Regular
Exercise: A Solution To These
10
So-Called “Age-Related” Illnesses
 Here’s
a short and sweet issue of Success For Life, but one that I know will inspire
you to either take action, or continue to take action toward living Fit Over 40.
(A special thank you to Dr. Ann Gowans for providing most of the content for this
article.)
So, Fitness and Diet http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html...
Omega3 http://www.experts-at.com/SealogixOmega3
Learn these secrets for a healthier life
The beautiful spring weather is here, and summer will be upon
us before we know it. Now is the time to remember that it’s
never too late to start an exercise program. The latest news is
that well into our 90s, our body systems can be stimulated to
respond to regular exercise.
From the top of our heads to the bottom of our toes, physical
activity is the stimulus that gets almost all our organs working
at their best,” Tufts exercise expert Miriam Nelson
says. She and her colleagues give 10 ways that inactivity can
take a toll on our bodies because when we are inactive, our ability
to transfer oxygen from the bloodstream to cells is diminished.
When we can’t get as much oxygen out of our blood, we can’t
walk up a flight of stairs as easily, and all our other systems
are also affected by this loss. Here is the list:
* Diabetes. Insulin sensitivity
appears to deteriorate when we are inactive, but it responds positively
when we get back to regular training. The most common type of
diabetes, type 2, actually occurs when the body becomes insensitive,
or resistant, to insulin in the blood. As the insulin stops working,
the blood sugar level rises, and diabetes sets in. Regular exercise
can actually reverse the damage because it increases insulin sensitivity
and makes the cells better at taking in glucose and processing
it.
 http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html
If you love TV, remember that every two hours a day of inactivity
is linked to a 14 percent increase in the risk of diabetes, as opposed to one
hour of brisk walking, which is linked to a 34 percent lower risk. This makes
diabetes most often a “sedentary disease.” (Editor’s Note: I
have personally seen type 2 diabetes completely eliminated within weeks on the
proper nutrition and exercise plan without the use of drugs dozens of times in
my career. As of the year 2000, one out of every four children born in the United
States will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime unless we change our lifestyle
habits. Economic forecaster Edwin Forrest says, “At the rate diabetes alone
is increasing, our current health care system will be incapable of handling the
epidemic past the year 2014.” Remember — we’re talking about
type 2 diabetes, which is a reversible lifestyle disease.) http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html
* Cancer. A Harvard study says, “The evidence is fairly clear now
that men and women who are physically active have a 30-40 percent lower risk of
colon cancer compared to individuals who are not active.” This seems to
be true because activity stimulates a more active colon. The overweight also have
a higher incidence of this disease. Increased activity can help with weight control.
Also, regular exercise also appears to lower the risk of breast cancer by about
20 percent for post-menopausal women. (Editor’s Note: The connection to
cancer and the lack of physical exercise is becoming more and more clear as research
into this complex killer progresses. However, exercise alone is not sufficient,
as seen in people like Lance Armstrong, one of the most fit individuals alive
today. You must combat free radical damage with sufficient anti-oxidant intake
from both supplemental and nutritional sources. I do not sell supplements as you
know, but I highly recommend fish oil, Krill oil, and CoQ-10 in addition to the
nutrition protocols covered in Fit Over 40 to stay healthy.)
http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html
* The brain. “People
who are more physically active are at lower risk for cognitive
decline and dementia,” says the director of the Division
of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins.
In a study of more than 3,000 older men and women, those who engaged
in four activities, such as walking, household chores, gardening
and jogging, during the previous two weeks were half as likely
to be diagnosed with dementia five years later as those who took
part in no more than one activity. Alzheimer’s is a separate
disease, however, and those who carry the gene that might cause
the disease tend to show symptoms in their 70s rather than in
their 80s, when most dementias start to appear. (Editor’s
Note: This is a personal comment about my mom. She turns 80 in
one month, and she looks 60…and acts 30! At the age of 75,
she began weight training and supplementing her diet with the
aforementioned supplements, along with Gingko Biloba, Taurine,
nAL-Carnitine, and a few other brain-helpers. She was displaying
serious signs of onset dementia, repeating herself up to 10 times
in a few minutes. She was inactive, had high blood pressure, and
was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She now walks 2-4 miles per
day, maintains a moderate nutrition plan along with the daily
supplements, and weight trains 2-3 days per week. Her blood pressure
is normal without meds, her diabetes is eliminated (again, without
meds), and she no longer repeats herself at all. She’s a
wonderful testimony to what the Fit Over 40 lifestyle can do for
anyone at any age.) ps Omega 3 is well known for
it's benefit for our mental and emotional health. - http://www.experts-at.com/SealogixOmega3
http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html
* The heart. About
1.2 million Americans have heart attacks each year, and no one is surprised that
couch potatoes have a higher risk of this happening. Exercise boosts good cholesterol
and makes the lining of blood vessels more flexible. Regular exercise protects
the heart through blood pressure reduction, insulin sensitivity, better oxygen
supply and more flexible arteries, among other good things. Exercise training
also has a wonderful effect on those who already have heart disease if they are
given a regimen to suit their needs and are closely monitored. (Editor’s
Note: “Good cholesterol” will soon be seen as a myth in my opinion,
but the rest of these comments are right on the money. Exercise the Fit Over 40
way can promote ongoing vasodilation , or the forced opening and widening of arteries.
