By Jon Benson, Creator/Co-Author of Fit Over 40:

Role Models For Excellence At Any Age

www.fitover40health.com

Here’s a short and sweet issue of Success For Life, but one that I know will inspire you to either take action, or continue to take action toward living Fit Over 40. (A special thank you to Dr. Ann Gowans for providing most of the content for this article.)

The beautiful spring weather is here, and summer will be upon us before we know it. Now is the time to remember that it’s never too late to start an exercise program. The latest news is that well into our 90s, our body systems can be stimulated to respond to regular exercise.

“From the top of our heads to the bottom of our toes, physical activity is the stimulus that gets almost all our organs working at their best,” Tufts exercise expert Miriam Nelson says. She and her colleagues give 10 ways that inactivity can take a toll on our bodies because when we are inactive, our ability to transfer oxygen from the bloodstream to cells is diminished. When we can’t get as much oxygen out of our blood, we can’t walk up a flight of stairs as easily, and all our other systems are also affected by this loss. Here is the list:

Diabetes. Insulin sensitivity appears to deteriorate when we are inactive, but it responds positively when we get back to regular training. The most common type of diabetes, type 2, actually occurs when the body becomes insensitive, or resistant, to insulin in the blood. As the insulin stops working, the blood sugar level rises, and diabetes sets in. Regular exercise can actually reverse the damage because it increases insulin sensitivity and makes the cells better at taking in glucose and processing it. If you love TV, remember that every two hours a day of inactivity is linked to a 14 percent increase in the risk of diabetes, as opposed to one hour of brisk walking, which is linked to a 34 percent lower risk. This makes diabetes most often a “sedentary disease.” (Editor’s Note: I have personally seen type 2 diabetes completely eliminated within weeks on the proper nutrition and exercise plan without the use of drugs dozens of times in my career. As of the year 2000, one out of every four children born in the United States will develop diabetes in his or her lifetime unless we change our lifestyle habits. Economic forecaster Edwin Forrest says, “At the rate diabetes alone is increasing, our current health care system will be incapable of handling the epidemic past the year 2014.” Remember — we’re talking about type 2 diabetes, which is a reversible lifestyle disease.)

Cancer. A Harvard study says, “The evidence is fairly clear now that men and women who are physically active have a 30-40 percent lower risk of colon cancer compared to individuals who are not active.” This seems to be true because activity stimulates a more active colon. The overweight also have a higher incidence of this disease. Increased activity can help with weight control. Also, regular exercise also appears to lower the risk of breast cancer by about 20 percent for post-menopausal women. (Editor’s Note: The connection to cancer and the lack of physical exercise is becoming more and more clear as research into this complex killer progresses. However, exercise alone is not sufficient, as seen in people like Lance Armstrong, one of the most fit individuals alive today. You must combat free radical damage with sufficient anti-oxidant intake from both supplemental and nutritional sources. I do not sell supplements as you know, but I highly recommend fish oil, Krill oil, and CoQ-10 in addition to the nutrition protocols covered in Fit Over 40 to stay healthy.)

The brain. “People who are more physically active are at lower risk for cognitive decline and dementia,” says the director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins. In a study of more than 3,000 older men and women, those who engaged in four activities, such as walking, household chores, gardening and jogging, during the previous two weeks were half as likely to be diagnosed with dementia five years later as those who took part in no more than one activity. Alzheimer’s is a separate disease, however, and those who carry the gene that might cause the disease tend to show symptoms in their 70s rather than in their 80s, when most dementias start to appear. (Editor’s Note: This is a personal comment about my mom. She turns 80 in one month, and she looks 60…and acts 30! At the age of 75, she began weight training and supplementing her diet with the aforementioned supplements, along with Gingko Biloba, Taurine, nAL-Carnitine, and a few other brain-helpers. She was displaying serious signs of onset dementia, repeating herself up to 10 times in a few minutes. She was inactive, had high blood pressure, and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She now walks 2-4 miles per day, maintains a moderate nutrition plan along with the daily supplements, and weight trains 2-3 days per week. Her blood pressure is normal without meds, her diabetes is eliminated (again, without meds), and she no longer repeats herself at all. She’s a wonderful testimony to what the Fit Over 40 lifestyle can do for anyone at any age.)

The heart. About 1.2 million Americans have heart attacks each year, and no one is surprised that couch potatoes have a higher risk of this happening. Exercise boosts good cholesterol and makes the lining of blood vessels more flexible. Regular exercise protects the heart through blood pressure reduction, insulin sensitivity, better oxygen supply and more flexible arteries, among other good things. Exercise training also has a wonderful effect on those who already have heart disease if they are given a regimen to suit their needs and are closely monitored. (Editor’s Note: “Good cholesterol” will soon be seen as a myth in my opinion, but the rest of these comments are right on the money. Exercise the Fit Over 40 way can promote ongoing vasodilation , or the forced opening and widening of arteries. This increases blood flow and decreases the likelihood of strokes and heart attacks by 50-75% according to most studies.)

