Ageless Conversations - Jan 7, 2025

Stay Active or Die!

We’ve been harping on the importance of exercise for older adults for a while now, and you’ve heard all the good words like strong, healthy, vibrant, and independent many times. But have all the words motivated you to take action? My husband mentioned just today that he is having a really hard time feeling motivated to exercise. None of the words were helping him. Luckily for him I have been reading some very interesting studies on exercise in general. I said “Here’s a word for you. DEATH.” That got his attention! Did you know that one of the most powerful ways to extend your life and health span is through regular physical activity? Exercise can literally be the difference between life and death for us all.

How Exercise Extends Lifespan for Seniors

We don’t want to be among the 75% of adults who don’t get enough regular exercise, or worse, the 25% who don’t exercise at all.

Research shows that even minimal exercise can add several years to your life. I, for one, appreciate this, because my current walking is so slow and unsteady that my apple watch won’t give me full credit. So no matter how slow, we must get off our bums and go!

Studies also reveal that regular exercisers live up to 10 years longer than those who remain sedentary. That’s a full decade of healthier, more active living. This is why I’m adding core work and weights to my slow walks. As you and I can do more, our health benefits increase.

VO₂ Max: The #1 Longevity Indicator for Older Adults

One of the strongest predictors of how long you’ll live is your VO₂ Max — the amount of oxygen your body can use during physical activity. Higher VO₂ Max scores are linked to significantly lower mortality rates.

This basically measures how aerobically fit you are.

 - Healthy VO₂ Max for senior men: above 40 ml/kg/min
 - Healthy VO₂ Max for senior women: above 35 ml/kg/min

I have a goal this year to get to the point where I can walk briskly (muscles are willing, but brain is still catching up!) because improving your VO₂ Max — even slightly — can dramatically reduce your risk of chronic disease and early death. 

Study link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35926933/

Did You Know that Poor Fitness Is More Dangerous Than Smoking?

This one surprised me. And what’s more, low cardiorespiratory fitness increases the risk of death more than smoking and many major chronic conditions.

For seniors, this means that choosing to sit on our keisters and idle the days away may be one of the most dangerous health choices we can make. But another thing that surprised me was that many exercise studies had beginners as old as in their nineties, and their health benefits still began almost immediately. So it’s never too late to get a move on.

Did You Know that Exercise Works as Well as Medication for Many Diseases?

This does not mean that you should ditch your meds after one walk or ever without your doc’s permission. I’ll give you an example of what it does mean. My dad was dependent on injectable insulin. He was able to go off it and replace it with a much lower dose pill after staying in a routine of brisk daily walks. Through exercise, people have been able to reduce the dose or completely go off of medications for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. For seniors managing chronic conditions, movement is one of the most effective tools available.

A comprehensive review published in PMC found that exercise performs as well as or better than medication for reducing death from major diseases like heart disease and diabetes.

Study link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9922893/

Did You Know that Our Bodies Release Medicine-Like Chemicals During Exercise?

Our bodies are so amazing! I knew about the feel goods released during exercise, but I didn’t know about the fantastic others that help physical and mental health, including:

Endorphins — natural pain relievers
Serotonin — mood stabilizer
Dopamine — motivation and reward
BDNF — protects the brain and supports memory
Myokines — anti‑inflammatory molecules released by muscles
Cytokines– immune system boosters

These medicinal gifts from our bodies make me want to exercise without having to threaten myself with the DEATH word! Good mood, pain relief, motivation (!), brain health, reduced inflammation (hello help for my spine to heal), and a stronger immune system? SIGN ME UP TO GET MOVIN’!

What Chemicals Does Exercise Release in the Body? - Biology Insights

The Bottom Line (may it sag less) for Senior Health and Wellness

Exercise will extend our healthy lives. Or to be blunt, if we aren’t active, we’ll be sicker and die faster. We have to do things that strengthen and increase muscles, and that increase our aerobic fitness. But it doesn’t have to be a boring, tragic chore–invite someone to walk with you and have a great chat. Join a pickle ball team. Dance. “The Hustle” came on the radio this morning, and I tried to remember how to do it. I am more wobbly Frankenstein than graceful at this point, and couldn’t manage the spin, but I felt a spark of joy at the movement. Sometime this year I shall joyfully, gracefully do the hustle and film it for you. In the meantime, let’s all just move and be active in enjoyable ways, and feel the health flowing through us!