So, I thought I should reiterate all that information I have shared with you over the years about exercise. Since Summer is upon us and too many of us have mastered the art of being a coach potato.
We already learned that exercise is critical in staving off Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive decline. (Yesterday’s post, folks.) Which seems to help us with the biggest fears most Americans have nowadays.
It turns out that exercising also stimulates muscle and bone growth- which means alte kakers can maintain their independence, preclude both falls and the injuries related to them. (By the way, this is the leading cause of injury-related-death events for those of us over the age of 65.) As we age, our muscle mass and basal metabolic rate begin their normal decline, which means we need to implement our exercise routines, to extend our life spans.
But, we’ve also learned that there is no pill (or even group of pills) that can slow the aging process. So, it’s time to rely upon the simplest- and best solution to maintain our lives- and extend our life-spans. That is to keep on moving and exercising.
Our life span is extended by exercise in that our immune function (reducing inflammation and increasing our sensitivity to insulin) is maintained and strengthened.
Which means that the key indicator for maintaining and extending human life is probably cellular senescence. (Senescent cells cease dividing as they age- and contribute to multiple age- related diseases. That’s what Dr. Nathan LeBrasseur (Mayo Clinic) and his team (Drs. Davis A. Englund, Ayumi E. Sakamoto, Chad M. Fritsche, Amanda A. Heeren, Xu Zhang, Brian R. Kotajarvi, Denise R. Lecy, Matthew J. Yousefzadeh, Marissa J. Schafer, Thomas A. White, and Elizabeth J. Atkinson) reported back in 2021. But, more importantly, they found that a structured exercise program reduced cellular senescence.
As I’ve reported often, the US believes that to maintain our health, adults need some 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise weekly. This is bolstered by studies that have included some 650K adults over a decade; these folks added about 1.8 y to their lifespan. (Study performed under the direction of Dr. Steven C. Moore [National Cancer Institute] When these folks upped their exercise regime to 5 to 8 hours a week, they extended their lifespan by 4.2 y.
And, while many reports detail that the 150 minutes of exercise is perfectly adequate with moderate walking, we also know that racket sports (tennis, squash, racquetball) may yield even greater benefits to their proponents
These racket sports, including tennis, squash or racquetball, as well as running and walking, that were found to have the biggest benefits in a separate study headed by Dr. Moore While moderate intensity exercise augments our cerebral blood flow and brain-glucose metabolism (critical for cognitive functionality), racket sports tend to involve a higher intensity exercise, thereby promoting greater benefits.
So? Let’s get cracking!
