be repeated on a regular basis.
How can physical activity make the body younger?
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AFFECTS the whole body, including the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, muscles, bones, and mental well-being. To build up your body, you also need to eat well. What happens is that cells are repaired, new blood vessels form for increased blood flow, heart and lung capacity rises, and stress hormone levels fall, which lead to less inflammation and a stronger immune system. Swedish doctors have for years been prescribing exercise to minimize the use of prescription drugs.
Positive effects of physical exercise include:
EXTENDED LIFE EXPECTANCY
GENERALLY SPEAKING, PHYSICAL activity leads to a longer life. Several studies have shown that regular physical activity can extend life by as much as 8 years. Research has also shown a more than 50 per cent reduction in mortality among fit and active people, compared with sedentary people.
STRESS REDUCTION
REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY reduces the symptoms of stress, which makes you feel more relaxed, healthier, and better able to deal with stress. This in turn reduces inflammation in the body and stems the ageing process.
DELAY IN DEMENTIA
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN that exercise causes a significant delay in the development of dementia. Physical activity improves long-term memory and slows ageing in the blood vessels.
RISK REDUCTION FOR DIABETES
PHYSICAL EXERCISE STRONGLY counteracts the risk factors behind diabetes-related illness and premature death.
PROTECTION AGAINST CANCER
PHYSICAL EXERCISE PROTECTS against certain forms of cancer, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, and bowel cancer.
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.
