Get Moving for Health

As we age our risks of developing heart disease, having a stroke, or developing diabetes go up. There are many prescription drugs on the market that are designed to help reduce our chances of developing conditions such as these because of age. According to research reports from Harvard University physical exercise is just as effective at preventing these common illnesses associated with aging as the high cost prescription drugs are.

Arthritis Risk Lowered by Exercise

A recent study performed at the University College of London revealed that older adults who remain physically have a lower risk of developing arthritis as they age. This information is very encouraging to the older population. The researchers also found that the more active adults retained their cognitive abilities for a longer period of time compared to people who lived a more sedentary lifestyle.

How much Exercise does it take to be Beneficial?

A study performed by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed that very slight levels of exercise could reduce a person’s risk of developing chronic diseases by as much as fourteen percent. People who included fifteen minutes of moderate exercise to their daily routines increased their lifespan by as long as three additional years.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says that exercises of moderate intensity can include activities like raking the leaves in your yard for thirty minutes, or shoveling snow in your driveway for fifteen minutes. People do not have to start living at the gym, or become power lifters in order to increase their health through exercise. If an individual were to start walking for thirty minutes a day, five days a week, they will receive the optimum exercise benefits.

It is never too late to start an exercise program

People think that because they did not start an exercise regimen when they were in their twenties, or thirties, that they cannot benefit from one. The truth is that you can prevent a lot of the pain and discomfort that comes with aging if you begin an exercise program when you are younger, but if you wait to start exercising until you are in your forties, fifties, or sixties, you are still going to experience the benefits of being physically active.

Start Small with Lifestyle Changes

The experts agree that the best way to include fifteen minutes or more of additional exercise to your daily routine is to start small and increase your activity level slowly. Simple things like parking your car further away from the store when you go shopping can increase the amount of exercise that you get. You can start to take the stairs when it is possible instead of using an escalator or an elevator.

Sweep your floor instead of vacuuming, and use a manual push vacuum instead of using a remote vacuum. Push mow sections of your yard instead of riding a riding lawn mower. Walk to the end of the driveway to pick up your mail instead of grabbing the mail while you are in the car.