This increases blood flow and decreases the likelihood of strokes and heart attacks
by 50-75% according to most studies.)
* Stroke.
Active folks are 25 percent less likely to have a stroke than their sedentary
counterparts. This is because of a lowered blood pressure, improved HDL cholesterol
and a subsequent reduction in blood clots. Regular activity protects the arteries
that feed the brain as well as the heart. High blood pressure is the biggest risk
factor for any stroke, so any way you can reduce it, go for it. Genes sometimes
play a part here, and not much can be done about this except to stay as healthy
as possible. (Editor’s Note: Stroke risk can be cut in half with simple
aspirin therapy, under a doctor’s supervision. However, if you cannot take
aspirin, there are wonderful natural alternatives. Other than exercise and nutrition,
you can take fish oil and eat organic berries to help reduce inflammatory responses
naturally.)
* Muscles. Both women and men find that as we
age, muscles start to just wither away. It starts in the 40s for women and in
the late 50s for men. For every decade after 50, we all lose some 6 percent of
our muscle mass, leading to a 10 to 15 percent loss of our strength. But hey,
we can build lots of that back up with strength training exercises. The earlier
we start, the better. Even 100-year-olds can show some gain. So get started tomorrow.
(Editor’s Note: I did not write “get started tomorrow”, in case
you’re wondering! This is absolutely wonderful advice. If you cannot train
with weights or get to a gym, check out Dov Orshi’s Anti-Aging Fitness Program,
now available when you purchase the Fit Over 40 Deluxe Edition.)
http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html
* Bones. Fragile bones cause
more than 1.5 million fractures each year in this country, but
the disintegration starts decades before cracks appear. Bones
can respond to activity, strength training and medicine, but this
must be done only after a medical evaluation and prescription
to help prevent any more bone loss. (Editor’s Note: What
is rarely mentioned when it comes to bone loss is the connection
to age-related hormones and exercise. The decrease in testosterone
is actually the leading cause of bone density issues, with calcium
depletion being a distant second — and a symptom of the
former. To increase testosterone naturally, increase your healthy
fats, as covered in Fit Over 40, and begin resistance training.)
* Mental health. Those who
are active are less likely to develop depression, and regular
activity can really help if you are already depressed. The right
exercise seems to be more effective than increased socialization,
antidepressant drugs or cognitive behavioral therapy, according
to a recent study of 2,000 people.(Editor’s Note: The study
I mentioned in one of my recent newsletters proved that mild to
moderate depression, which accounts for over 75% of treated depression,
can be managed just as effectively with regular exercise as opposed
to medication. Combine this with proper nutrition, which helps
to balance blood sugar and serotonin levels, and you have a natural
way to fight the blues. Severe depression should always be treated
under a physician’s care.) Also, see the benefits
of omega3
http://www.experts-at.com/SealogixOmega3
http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html
* Weight. Weight gain is a real problem for those of us who are growing
older. Often, our appetites for great food do not decrease, but our ability to
maintain a high level of activity is seriously reduced. Watching TV is one of
our prime enemies. I would be hard-pressed to throw out my late-night viewing
of great old movies, but I make it a rule to never watch daytime TV except to
keep an eye on the weather if needed. As we age, gaining weight and losing fitness
go with the territory, so we must be vigilant and dedicated to get ourselves out
there. We can easily gain 5 pounds a year by doing nothing, and often, this weight
goes to the belly, the most dangerous place. Maintaining lost weight requires
more physical activity than losing it in the first place. Those folks who have
lost 30 to 50 pounds need to get in 60 to 90 minutes a day of real activity to
maintain the loss. (Editor’s Note: What can I say to this one? We all know
about weight gain. The question is simple: what are you going to do about it?
Do you realize that the role models in Fit Over 40 either maintain or lose body
fat as they grow older? There’s not one exception to this! See for yourself.
Not only is it “possible”, it’s actually the natural way to
age. Only in modern times have we become sedentary long before our days were up.) http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html
* Immune system.If you frequently get colds, you might need to boost
your immune system. Thirty to 45 minutes of walking about five days a week is
good, but for sure, don’t overdo it. Marathon runners have a higher risk
of colds after a race because immune function goes down after a prolonged, intense
bout of exercise. The same is true for inflammation. Regular exercise can reduce
inflammation, but watch anything more strenuous because you can make things worse.
(Editor’s Note: I take 4,000-8,000 mg of Ester C in capsule form per day.
The result: no colds or cases of the flu in 8 years. I came down with a mild case
of the flu this year after trying to go without C for six months. I will not repeat
that mistake!) http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html
The
bottom line, according to the Nutrition Action Health Letter, is that you should
shoot for 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk
walking, cycling, jogging or swimming to lower the risks of heart disease, diabetes
and colon cancer. To keep off substantial amounts of lost weight, shoot for 60
to 90 minutes a day. To build muscle and prevent bone loss, do strength training
at least twice a week.
— Original article by Ann Gowans
Jon
Benson
Creator/Co-Author of Fit Over 40: Role Models For Excellence At Any
Age
http://www.experts-at.com/Fit-Over-40.html |