By: Dr Jelena Bar
The importance of exercising has been studied for centuries. We know that it makes us feel good, and that it is a simple, accessible and effective way to maintain health.
And there is more – the science has proven that it can actually make our cells biologically younger.
Do you sometimes find yourself lying on your couch after a long day, finding it difficult to make yourself hit the gym and exercise? Have you ever been in a situation that you are too tired to do your running exercise, or simply to go for a walk?
Although during cold weather, staying in from of the TV might seem much more appealing that running, it might be good to go out of your comfort zone, as exercise has multiple benefits on your health and beauty. Good news is that a natural, high-quality RYLA products can increase your energy levels and help you eliminate fatigue that can stand between you and your decision to install healthy habits in your everyday life.
And before we dive into how you can benefit from exercising, and what level of physical activity is optimal, let’s see what the consequences of physical inactivity are.
THE PRICE OF PHYSICAL INACTIVITY IS HIGH
Although physical activity, food and reproduction are some of the minimal requirements for life, in our modern society, we now have a choice not to be physically active.
We move around less and burn off less energy than people used to. Many adults spend more than 7 hours a day sitting down, at work, on transport or in their leisure time (watching TV, using a computer, using the car for short journeys etc.).
And although inactivity might seem like an easy choice for most of us, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that physical inactivity is a primary and actual cause of most chronic diseases. This is why physical inactivity has earned the name “silent killer”.
Clinical trials clearly establish that lack of physical activity and exercise affects almost every cell, organ and system in the body causing sedentary dysfunction and accelerated death1. What’s more, 2018 JAMA Network Open study found that not exercising increased your risk of premature death more than cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even smoking.
This means that physical activity is a requirement to maximize health span and lifespan just as food and reproduction are a requirement for long-term continued human existence.
MODERATE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR HEALTH AND LONGEVITY BENEFITS
More than 2000 years ago Hippocrates stated: “If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health”.
And you might ask yourself, what is the right type and the right amount when it comes to physical activity and exercise?
There are different opinions on what is the optimal type of physical activity. I would say, choose the one that you enjoy the most and the one that is best fitted to your lifestyle and your preferences. For me, running is the best option, especially now in the mist of COVID-19 pandemic. I like starting my day with a nice run around the lake. It gives me energy boost, sharpens my brain, acts as a stress reliever and sets my day in a good direction. And, in addition, I can enjoy the beauty of nature I am surrounded with.
If you are lover of high-intensity exercise, bear in mind that a weekly cumulative dose of vigorous exercise of not more than about 5 hours has been identified in several studies to be the safe upper range for long-term cardiovascular health and life expectancy3,4. It may also be beneficial to take 1 or 2 days a week off from vigorous exercise and to refrain from high-intensity exercise on a daily basis.
If you are not a fan of high-intensity exercise, go with moderation and you will make no mistake. It is shown that moderate intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise is sufficient for health and longevity benefits4. Recommendation is to have at least 2½ hours every week of moderate intensity exercise, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous exercise.
And there is good news for those who are not fans of exercise, coming from Harvard University researchers. They have confirmed that as little as 15 minutes of physical activity a day could boost your life span by three years.
Encouraging are the results saying that it’s never too late to start. Even people who start exercising in their 80s and 90s experience health and longevity benefits. A study just published in the International Journal of Stroke, for instance, showed that those who became fit later in life (ages 40 to 59) cut their risk of a potentially deadly stroke in half, while those who had been fit when younger and became unfit doubled their risk.
HIGH-INTENSITY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CAN MAKE YOUR CELLS BIOLOGICALLY YOUNGER
Besides having beneficial effect on cardiovascular health and life expectancy, exercise has more benefits. People who regularly exercise are not only healthier, but often look younger. And the science is confirming that their cells are indeed biologically younger.
In one trial researchers studied DNA samples of 5823 adults cross-sectionally. They measured the lengths of study participants’ telomeres, the molecular caps at the end of chromosomes that tended to get shorter with age.
The research revealed that adults with high physical activity were estimated to have a biologic aging advantage of 9 years over sedentary adults5.
The difference in cell aging between those with High and Low activity was also significant (8.8 years), as was the difference between those with High and Moderate physical activity (7.1 years).
Overall, physical activity was significantly and meaningfully associated with telomere length in men and women. Evidently, adults who participate in high levels of physical activity tend to have longer telomeres, accounting for years of reduced cellular aging compared to their more sedentary counterparts.
We always believed that as we got older, we became frail and weak as a natural consequence of aging. However, it seems that this is not necessarily the case, at least not for those who exercise regularly.
In the above-mentioned study, researchers compared the muscles of older and younger exercisers and couldn’t tell who was young and who was old. The heart, lung and muscle fitness of healthy men and women in their 70ties, who exercised regularly, was similar to those in 30 years younger healthy people.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AS A BASIS FOR SOLID HEALTH
Regular exercise and physical activity will keep you healthy. It is beneficial for your cardiovascular and metabolic health, and it enhances your bone health and reduces body fatness.
Moreover, it will help you feel better by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety1.
And it will help you look younger.
We found that our products gave best results when used in synergy with exercise, as effects are multiplied.
References:
- Booth at al. (2012), Lack of Exercise is a Major Cause of Chronic Diseases, Compr Physiol. 2012 Apr; 2(2): 1143–1211. , doi: 10.1002/cphy.c110025
- Lee D-C et al (2014), Leisure-time running reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;64(5):472-481.
- Löllgen H et al (2009), Physical activity and all-cause mortality: an updated meta-analysis with different intensity categories.Int J Sports Med. 2009;30(3):213-224.
- O’Keefe JH, Lavie CJ. Run for your life at a comfortable speed and not too far. Heart. 2013;99(8):516-519.
- A. Tucker (2017), Physical activity and telomere length in U.S. men and women: An NHANES investigation, Preventive Medicine, Volume 100, July 2017, Pages 145-151.
