Many people give up physical activity just because things aren’t as simple as they seem. It’s a big mistake. It is much better to maintain constant physical activity, even if at a lower level, than not to do it at all.
In general, there is not much difference between two young people, one of whom plays sports and the other does not. On the other hand, as we get older, the difference between a person who does sports and one who doesn’t is huge.
Dr. Walter Bortz, a geriatrician, says that when we are young, sports are optional, but as we get older and past the age of 40, sports become a necessity. A young body is flexible and recovers quickly, but then it becomes more and more helpless, we get tired faster and faster, we recover harder and harder unless we work hard and slow down this process of bodily aging. It is largely up to us how we want to be, to look, and especially to feel later. It is scientifically proven that a well-maintained body throughout life is able to function well up to the age of 90, or even longer.
Dan Buettner’s book, The Blue Zone, talks about a large number of people in places like Okinawa, Costa Rica, or California, where people are over 100 years old. And one of the common denominators is daily physical activity, such as simple exercise, walking, hiking, gardening, and so on. Physical activity of any kind strengthens the heart and bones, improves blood circulation, reduces obesity, and acts on depression by releasing endorphins into the body.
I have noticed around me that women whose exercise has changed their body and mind feel much better, due to the fact that they have more control over their lives and the way they feel. This is especially important for older people, who often feel that they have little control over things.
How active should we be?
It certainly shouldn’t be an exaggeration. If for some reason you haven’t exercised in a while, when you resume physical activity, do it carefully. Often people do more harm, moving from a state of inactivity to sudden demanding activity. It is preferable to first create a habit by practicing at least 20 minutes of exercise, whether stretching or aerobic, three times a week.
Why is exercise so important to our health?
Aerobic exercise plays a vital role in overall health. In addition to helping to lose weight, aerobic exercise is the only thing that removes fat from the whole body, including that deposited deep in the muscle tissue, which can not be removed by diet alone.
In fact, for the ultimate weight loss, and not the loss of fluid or muscle mass, the combination of reducing calories by eliminating unhealthy foods and aerobic exercise, are the best solution.
Pilates and Yoga exercises also have many health benefits, and we talked about them in previous articles dedicated specifically to these two types of exercise.
What is noteworthy, however, is that after the age of 30, our circular system no longer works as efficiently. The lungs lose their elasticity and receive less air, so they give less oxygen to the body. The muscles of the heart and blood vessels thicken and become stiffer, which means that each beat pumps less blood.
Lack of exercise increases the possibility of the formation of fat deposits on the walls of blood vessels leading to high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and then even to heart attack or stroke.
So get to work. Stay healthy through daily physical activity.
