Healthy SoFlo Issue 51 - Inca Goes Above and Beyond to Provide Safe & Healthy Foods

FITNESS & BEAUTY · AUGUST 2017
WORKING OUT
KEEPS YOU YOUNG
ACCORDING TO
SCIENCE
“After studying
nearly six thousand
adults over a prolonged
period of time, researchers
looked at the way exercise
affects the telomere
length.”
It’s official. Science has officially proven
that working out does, in fact, keep
our bodies (us) young. How does this
magic happen? It turns out that just by
partaking in physical activity, any physical
activity, we’re keeping our bodies young on a
cellular level. That makes us feel younger.
According to a landmark study in
Preventative Medicine, our biological age
markers that indicate high levels of physical
activity appear to be a whopping nine years
younger than those who lead sedentary
lives! Say, what?
It’s true. After studying nearly six thousand
adults over a prolonged period of time,
researchers looked at the way exercise
affects the telomere length. Telomeres
are proteins that cap the ends of our
chromosomes. They are markers of our
aging overall and can tell us a lot about how
and under what conditions our bodies/cells
might begin to age. The results indicate that
people with shorter telomeres tend to have
shorter lives and those with longer ones live
longer and develop fewer chronic diseases.
What does this mean for us and
how can we improve our own
telomere numbers?
It means that we should get regular exercise.
Regular not strenuous, although that works
for some. Regular exercise is at least sixty
minutes of sustained exercise three to
five times per week. If you’re into top tier
exercises, those who get the recommended
amount of exercise, your results will be more
favorable. Moderate exercises see the most
benefits as compared to those who don’t
work out or don’t work out as often.
What can you do to help
yourself? Start exercising. Even a little
movement at a time is better than no
movement at all. Start with a walk around
the block and work up from there. If you
sit at a desk all day for work, try working in
sprints or setting a timer to remind yourself
to get up and stretch your legs, go for a
walk, or do a few squats. Every little bit
helps. Over time, you’ll not only start to look
better, but you’ll feel better, and your body
will thank you for it.
Want to make it even better?
Join a gym, an exercise class, or a running
group. Set a regular schedule. Pencil it into
your daily to-do list and make the time to
get moderate exercise at least a few times a
week. We’re talking breaking a sweat without
going overboard. Make it intense enough
to feel but not so intense that you won’t be
able to feel your limbs afterward. Before
you know what’s hit you, people will start to
take notice of how great you look, how your
energy levels have improved, and how clear
and focused you are as a result of doing
what’s right for your body? Along the way,
you’ll begin to look and feel younger, and
what can be better than that?
Try it for yourself. See what regular exercise
can do for you and watch it add years—
almost a decade—to your life.
By Ava Mallory
30 HEALTHY MAGAZINE