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Why Bother With Exercise?
"The most effective anti-aging pill ever discovered." That's how the National Institutes of Health refers to exercise. And it's no wonder. The benefits of steady aerobic exercise read like a longevity wish list. If you love life, yourself and the people you know, be sure to find time for fitness.
Here are the top 10 reasons to make exercise your No. 1 health priority:
- Increase your energy
- Look great
- Stay well
- Feel spectacular
- Stay strong
- Move smoothly
- Be heart-strong
- Be smarter
- Eat better
- Live longer
1. Increase Your Energy
Exercise is a supreme fatigue fighter, says Walter Bortz, M.D., author of 99 Steps to 100. "Rather than lying down when you feel tired, take a walk, go for a bike ride, take a swim. I promise you you'll feel better," he says.
2. Look Great
These words alone should send you running to the gym: glowing skin, firm posture, sculpted upper arms, abs and legs.
3. Stay Well
While the reasons aren't fully understood, there is a connection between exercise and keeping these cancers at bay: colon, breast, uterine, ovarian and prostate. Exercise protects against many illnesses, too. "In the last 10 years we have discovered dozens of body chemicals that protect us," Dr. Bortz says, "and physical exercise has been shown to provide higher levels of many of these defense compounds."
4. Feel Spectacular
A good workout releases feel-good endorphins that boost your mood and help dull pain.
"Exercise offers great psychological value as well," says ThirdAge personal trainer Chad Tackett. "With regular workouts, you'll notice improved energy, concentration and a more relaxed sleep. Combined with the improved tone and flexibility that you'll gain, the overall result is improved self-esteem and a more positive outlook on life."
Exercise can help you beat stress, anxiety and mild depression, and keeps your love life robust, too. "Many studies have shown that those who exercise regularly have greater ability to be aroused and to achieve orgasm," writes Joseph L. Godat, M.D., in Putting Impotence to Bed: What Every Man and Woman Needs to Know (Summit Publishing Group, 1999). "Exercise improves blood flow to all body parts, including reproductive organs."
5. Stay Strong
If you want to spend your old age stooped and brittle, stay on the couch. If you want to stand tall and fracture-free, start exercising. "A research study at Washington University in St. Louis found that a two-year exercise program increased bone mass 6 percent in active women compared to inactive older women," Dr. Bortz says.
Weight-bearing exercise that forces you to work against gravity is best for helping prevent bone loss and may encourage bone growth, says Chad Tackett. These include walking, hiking, jogging, stair-climbing, tennis, dancing and weight training.
6. Move Smoothly
It may seem that creaking, sore joints need to be pampered and rested, but the opposite is actually true. "Any joint that has arthritis in it must enjoy sustained exercise to maintain its function," says Dr. Bortz. In one study involving people with arthritic knees, an eight-week program of walking, stretching and strengthening "not only increased their ability by 30 percent, but lowered pain 27 percent as well," Dr. Bortz reports.
"Exercise can reduce stress on arthritic joints by strengthening the surrounding muscles, and help maintain flexibility and joint mobility," says Chad Tackett. Be sure to include stretching as part of your workout, Tackett says, since it increases circulation and synovial fluid (the lubricating fluid in joints).
And, the inevitable weight loss that comes with steady exercise will help your joints, too. "Take 10 pounds off your midsection, which will equal about 30 pounds less stress on your knees when you stand, 70 pounds when you walk or run, and 100 pounds when you sprint down the stairs," says Doctor of Chiropractic Gayle Olinekova, in Power Aging (Thunder's Mouth Press, 1998).
7. Be Heart-Strong
"A program of lifelong physical exercise is the single most important protection against stopped-up pipes and heart trouble," Dr. Bortz advises. "All of the factors that contribute to heart attacks because of blocked arteries can be addressed by exercise." Exercise helps lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and cut down on blood clottability.
8. Be Smarter
Exercise builds brain power and alertness. "Exercise prompts the release of adrenaline, a very potent brain stimulant," says Dr. Bortz. Studies have shown that IQ and cognitive ability increase through exercise, too.
9. Eat Better
"By adding lean muscle, you can actually condition your body to burn fat more efficiently ... 24 hours a day," says personal trainer Chad Tackett. The more calories you can efficiently burn each day, the more foods you can eat, ensuring that you meet all of your basic requirements. "And the more food you need, the greater the likelihood that your diet will include enough of all the basic requirements. Therefore, exercise is a pretty sure way of ensuring an adequate diet," says Dr. Bortz.
10. Live Longer
Exercise more and you may actually add time to your life. "Three hours of life can be gained for every hour spent exercising," Dr. Bortz says.
Even a moderate amount of physical activity can cut your heart disease risk in half, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and even mild to moderate regular exercise will help reduce your risks of heart disease. You'll benefit most from aerobic activities that strengthen your heart and lungs -- activities such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling and stair climbing.
By Ellen Griffin
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