Why Your Mid-Life Fitness Is Such a Wise Investment
By Sandy Schroeder
Most of us make the effort to invest in our careers and finances, but we may dart right past the personal health fitness investments that can make lifetime differences.
We know we should eat healthy and exercise regularly, but daily demands may crowd everything else out.
Mid-Life Fitness Results
Harvard Health says research shows people who are the most fit at midlife live longer and are sick less than middle-agers who are not fit.
A study by Cooper Institutes in Dallas of more than 18,000 participants, found the higher mid-life fitness was, the lower the risks for stroke, heart failure, diabetes, colon cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Published online in 2012 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the study focused on body mass index, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, alcohol, smoking, glucose levels and age. Fitness levels were measured with treadmill testing at age 49, and tracked again at age 65 through Medicare claims.
Mid-life Fitness Impact
- Lowers stress
- Strengthens lungs and heart
- Helps muscles burn sugar
- Improves circulation in blood vessels
- Controls cholesterol and blood pressure
- Prolongs life, preserves memory
Exercise also improves overall fitness which is a measure of how well the heart, blood vessels, blood, and lungs work together to supply muscles with oxygen as exercise picks up speed. It estimates how efficiently the muscles use the oxygen. This fitness measure indicates exercise capacity. Cardiologists use this gauge with treadmills to test people for heart disease.
Investing in Yourself
As the New Year rolls up, this may be a smart time to schedule a January checkup with your doctor to get all of your health numbers and determine your fitness level. You and your doctor can determine the best fitness choices for you, zeroing in on any health numbers that need to be improved such as weight, sugar or blood pressure levels, and any additional tests that are needed.
The next step may be a daily exercise routine that fits your schedule. You could start with a 30-minute session of daily walking, or biking, jogging, swimming or gym workouts. As your fitness routines kick in, you can chart your progress at home and with your doctor. Successful results can be a great incentive to keep right on going, and you may be amazed at the differences in future checkpoints.
As always, whatever course you take, run the final choices by your doctor for approval.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Dacula, Ga.
