Exercise to Reverse Aging

I'm back to working out and hating it with a passion right now. My muscles are sore and my joints are aching. You know how it goes in the beginning of a new program. We compulsives attack it with a passion and almost always over do it. Well, that's what I've done--six days a week for almost an hour each visit to the gym after being sedentary for almost six months. Bad idea. It is much better to slowly work up to that kind of a regimen and avoid the excruciating pain. You will be far more motivated to make it the life long commitment it must be to stay healthy and younger.

Exercise is indeed the elixir for aging. When we stop moving, we really start dying, and though I'm sore from overworking some muscles not been used for a while, some of the more chronic pains I was struggling with are subsiding because of exercising. The sore muscle pain will subside as my muscles get strong again, and I will have resolved the muscle aches that result from disuse.

We were meant to move--tending gardens, chasing down food, walking from place to place. Today, everything is with in arm's reach. We don't even have to get up any more to switch the TV channel or answer the phone. And most of us wouldn't consider getting somewhere in any way beside our car.

What's been the consequence beside gaining weight and hurting? Without regular exercise, we are perpetually tired and disinterested; we become soft and weak, and we put ourselves on a collision course with heart, brain and lung disease (muscles that also must be exercised).

An inactive lifestyle impacts physical health adversely in four areas-strength, balance, flexibility and endurance. Being sedentary also puts you at risk for a variety of diseases and disabilities.

Exercise is the prescription for maintaining good health. It improves lung, vessel and heart systems, increases muscle strength and bone density, and keeps the body limber. Those who exercise often look younger, have more energy, sleep better, and have fewer medical visits. They also have a positive attitude, because exercise produces endorphins and relieves depression.

Begin with a complete physical exam, so other causes of your lethargy can be ruled out. Discuss exercise with your doctor, who can suggest the perfect program for your physical condition. Even small changes in your level of activity can be beneficial, like adding regular gardening, heavier housework, or chasing grandkids. Start slowly, but build to 30-40 minutes at least three times a week.

Aerobic activity, like walking (with a goal of 10,000 steps daily), swimming, cycling, and dancing, improves overall health and builds stamina, enabling seniors to handle daily tasks and maintain their independence.

Weight training builds lean body mass and increases strength, (promoting self-reliance), and it jumpstarts metabolism (keeping weight and blood sugar in check). Tai chi and yoga are effective for balance and staying flexible (avoiding falls and injuries).

Call the National Institute on Aging, 800-222-2225 to order their exercise video with guidebook ($7.00), and visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov for exercises to try and free information.

Exercise is vital in slowing down and even reversing the impact of the aging process. Greater physical strength is the best medicine for protecting health, staying independent, and keeping that zest for life.