage more than doubled if the exercise was increased to moderate to high intensity. So get up off that chair! If you watch more than 30 minutes of TV a day, add a stationary bike, a treadmill, or even a simple rebounder to the room!
WALKING / BIKING - Duke University has conducted several studies over the years in regards to depression / cognitive decline and exercise. Their research found that walking briskly 30 minutes a day, just 3 days a week was just as effective as taking the drug Zoloft in patients diagnosed with major depression. Another study, evaluated individuals age 65 and older with cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive decline on the effect of 30 minutes of continuous walking or stationary cycling or in combination with a heart healthy diet. After 6 months the group that exercised without changing diet showed significant improvement in cognitive function, but the combined exercise / heart healthy diet group showed an even more dramatic improvement in cognitive function – essentially reversing their brain’s aging by 9 years!
OWN A DOG - The health benefit of owning a dog is pretty straight forward – the average canine owner adds 5 hours of exercise time to their week without even realizing it. Caring for an animal not only helps the physical state but has been proven to improve mental well-being. So thank your pup for all the benefits he or she provides!
HOUSEHOLD CHORES - People that live in the Blue Zones don’t use conveniences when doing household chores. Manual labor is the key! Use some elbow grease when cleaning your home or get into the dirt outside with gardening. Don’t hire that service to spread the mulch or weed your flower beds. Even the simple act of chopping up veggies for the evening meal burns calories.
WEIGHTS and RESISTANCE TRAINING- Working out with weights once or twice a week can increase your metabolism and help turn on the genes of longevity. Studies have proven that even individuals in their 90’s can make strides in strength, greatly improving their vitality! However guided, gradual increase in resistance is needed to make gains – lifting the same 2-5 lb weights over and over again will not get the needed results to improve metabolism and strength.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES / SPORTS Some sports, like tennis, cycling, soccer, jogging, and swimming, are all linked to longevity. Team or paired sports have the added benefit of social connectedness which also supports a longer life. My favorite outdoor activity besides walking Vincent, is paddleboarding; which helps with strength and balance – and I get to soak up the sun, boosting my vitamin D levels!
There are many other ways to stay active, such as hiking, team sports or even running marathons, but the key to any exercise is to engage in something you will continue to do and that you enjoy.