Everyone knows that exercise is good for you. But did you know that… “Exercise is the best defense and repair strategy that we have to counter different drivers of aging,” says Nathan LeBrasseur, researcher and professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He also said, “It can’t reverse aging, per se, but there’s clear evidence that exercise can activate the machinery necessary for DNA repair.” Wow! DNA repair, really? That’s impressive.
I’m guessing that you know that exercise improves heart and lung health, but did you know that research indicates that even a small amount of physical activity is good for your brain, bones, muscles, and mood. In addition, exercise has been proven to delay the onset of numerous chronic conditions and diseases, including cognitive decline, reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, which can translate to a longer healthier life.
When it comes to health and exercise, there is no such thing as “too little, too late.” The good news is that you don’t have to run a marathon or work out at the gym to receive the pro-aging benefits of exercise unless you enjoy those activities. Simple things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car a distance away from the entrance, gardening, and walking the dog have physical and mental benefits, as long as you do it regularly.
Of course, we don’t know everything about the benefits of exercise on aging, but here are a few things that we do know:
It builds muscle strength. As we age, we lose muscle tone and strength. Resistance training is one of the best ways to maintain your muscle strength, and it helps to improve brain health and keep disease away.
It improves bone density. Almost half of all adults who are 50 and older are at risk of breaking a bone due to osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises can help to prevent bone loss. Since osteoporosis affects women more than men, physical activity is especially important for us during and after menopause. Lower impact activities like yoga, cycling, dancing, and swimming, combined with weight-bearing exercises can help improve balance and minimize the risks of falls and fractures.
It can improve cognition. According to the National Institute on Aging, your ability to shift between tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information are all signs of good cognitive function. Although researchers can’t definitively say that exercise can actually prevent dementia, studies are showing that more physical activity is linked to reduced risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
It improves your sleep quality. We are learning that sleep is everything. The quality of your sleep is related to the quality of your health. As we age, sleep issues often arise with menopause. Physical movement is one natural way to help with your sleep challenges.
Receiving pro-aging benefits from exercise can be as simple as moving your body regularly five times a week for 30 minutes a day. The benefits are cumulative, so you don’t have to do it all at once. Another little note is that exercise can become addictive. Of all the things you could become addicted to, this is a good one.
Last, but not least, it has come to my attention that Mother Nature is currently winning the physical tug of war with me. One day while trying on clothes in a dressing room, I caught a glimpse of my rear view in the mirror and was startled when I saw this unrecognizable butt and back. To my dismay, it was mine. To be perfectly honest, I had been ignoring my front view and hoping it would just magically get better. That tactic didn’t work, so I have decided to do something else. I’m challenging myself to get in the tug of war with Mother Nature and lift some of the sag. I have taken my before pictures and measurements, which I will share with you along with my after photos in a few weeks. I would love to have some company on this challenge if you’d like to come and play. You can design your own workout and eating plan. Email me if you’re interested and we can talk about it.
Remember it’s never too late to start moving that body!
Sending you lots of Love & Light,