FITNESS & BEAUTY · AUGUST 2017
WORKING OUT KEEPS YOU YOUNG ACCORDING TO SCIENCE
“ After studying nearly six thousand adults over a prolonged period of time , researchers looked at the way exercise affects the telomere length .”
It ’ s official . Science has officially proven that working out does , in fact , keep our bodies ( us ) young . How does this magic happen ? It turns out that just by partaking in physical activity , any physical activity , we ’ re keeping our bodies young on a cellular level . That makes us feel younger .
According to a landmark study in Preventative Medicine , our biological age markers that indicate high levels of physical activity appear to be a whopping nine years younger than those who lead sedentary lives ! Say , what ?
It ’ s true . After studying nearly six thousand adults over a prolonged period of time , researchers looked at the way exercise affects the telomere length . Telomeres are proteins that cap the ends of our chromosomes . They are markers of our aging overall and can tell us a lot about how and under what conditions our bodies / cells might begin to age . The results indicate that people with shorter telomeres tend to have shorter lives and those with longer ones live longer and develop fewer chronic diseases .
What does this mean for us and how can we improve our own telomere numbers ?
It means that we should get regular exercise . Regular not strenuous , although that works for some . Regular exercise is at least sixty minutes of sustained exercise three to five times per week . If you ’ re into top tier exercises , those who get the recommended amount of exercise , your results will be more favorable . Moderate exercises see the most benefits as compared to those who don ’ t work out or don ’ t work out as often .
What can you do to help yourself ? Start exercising . Even a little
movement at a time is better than no movement at all . Start with a walk around the block and work up from there . If you sit at a desk all day for work , try working in sprints or setting a timer to remind yourself to get up and stretch your legs , go for a walk , or do a few squats . Every little bit helps . Over time , you ’ ll not only start to look better , but you ’ ll feel better , and your body will thank you for it .
Want to make it even better ?
Join a gym , an exercise class , or a running group . Set a regular schedule . Pencil it into your daily to-do list and make the time to get moderate exercise at least a few times a week . We ’ re talking breaking a sweat without going overboard . Make it intense enough to feel but not so intense that you won ’ t be able to feel your limbs afterward . Before you know what ’ s hit you , people will start to take notice of how great you look , how your energy levels have improved , and how clear and focused you are as a result of doing what ’ s right for your body ? Along the way , you ’ ll begin to look and feel younger , and what can be better than that ?
Try it for yourself . See what regular exercise can do for you and watch it add years — almost a decade — to your life .
By Ava Mallory
40 HEALTHY MAGAZINE