A study published January 8, 2018 adds evidence to what we already know: Exercise is good for you! The study in the journal Circulation followed 53 middle-aged participants (45-64) who were healthy but lived a sedentary life. Participants were placed in two groups. One had supervised high-intensity exercise training, and the other followed an exercise plan that did not include increasing heart rate. Those in the high-intensity regimen improved their oxygen intake by 18% and decreased cardiac stiffness by 25%. The second group did not show improvement.
This study suggests a number of things:
- Living a sedentary life is not in our best interest. It has detrimental effects.
- We should craft our exercise plans depending on our needs. There’s not a one size fits all way to approach movement. This is particularly true as we get older.
- There’s a window of opportunity in late middle age to improve heart health. Benefits are not as dramatic after age 65 when it comes to reversing the damage caused to the heart by living a modern, sedentary life.
The take home message from the study is that taking a slow walk around the neighborhood may do wonders for one’s mental health and is something we should do frequently, but if one wants to reverse and improve cardiac health, getting the heart pumping at 95% of maximum peak rate is the way to go.
To learn more about the study here are two links for further reading:
- Reversing the Cardiac Effects of Sedentary Aging in Middle Age—A Randomized Controlled Trial: Implications For Heart Failure Prevention
- Middle-aged Can Reverse Heart Risk with Exercise
If you are interested in creating an exercise plan that may help you achieve your goals, don’t hesitate to contact us. We offer high-intensity training, resistance training, and yoga. We are here to help you in your wellness journey.
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The connection between heart health and dental health is often ignored. There are so many simple ways to move toward greater health! Glad you liked the article. Share widely.