Physical activity, key to longevity

Engaging in physical exercise is an investment in quality of life and adds (good) life to your years. The specific sport or activity practiced matters less than simply moving enough to maintain the functionality (and youth) of your body and mind. Every movement counts.

We are built to move. Our health, and consequently our life, depends on it. We all want to live longer and better. How much and how we live depends more on our habits than our genetics. And physical exercise has proven to be an invaluable source of longevity. The WHO makes it very clear: “Physical activity has significant benefits for heart, body, and mental health” and asserts that people with an insufficient level of physical activity have a 20% to 30% higher risk of death compared to people who reach a sufficient level. “It could be said that maintaining a high rate of physical activity and good physical fitness has been a physiological necessity that, until recent times, guaranteed the survival of the individual and their genes,” notes Gonzalo Hernández, trainer at Beldon Medical.

Aging, Hernández points out, is a physiological process that can be influenced, and this influence can be negative (accelerating it) or positive (slowing it down). “Given that the main characteristic of aging is the progressive loss of functionality, and since aging and death are not genetically programmed, it is possible to delay or attenuate that functional decline, improving health and one's physical and mental state.” How? First, by avoiding risky behaviors (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, too much sun exposure, and obesity) that accelerate the manifestation of age-related diseases. Second, by adopting habits that trigger positive physiological changes, such as regular exercise and a healthy diet. “Physical exercise, practiced regularly and in the appropriate form, is the best tool available today to delay and prevent the consequences of aging, as well as to promote a person’s health and well-being,” asserts the Beldon Medical trainer, adding that when done properly, the benefits of exercise are always realized, regardless of a person’s age, health status, or physical condition. These benefits include a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, colon or breast cancer, as well as hypertension or dyslipidemia (excess lipids in the blood). It also helps to preserve or increase muscle mass (directly related to an improvement in quality of life in both the short and long term), strengthen bones and joints—making them more resistant—and control weight, improving body composition and appearance. But there is more: exercise also increases coordination and neuromotor response capacity (decreasing the risk and consequences of falls), improves immune system activity, reduces feelings of depression and anxiety, and promotes social well-being and integration. Do you need more reasons to take exercise seriously?

How to invest in longevity?

With WHO recommendations as a backdrop (performing moderate aerobic physical activities for at least 150 to 300 minutes a week; or 75 to 150 minutes if they are vigorous), many people have laced up their sneakers and started moving, ready to meet at least the now-famous 10,000 steps. A measure that is not very orthodox but is indicative, showing that exercise is starting to have health benefits. But this would be oversimplifying. “The daily step count is actually a good measure to give us an idea of the daily activity a person is maintaining in their day-to-day life.” However, clarifies Gonzalo Hernández, the steps only count when we walk for more than 10 minutes uninterrupted. In addition, the intensity while walking must exceed a minimum threshold—that is, when we are slightly out of breath if we talk while walking.

Every movement counts. From the standpoint of health and longevity, for exercise to have an anti-aging effect, physical activity should be developed in three areas, the trainer confirms. On one hand, with aerobic activities, such as walking (at a pace of 5-6 km/h), which has a very positive effect on cardiovascular health. On the other hand, with strength training, to prolong longevity and improve quality of life, enhancing physical and mental health (it helps reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety) while playing a fundamental role in daily tasks, giving the person greater autonomy and preventing falls. And finally, with balance and range-of-motion training, because although stretching and mobility exercises do not increase strength or endurance, they do increase muscle performance and tendon flexibility while improving the range of motion and joint functionality.

It is never too late to start training

It has been shown, comments Gonzalo Hernández, that among people of the same age and energy background, those who remain physically and sexually active, eat healthily, and avoid exposure to risk factors look younger and healthier, while also maintaining a more cheerful disposition.

Even so, as we get older, our physiology changes. That is life. In the case of women going through menopause: changes occur in weight and the redistribution of body fat. Exercise at this stage is an essential pillar for neutralizing the negative impact of this process. “With the onset of menopause, I especially recommend strength training. On one hand, to increase muscle mass and thus increase the basal metabolic rate, consuming more energy at rest. On the other hand, because only through strength training can we activate certain cellular events fundamental for fat loss. And thirdly, because with the drop in estrogens (hormones directly related to bone mineral density), this type of exercise helps to deal with conditions as problematic for quality of life as osteoporosis,” argues Hernández, who recommends supplementing it with aerobic activity (cycling, walking, swimming…).

And what about men? Well, they also experience hormonal changes with an impact on their physical fitness. “Men, from the age of 40, suffer a progressive decrease in testosterone with the consequent gradual loss of muscle mass. And this is directly related to a poorer quality of life in both the short and long term. Consequently, most of their efforts should be aimed at preserving as much muscle mass as possible,” points out the Beldon Medical trainer.