The older we get, the more at risk of heart disease we become. Taking dietary measures to help maintain cardiovascular health is one way to stay healthy into middle age and beyond. Getting into the habit of engaging in regular moderate exercise is another, according to a study outlined by the American Heart Association.
The study, conducted by Mark Hamer, Ph.D. and associates at Universisty College in London, involved 4,200 participants over a 20 year period. During the baseline assessment period between 1991 and 1993, the researchers measured two important inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) External link and interleukin-6 (IL-6). At the same time, volunteers were asked to keep a record of their physical activities, including sports, walking, cycling, housework, home repairs, gardening and other vigorous physical activities. They were assessed again between 1997 and 1999 and 11 years later, at the conclusion of the study.
CRP and IL-6 are important markers because they are indicators of heart health. Over the study period, those participants who regularly exercised 2.5 hours or more per week had lower levels of these markers than those whose lifestyle had been largely sedentary. The differences in CRP and IL-6 levels remained stable over time, indicating that habitual physical exercise was a key factor in promoting heart health.
Because the study was conducted over a long period of time, researchers were also able to notice the benefits of exercise in study participants who began exercising more after retirement. Those who took up regular exercise after retirement showed improvement in their inflammatory markers, indicating that it's never too late to start exercising for heart health.
According the lead author Hamer, this long term study was important because it provided stronger evidence than earlier short term studies and adds “to prior evidence and confirms the importance of physical activity for its anti-inflammatory effects.”
What Kinds of Exercise are Important?
When we think of cardiovascular exercise, we usually associate it with formal exercise regimes. However, this study took a broader view of exercise that included day-to-day activities such as house cleaning, home repairs and vigorous gardening. Furthermore, only 2.5 hours of such moderate exercise were needed per week in order to achieve a reduced risk of heart disease. This can be encouraging to those who want to exercise regularly, but rarely find the time to do so regularly. Some types oif exercise that might fit easily into the average working person's schedule may include:
- Walking to work.
- Taking stairs instead of elevators or escalators.
- Undertaking DIY home maintenance jobs.
- Cycling or bushwalking on holidays.
These, in combination with more structured sports or exercise programs you enjoy may be all it takes to push your moderate exercise levels above the 2.5 hours per week threshold the study suggests makes the crucial difference.
Heart and other diseases associated with aging are often inflammatory diseases. The evidence is growing that a natural diet that includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables contributes to successful aging because these foods contain natural anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It seems that science agrees with the wisdom of natural therapists through the ages: a healthy diet and an active lifestyle are the best "medicines" for good health and longevity.
