Exercising regularly is, according to the Harvard Medical School, the most important thing we can do to improve and maintain our health. “It helps to control appetite, boost mood, and improve sleep….It reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, depression, and many cancers.” (1)
After I completed the cardiologist’s specified cardiac physical therapy sessions, I “graduated;” and, was set loose to create and maintain a fitness routine to develop the muscles, lungs and heart to, hopefully, earn me a long life of good health. I’ve been reading and watching You Tube to see if there’s a starter program that will cause the results I need.
In addition, my bicycle, pictured on an earlier page was returned from the repair shop looking like the fantastic classic bike that it is. A few minor differences. Slightly wider tires for increased stability. A new, untorn, seat. New rear light. New spokes and a new chain.
My medical support team cleared me for riding…as long as the first rides were on flat courses with a gradual build up from there. A new helmet entered my life, as well. Its predecessor suffered some major damage and could not be reused. It served me well.
The bike rides great! And, the rides are getting longer.
So, after much consideration, I have developed a program of exercise which is adjusted as I become more fit. I will share the routine(s) as I continue to progress through them. Why am I trying to develop a long term fitness and exercise module to include in my new Unlimited Life? The doctors installed two stents and a pacemaker to extend my life. But, if I’m going to live a life of quality, I’ve got to become a physical trainer so that I can try to keep up with the rest of the family.
Why Exercise?
Very simple, the two biggest killers in this country are Heart Disease and Cancer. And, all of the modern data is showing that both of these are impacted beneficially by a regular regime of exercising! The data is also showing that we not only live longer with regular exercise; but, the quality of our living increases, too.
It turns out that exercising regularly is the single largest contributor to good health we have. Every day is not too often. The recommendations for adults, men and women, are:
- Perform at least 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) of brisk walking or 75 minutes of something more rigorous like running every week. You can try to combine the two styles of aerobics if you like. This is recommended for beginners, too. Just break the time into multiple segments each day that total those numbers, just make sure that each segment is at least ten minutes long. AND,
- Do Resistance Training. You want to build strength in all muscle groups – arms, legs, shoulders, hips, back, shoulders and abdomen. I am trying to do a core workout at least three days a week. And, I’m trying to do arms, shoulders and legs twice a week. This training may consist of bodyweight exercises like pushups, leg lifts, planks or crunches. You may prefer lifting weights and have access to a gym; or, resistance bands also have a lot of followers.(2) Fill out the Contact section on this website and we will send you a copy of each workout, for free, when they become available.
Caution: Before you begin any form of exercise program, make an appointment with your doctor. Let her or him run some blood tests, listen to your heart and take your blood pressure..
. Take A Hike
When talking about quality of life being improved with walking and exercise, the Parkinson’s Foundation has begun a program called the Parkinson’s Outcomes Project which promotes various exercise programs to reduce the impacts of Parkinson’s Disease. The program includes walking, non contact boxing, dance, yoga, Pilates, weight training and Tai Chi. They recommend two and one half hours per week. (www.parkinsons.org).
And, The Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported in 2017 that an individual who did the equivalent of jogging for a half hour per day, five days per week have telomeres that were younger than those who led a sedentary life. (3) Telomeres are the tips of our DNA strands. They are similar in effect to the plastic caps on the ends of shoelaces. Like the shoelaces, our DNA tends to unravel a little each time a cell splits. As we age, our telomeres shorten.(4) Telomeres will be the subject of a future article on this website.
The walking dividend appears to pay off at all walking speeds. The American Cancer Society reports that even participants who walk slowly for almost two hours per week had lower death risks than those who had no activity. In their study, the participants had an average age of 69 and showed an average pace of 2.5 miles per hour.(5)
Most of my aerobic exercise so far has been on a stationary bike and an elliptical glider. But, I let myself slip. So, it is time to push myself through the resistance again and continue to work to extend my life.
My doctors insisted that I start on a flat course and gradually increase the speed and difficulty. So far, my wife, one son and a grandson have volunteered to ride along. They take turns. And, I am also walking at least three times a week for approximately 1 1/2 miles.
As for any differences in results between aggressive walking and bicycle riding. I’m not worried. A team of English scientists studied bicyclists ranging in age from 35 to 79 in 2018. These participants, both male and female, were regular bike riders. The study found that the riders had reflexes, memories and metabolism similar to non riding 30 year olds.(6)
1) Harvard Medical School Publishing, www.harvardhealthonlinelearning.com/courses.
2) Ibid
3) Prevention Medicine 100 (July 2017) 145-51.
4) Blackburn and Epel The Telemere Effect, Orion Publishing Group (2017).
5) American Cancer Society, October 19, 2017.
6) G. Reynolds, “How Exercise Can Keep Aging Muscles and Immune Systems ‘Young’” New York Times, March 14, 201will