Check out this article and medical publication:

Quote

WP: "The improvement in cardiac elasticity was deemed particularly noteworthy, as it had never been seen before in midlife adults. Loss of elasticity is a major cause of heart failure, which results in many hospitalizations and deaths in the over-65 population.

“The biggest and most surprising result of our study was the magnitude of the increased cardiac compliance,” said Ben Levine, senior author and director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas. “A 25 percent increase in cardiac elasticity is huge. It allows the heart to fill more easily and pump more blood.”

The control group practiced yoga, balance exercises or strength training three times a week for two years — much more than many inactive adults. Yet their aerobic fitness declined by 3 percent, and their cardiac compliance didn’t change."

"During peak training, they worked out four or five times a week for about 180 minutes in total — 30 minutes more than the minimum standard of 150 minutes per week recommended by many fitness guidelines.

While 65 may represent an upper age limit for changes to heart function, consistent exercise can offer other health payoffs to older adults. A study just published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine investigated the walking habits of 139,000 Americans who were nearly 71 years old, on average, when first monitored. Thirteen years later, those who reported little to no weekly walking had died at a rate 26 percent higher than those who walked regularly, but for less than two hours a week. Those who walked two to six hours a week had a mortality rate 36 percent lower than the under-two-hour walking group."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/middle-age-is-not-too-late-to-increase-cardiac-fitness-studies-show/2018/01/25/2708d116-faeb-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html?hpid=hp_weekend-chain_wellness-features1-0203%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.3e527e8df13f

http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2018/01/03/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.030617

Edited February 3, 20188 yr by Apple203

Holy cow! Interesting stuff!! Am going to read the study now. Thanks for sharing hon.

I feel like I gotta go for a walk!!

I haven't read it yet, what was the extent of the 180 tot mins of exercise per week? Does walking qualify? Or does it have to be a mix of strength exercises, balance and aerobics?

@FluffyChix Yes! Check this out (yes, I know these folks are older than us, LOL, but STILL)

While 65 may represent an upper age limit for changes to heart function, consistent exercise can offer other health payoffs to older adults. A study just published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine investigated the walking habits of 139,000 Americans who were nearly 71 years old, on average, when first monitored. Thirteen years later, those who reported little to no weekly walking had died at a rate 26 percent higher than those who walked regularly, but for less than two hours a week. Those who walked two to six hours a week had a mortality rate 36 percent lower than the under-two-hour walking group.

Edited February 3, 20188 yr by Apple203

Holy cow Batman! Ok, I'm a tell my hip to STFU and really start walking again. I was doing 6 days a week, 50min/day. But the steroid shot is wearing off...so now only doing 30mins, 3x week. Not good enough.

Walking is where it's at. It's my favorite. Easy to do anywhere, and easy to incorporate into my day.

I walk a lot. Have never felt as good as I do since it's become a habit.

Grab your Fitbit and get moving:)

Exactly. y'all. My physical therapist released me yesterday from knee/hip strengthening and recommended I get a brace for my left foot -- foot drop resulting from CMT. Sooooo, I think I'm gonna do it just so I can start walking more than a mile or so at a time. Dayum, my insurance must hate me by now, LOL. First, APAP, next Helios braces - ha! But, its for my health!!

Edited February 3, 20188 yr by Apple203