I have never been one of those people who reads the obituaries. Kind of thought that was weird. But recently while reading a local newspaper I caught the age of a gentleman who had passed. His age was 62. As a matter of fact there were two gentlemen of that age listed. That’s old I thought, until it hit me, those of us 40 somethings closer now to 50 are skidding head long into our 60’s. Having had my children later in life, I will have children in college while in my 60’s. Isn’t 60 the new 40, or at least 50? I have been saying for years that my daily exercise is more about mental health than a dress size. So it is no surprise that I began to ponder this thought in depth more recently on my daily walks.

Maybe it is no coincidence that I started to notice the abundance of articles in the press about exercise and the anti-aging affect not only on our bodies, but our brains. Don’t get me wrong, I have no illusions that we will ever really give up the aspiration to lose 10 pounds. But this new evidence, plus the prospect of wearing again the wardrobe that we can no longer fit into in our closets, may be just the ticket you need to get started. If you remember back in January, we talked about fitness as your daily resolution; today is a great day to start.

Regular moderate exercise can make you biologically 10 years younger! Lynn Cherkas, PhD, of Kings College in London reported her findings in the Archives of Internal Medicine. These new findings send a powerful message as baby boomers age.

30 minutes of moderate intensity (i.e., brisk walk) 5 times a week

or

20 minutes of vigorous activity (i.e., jogging) 3 times a week

While Cherkas’ study found exercise makes our cells younger, it is unclear if that will lead to longer life. And who cares, if we are not fit enough to enjoy our retirement? However, an 11 year British study named physical activity as one of the 4 steps to living 14 years longer. With an extra 14 years, I may actually live to see grandchildren! They followed over 20,000 subjects in a longitudinal study and found that if they followed these four steps they lived on average 14 years longer.

  1. NO Smoking
  2. 30 minutes of daily activity
  3. Moderate drinking ( 1-14 drinks per week, not all on the same day)
  4. Five servings of fruit or vegetables a day

The key element that most people struggle with is ‘REGULAR’. With health care costs rising, it is incumbent on each of us to be more proactive about our health. We can’t decide to exercise when it is finally convenient: when the kids are in school, or out, when the birthdays, or holidays are over, when we leave the old job or start a new one. I’m sure we all recognize ourselves on that path.

In another study, Arthur Kramer, PhD, professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of Illinois and his colleges reported some surprising results with their study. They followed a group of subjects, dividing them into a walking or aerobic group and a toning group. The group who walked several times a week performed certain cognitive tasks, like paying attention and blocking out distractions, 15 to 20 percent faster than those who did toning exercises alone. And in the end, the scientific literature found that the combination of aerobic exercise and toning together had an even greater cognitive benefit. So make sure to mention that on your next job interview!

So what does this mean for all of us? That exercise is multi-tasking at its best. We can reduce our risk of heart disease, improve our memory and lose 10 pounds all at the same time. The one consistent message from all the research was that moderate exercise will provide the desired benefits we all seek. You do not have to run a marathon or be a super athlete. Of course that could be fun too.

Well, I am off for my daily hike because yesterday as I was getting out of the car and collecting my things I was frantically looking for my phone, only to discover that I was talking on it…duh. Gotta run…