This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 at 5:46 pm and is filed under Exercise, News, Top Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
A report on GMTV this week showed that running is an excellent way to stay young and fit. Research over a period of twenty years by the University of California at Stanford has shown that elderly runners stay more active and healthy than non-runners and are half as likely to die prematurely.
Runners v. non-runners
The research started in 1984 with 284 members of a nationwide running club and 156 healthy non- runners. All participants were 50 or over at the start of the study and the runners were running for about an average of four hours a week, which reduced to just over an hour after 21 years.
Running fights off disease…
This form of exercise helps to prevent age-related illnesses including heart disease and cancer. The researchers also believe it could boost the immune system and improve thinking, learning and memory.
…and delays disability
At the start of the study many experts felt that if old people went running it would cause problems with arthritis and orthopaedic injuries, but in fact this has not happened. The study also showed that running delayed the sort of disabilities normally associated with ageing by 16 years.
Professor James Fries of Stanford said: “The study has a very pro-exercise message. If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age it would be aerobic exercise.”
My opinion
As always the scientists have put more proof behind what exercise professionals have known and advocated for many years. What really interests me is that the osteoporosis and arthritis is kept at bay if you do exercise. The common opinion with doctors in the past was that running would tire out your joints. Whilst true if you run long distances over many years, but just running a few times a week for an hour wearing correct running shoes will help keep joints lubricated and bones strong. The regular movement of the joints will help keep your body working correctly and the impact will keep the bones’ density high helping to avoid osteoporosis.
It seems that avoiding exercise and not having an active lifestyle is detrimental to your health as you age, so my advice is to get jogging, get active and live longer! However, do not suddenly start running without checking with your doctor first as it may not be suitable for you. If it is not right do not worry as there are plenty of other exercises like cycling for example that will give you equal health benefits.
…and another thing
Another advantage of running is that you will meet people, the exercise will improve your mood and you will be able to handle all the problems life tends to throw at you that much better.
To read the GMTV report in full:
http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=30386
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