Stroke. Active folks are 25 percent less likely to have a stroke than their sedentary counterparts. This is because of a lowered blood pressure, improved HDL cholesterol and a subsequent reduction in blood clots. Regular activity protects the arteries that feed the brain as well as the heart. High blood pressure is the biggest risk factor for any stroke, so any way you can reduce it, go for it. Genes sometimes play a part here, and not much can be done about this except to stay as healthy as possible. (Editor’s Note: Stroke risk can be cut in half with simple aspirin therapy, under a doctor’s supervision. However, if you cannot take aspirin, there are wonderful natural alternatives. Other than exercise and nutrition, you can take fish oil and eat organic berries to help reduce inflammatory responses naturally.)

Muscles. Both women and men find that as we age, muscles start to just wither away. It starts in the 40s for women and in the late 50s for men. For every decade after 50, we all lose some 6 percent of our muscle mass, leading to a 10 to 15 percent loss of our strength. But hey, we can build lots of that back up with strength training exercises. The earlier we start, the better. Even 100-year-olds can show some gain. So get started tomorrow. (Editor’s Note: I did not write “get started tomorrow”, in case you’re wondering! This is absolutely wonderful advice. If you cannot train with weights or get to a gym, check out Dov Orshi’s Anti-Aging Fitness Program, now available when you purchase the Fit Over 40 Deluxe Edition.)

Bones. Fragile bones cause more than 1.5 million fractures each year in this country, but the disintegration starts decades before cracks appear. Bones can respond to activity, strength training and medicine, but this must be done only after a medical evaluation and prescription to help prevent any more bone loss. (Editor’s Note: What is rarely mentioned when it comes to bone loss is the connection to age-related hormones and exercise. The decrease in testosterone is actually the leading cause of bone density issues, with calcium depletion being a distant second — and a symptom of the former. To increase testosterone naturally, increase your healthy fats, as covered in Fit Over 40, and begin resistance training.)

Mental health. Those who are active are less likely to develop depression, and regular activity can really help if you are already depressed. The right exercise seems to be more effective than increased socialization, antidepressant drugs or cognitive behavioral therapy, according to a recent study of 2,000 people.(Editor’s Note: The study I mentioned in one of my recent newsletters proved that mild to moderate depression, which accounts for over 75% of treated depression, can be managed just as effectively with regular exercise as opposed to medication. Combine this with proper nutrition, which helps to balance blood sugar and serotonin levels, and you have a natural way to fight the blues. Severe depression should always be treated under a physician’s care.)

Weight. Weight gain is a real problem for those of us who are growing older. Often, our appetites for great food do not decrease, but our ability to maintain a high level of activity is seriously reduced. Watching TV is one of our prime enemies. I would be hard-pressed to throw out my late-night viewing of great old movies, but I make it a rule to never watch daytime TV except to keep an eye on the weather if needed. As we age, gaining weight and losing fitness go with the territory, so we must be vigilant and dedicated to get ourselves out there. We can easily gain 5 pounds a year by doing nothing, and often, this weight goes to the belly, the most dangerous place. Maintaining lost weight requires more physical activity than losing it in the first place. Those folks who have lost 30 to 50 pounds need to get in 60 to 90 minutes a day of real activity to maintain the loss. (Editor’s Note: What can I say to this one? We all know about weight gain. The question is simple: what are you going to do about it? Do you realize that the role models in Fit Over 40 either maintain or lose body fat as they grow older? There’s not one exception to this! See for yourself. Not only is it “possible”, it’s actually the natural way to age. Only in modern times have we become sedentary long before our days were up.)

Immune system. If you frequently get colds, you might need to boost your immune system. Thirty to 45 minutes of walking about five days a week is good, but for sure, don’t overdo it. Marathon runners have a higher risk of colds after a race because immune function goes down after a prolonged, intense bout of exercise. The same is true for inflammation. Regular exercise can reduce inflammation, but watch anything more strenuous because you can make things worse. (Editor’s Note: I take 4,000-8,000 mg of Ester C in capsule form per day. The result: no colds or cases of the flu in 8 years. I came down with a mild case of the flu this year after trying to go without C for six months. I will not repeat that mistake!)

The bottom line, according to the Nutrition Action Health Letter, is that you should shoot for 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, cycling, jogging or swimming to lower the risks of heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer. To keep off substantial amounts of lost weight, shoot for 60 to 90 minutes a day. To build muscle and prevent bone loss, do strength training at least twice a week.

— Original article by Ann Gowans

Jon Benson
Creator/Co-Author of Fit Over 40
www.fitover40health.com