APPENDIX 9 |
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AGING & EXERCISE
People of all ages benefit from regular exercise. Many persons aged 65 and older exercise regularly and stay as physically fit as their general health allows. These persons grow older with a style and vigor far surpassing that of their sedentary contemporaries. Following are some specific ways in which exercise and fitness are beneficial in aging:
More people reach age 65 and older who are physically fit than those who are not. Those who remain physically active continue to have more stamina than their inactive counterparts.
Although exercise probably does not retard the aging process, it reduces the likelihood of untimely death from medical problems that are caused in part by a sedentary lifestyle. These include coronary-artery disease, high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease, chronic lung disease and depression.
Aerobic exercise is the most effective way to achieve physical and psychological benefits. An exercise is aerobic if it provides:
Sustained physical activity that uses major muscle groups of the body.
Regulated intensity, long-duration exercise for 20 minutes or more.
Proper aerobic benefit is based on sufficient exercise to accelerate the heart rate to a prescribed level and keep it there a certain length of time. Three to five aerobic-exercise sessions a week are necessary for maximum benefit. Best forms of aerobic exercise include brisk walking, swimming, bike riding, jogging, rope jumping and rowing. Sports such as bowling, tennis or golf have good recreational effects, but they do not require enough effort to reach sustained aerobic levels.
Persons over 65 receive the same benefits from aerobic exercise as do younger persons -- even if they choose the less strenuous forms of exercise. Following is an explanation of the effects of aerobic exercise on the body.
EXERCISE & THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMOlder persons are most at risk for cardiovascular problems.
Exercise benefits the cardiovascular system in the following ways:
Increased number of circulating red blood cells (thus providing more oxygen and better nourishment to all body cells).
Increased blood flow during exercise.
Increased enzymes necessary for changing glucose into usable energy by body cells.
Increased high-density lipoproteins in the circulating blood.
These protect against hardening of the arteries, which is responsible for heart attacks, strokes and chronic kidney failure.
EXERCISE & CIRCULATION TO THE BRAIN AND OTHER BODY PARTSExercise in a healthy person produces an increase in an enzyme that helps prevent the deposit of fibrin (a clotting factor in the blood) in blood vessels to the brain and other body parts. Fibrin deposits on the lining of the blood vessels narrow the arteries and decrease blood supply to the cells supplied by the affected blood vessels. Narrowed arteries and decreased blood flow can result in stroke, heart attack and lack of sufficient blood supply to the kidneys and legs, causing kidney failure.
EXERCISE & THE LUNGS
Regular exercise can increase maximum breathing capacity, improving or preventing chronic lung disease.
EXERCISE & THE MUSCULO-SKELETAL SYSTEM
Regular, adequate exercise helps maintain normal size and contour of muscles and bones. The combination of exercise and adequate calcium intake is an important factor in preventing osteoporosis (softening of the bones), a common disorder in women past menopause. (In addition to exercise and calcium, estrogen replacement in women may also be necessary to prevent osteoporosis).
Exercise promotes healthy new bone formation in all age groups. This new bone protects against bone fractures that commonly occur in older people of both sexes.
EXERCISE & THE MIND
Exercise helps rid the body of ("burn off") undesirable levels of catecholamines (breakdown products of adrenalin, which is released by the body as a reaction to physical or mental stress). The following results have been documented in many studies:
Regular exercise has a positive influence on one's sense of well-being and self-esteem.
An exercise program can be very beneficial in relieving depression--it is now commonly prescribed as part of therapy.
BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON SEXUALITY
Men who remain physically active maintain a higher level of testosterone than their sedentary contemporaries.
People who exercise regularly are generally healthier emotionally, have a better self-image and enjoy increased muscular strength. These factors are all important in meaningful sexual relationships.
People who are fit--no matter what their age--are more sexually attractive to others.
CONCLUSIONS
Regular exercise has proved of great benefit in minimizing the negative effects of aging. If you are an older person who has not remained physically fit, discuss a fitness program with your doctor.
Follow his or her suggestions about what you can safely perform.
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