According to a New York Times blog, a New study by scientists at King's College London, and the University of Birmingham in England, finds active older people resemble young adults physiologically.

Is Age-Related Health Decline Inevitable?

Conventional wisdom believes that the cause of aging and its apparent corrosive effects remains a mystery. Some believe that the effects of age can be offset, even reversed. Some believe there is nothing anyone can do. The truth may lie in our lifestyle choices.

The above study looked at the effects of exercise on aging by focusing only on active older folks. The study removed inactivity as an element to eliminate sedentary lifestyles as a factor. By looking only at highly active older cyclists, very accomplished men and woman, they hoped to determine if exercise really helps staying youthful.

Active Older Folks Look Young on Paper

The result was interesting in that biologically highly active older folks, function on a par with healthy young adults in certain types of tests. On paper, any doctor looking at the data, would see what appears to be young healthy adults functionally.

Some Functions Still In Decline

Nevertheless, the study group still had lower muscle mass and power, and lower aerobic function, than young adults on average. But, it was exciting to see that the active group outperformed what is considered a typical older person.

Nevertheless "being physically active makes your body function on the inside more like a young person's" says Stephen Harridge, senior author of the study and director of the Centre of Human and Aerospace Physiological Sciences at King's College London.

Click for Full Article

According to an interesting article at Medline Plus, there's still more potential benefit to exercising regularly.

Daily Walk or Exercise Routines May Keep You Healthier

According to an interesting article at Medline Plus "Exercise not only helps your immune system fight off simple bacterial and viral infections, it decreases your chances of developing heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer."

The Medline Plus article says that the reasons for this remain theoretical. Theories include a detox flushing effect, increased antibody and white blood cell activity, increased body temperature suppressing infection, and the slowing of stress-related hormones.

Don't Overdo

While the positive effects of exercise have been shown, Medline Plus advises that one not overdo exercise or go to extremes in the hopes of building one's immunity. The most likely to benefit from exercise, are those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, who then switch to a moderately active lifestyle, they say.

In keeping with this concept, a study paper abstract published at PubMed.gov comes to essentially the same conclusion.

Click for Full Article

Exercise Can Be Healthy, But Not Necessarily in the Extreme

The abstract paper at PubMed discusses immune function and exercise. There is known to be an anti-inflammatory effect as well as many other benefits, according to the paper. But they caution that the jury remains out regarding extreme exercise, like running marathons, which can have negative effects.

So Is Exercise Good?

It would appear the answer is yes! These sources cited here support that concept, in moderation.

Here at Get Well Natural, we have always endorsed the Eastern Medicine and holistic concept of diet and lifestyle being capable of potentially having positive effects on health and well being. We believe that a body in balance has the greatest chance of living a long & healthy life. Methods such as diet, moderate exercise, stress reduction, positive lifestyle choices and herbal dietary supplementation can all support this balanced goal .

Note: As always, before you start any new exercise program, please speak to your primary doctor.

According to these sources, moderate exercise may improve one's health and longevity!!

Thanks so much,

Dave, Monica, Ramesh & Tazz

References:

New York Times How Exercise Keeps Us Young
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/how-exercise-keeps-us-young

Exercise and immunity
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007165.htm

Immune function and exercise
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21446352

Questions? Call 1-888-522-4372

[Top]