RISK REDUCTION FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN that men who exercise are at half the risk of suffering a heart attack compared with those who do not exercise. Women who go walking are almost 50 per cent less likely to have a stroke than those who don’t walk. People who have an active everyday life have a 30 per cent lower risk of suffering cardiovascular disease or premature death than people who have a sedentary life.
Three types of good physical activity
ANY ACTIVITY IS a good activity, as long as it is fun, your own choice, and easy to do, because then there is a better chance that you’ll keep it up. The important and difficult thing is to get started and stay motivated. But by thinking about the positive effects of physical activity—reduced stress hormones, stronger immune defences, improved self-esteem, greater vitality, sharper mind, better sleep, improved productivity and happiness, and a younger body—you may begin to look forward to your walk, bike ride, or session at the gym!
To get as much as possible from your exercise, you need to remember that there are 3 basic types of physical activity: general, cardio exercise, and strength and flexibility exercises. They all affect the ageing process in different ways. Try to incorporate all 3 activities in your exercise plan.
1. GENERAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
THIS MEANS EVERYDAY exercise. It has a good effect and there are opportunities to do it all the time, if you think about it. Walking, gardening, window cleaning, shopping, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, leaving the car at home and going on foot or cycling—they all promote good health, and researchers increasingly stress the importance of everyday exercise. Just upping the level of general activity—without even breaking a sweat—can deliver 40 per cent of the rejuvenating effect that physical activity brings.
2. CARDIO EXERCISE
THIS MEANS ACTIVITIES that get the heart beating faster, making you short of breath, and preferably also a little sweaty. Examples of this include brisk walking and pole walking. If you choose to go jogging, a good rule of thumb is that the intensity should still allow you to talk to your running mate as you jog, but if you can sing, the pace is too low.
You can also get a good amount of exercise from activities such as dancing, badminton, tennis, football, skiing, skating, cycling, swimming, and water aerobics. It is difficult to single out a specific kind of activity that is better than the others. Choose the activity that fits you best. This type of exercise contributes a further 40 per cent to the rejuvenation that can be associated with physical activity. The Nordic countries are overall known for outdoor activities, from skiing to sailing and orienteering. The winter holiday is even officially called “Sporting Holiday” and was traditionally focused on outdoor recreation.
3. STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES
AFTER THE AGE of 30, your muscle mass slowly starts to reduce and this has to be counteracted in good time. Every percentage increase in muscle mass can add a year to your life. Building up and strengthening your muscles with weight training and then keeping them in shape can contribute 20 per cent to the overall reduction in ageing that comes from exercise. And this is an important 20 per cent, because strengthening the muscles and skeleton reduces the risk of muscle strains and joint injuries as you do the other types of physical activity.
How much should you exercise?
LITTLE AND OFTEN is the key—30 minutes of “everyday exercise” daily, according to the research. You can achieve additional health benefits by adding 20–30 minutes of running or an equivalent activity 3 times a week.
Alternatively, you can combine these activities. Muscle-building physical activity is recommended at least twice a week for the majority of the body’s major muscle groups.
Children are recommended to have 60 minutes of physical activity per day.
RESEARCH SHOWS
A PERSON WHO exercises for at least 3 hours a week is biologically 10 years younger than someone who doesn’t exercise.
CAN YOU HAVE TOO MUCH EXERCISE?
THE ADVICE IS not to overexercise. Research has shown that extreme training has no additional health benefits, but instead increases the risk of injury, including stress fractures. Marathon runners can suffer heart problems in the form of an irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation, as well as wear to the hips and knees. In other words, as in so many things, moderation is the key.
USE A PEDOMETER
YOU MAY FIND it stimulating to use a pedometer to see whether you’re reaching the target you set for yourself. Aim for 10,000–12,000 steps over the course of a whole day, which is equivalent to walking about 4–5 miles. Less than five thousand daily steps is considered a “sedentary lifestyle.”
Energy use in 30 minutes
IF YOU USE physical activity to keep control of your weight, it can be interesting to see which activities burn more or fewer calories. The figures in the table are only approximate values for energy use, as they vary depending on your weight and how you define “average” activity levels.
Table 1. Common activities and the kilocalories (kcals) burned in 30 minutes.
| Gardening | 150 kcals |
| Walking | 150 kcals |
| Skating | 250 kcals |
| Swimming | 350 kcals |
| Skiing | 350 kcals |
| Jogging/running | 350 kcals |
Can physical activity compensate for an otherwise sedentary life?
THE PROBLEM OF sitting still is on the rise. TV, social media, and computers are stealing more and more time, and some people are inactive for 90 per cent of their waking hours. Such a sedentary daily lifestyle has proven a serious risk factor for many of the most common diseases.
Sitting still means that our large muscle groups, particularly the buttock and leg muscles, are not used, which can lead to poor blood circulation and a reduced metabolism. This in turn leads to a rise in blood sugar levels, which causes inflammation and raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and premature death.
The health benefits of being active 3 times a week are thus heavily outweighed by an otherwise sedentary life.
Generally speaking, we have previously been focused on physical activity, but we are only now beginning to understand the importance of also avoiding a sedentary life.
RESEARCH SHOWS
SEVERAL MAJOR STUDIES have indicated that sitting too much (particularly with no activity at all) increases the risk of diabetes and of suffering and dying from cardiovascular disease and cancer. This has proven to be the case even with vigorous training in your spare time!
In an experiment, young, healthy men were instructed to be as physically inactive as they could for a period of 2 weeks. In just this short time, blood sugar levels were affected, fitness levels dropped, and the blood lipid count rose. This in turn increased the risk of conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
On the ends of the chromosomes sit telomeres, which affect how we and our cells age. Studies have shown that sitting still causes the telomeres to shorten, which means a shorter life compared with people who are more active.
BREAK UP YOUR TIME SITTING