I indicated last week that lifelong exercisers live longer than their more sedentary friends. Is it ever too late to start? The answer is a qualified no because the effect on longevity takes a while to kick in. It probably takes several years of high levels of activity to increase your lifespan.
This is the bottom line – how long you live. As I have banged on about in the previous blogs, I regard healthspan as more important than lifespan, but no-one wants to die sooner than necessary. As the old question goes – “who wants to live to be 90?” The answer is “someone aged 89.”
This week’s offering is a departure – a guest blog. It has been submitted by Melina at lotuskitty, a website dedicated to Yoga. Find it at www.lotuskitty.com
It is my hope that as many people as possible should become as physically active as they can. I very seldom recommend a particular form of exercise because all forms are good and the most important feature of activity is that you enjoy doing it – or it is unlikely that you will continue.
That part of life spent in good health is Healthspan and is a better measure of a nation’s wellbeing than Lifespan.
Increasing age inevitably brings reduction in physical fitness and the risk of dependency. Regular exercise greatly reduces this risk.
