It’s that easy but exceptionally rewarding
WASHINGTON, DC – Exert yourself! It’s easier than you think. And, says the Association of Mature American Citizens, new research shows that by just moving around for a cumulative 30 minutes a day will help you live longer.
“The good news is that the study showed you do not have to go to extremes; you reap the benefits even if you just get up off the sofa or your chair and walk around, which is particularly good news for all those seniors out there who abhor the thought of organized exercise,” says Dan Weber, president of the senior advocacy organization.
The research was conducted by the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University in New York. The lead investigator was Dr. Keith Diaz who says: “If you have a job or lifestyle that involves a lot of sitting, you can lower your risk of early death by moving more often, for as long as you want and as your ability allows—whether that means taking an hour-long high-intensity spin class or choosing lower-intensity activities, like walking.”
The study showed that if you engage in even low-intensity activities, such as taking a swim, riding a bike, doing a simple stretching routine or even walking down the street, it will help you live longer by as much as 17%. And, if you want to get frisky — like doing a few push-ups or sit-ups — it can cut the risk of an early death by 35%. And, you don’t have to do it all at once; you simply need to get up a few times a day and log in a total of half-an-hour of activities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control [CDC], more than 30 million men and women 50-years-old and older apparently dismiss the benefits of exerting themselves. And, the CDC says you’ll reap benefits even if you do “moderate-intensity aerobic” exercises for less that 21 1/2 minutes a day, or 150 minutes a week.
Weber says you don’t have to train as if you seek an Olympic medal. “Simple chair squats, which call for you to stand in front of a chair, spreading your legs, bending your knees and alternately sitting and standing a few times. Or you can stand up and for a few minutes at a time balance yourself on one leg and then the other. The idea is to keep moving, but you don’t have to do whole half hour at once. Just do it for several minutes at a time until you’ve logged in 20 to 30 minutes.”
The AMAC chief says that even activities such as walking your dog or taking out the trash qualify. “It’s that easy but exceptionally rewarding as you feel yourself getting just a bit stronger by the weeks, by the months and by the years you’ll be adding to your life.”
ABOUT AMAC
The 1.7 million member Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] [https://amac.us] is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make a difference by joining us today at https://amac.us/join.
If the cute blond in the picture above needs a workout partner, I’m available !
There’s always a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle enticing my 90-plus-year-old mother to get up and walk to the kitchen table a few times a day, a couple of rooms from where she sits most of the day. Then she’ll get up to throw bread crumbs outside to the birds, and maybe sweep the deck. Before you know it, it was a workout! She also is reminded to get something to eat, which she can forget to do.
Puzzles (we like the Ravensburger brand) are highly recommended–not only for the mental exercise, but they also get my mother to turn off the TV and listen to the radio, or to music.
This is all great, but nothing ever pertains to kidney patients. I need help with all these bills. I need benefits. When do you help the dying?