I am lucky enough to be able to listen to NPR at my desk at work and yesterday Fresh Air featured an exercise writer that had some pretty great general information about staying fit as you age. Gretchen Reynolds discussed her new book, The First Twenty Minutes, in this episode. (I've already put the book on reserve at the library.)
The author had some great points that I think most adults in the US could be reminded of. Until very recently in time, humans were hunters and gatherers. Our sedentary lifestyle is a new chapter in evolution and our bodies are not well adapted for it, resulting in lifestyle diseases. (Cheeseburgers and soda don't help either.)
Reynolds has a few great suggestions to assist with aging:
Get up! Stand up for a few minutes every 20 minutes or so. This keeps blood flowing.
Move! Running is great for you (the rewards outweigh the costs) but if you can't run, walk.
Moving is great for your health, brain and memory.
Do squats! Reynolds said that if there was one exercise to do every day, it's squats. And if you can't bend your knees far, do the best you can. Avoid being one of the many who need knee replacements and can't even stand up and sit down as they get older.
And if you run: drink chocolate milk after. Carbs and protein are great for recovery. Walkers: sorry, you probably didn't burn enough calories for that chocolate milk. Can I interest you in a small glass of white skim milk?
The discussion didn't mention two other important components of health: deep breathing/ meditation or diet, which are always important to remember.
Now, stand up or take a walk!
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