Lazy people live longer? Zhong Nanshan advises: middle-aged and elderly people do two more kinds of exercise, which not only live longer and prevent diseases

Do you think life is about exercise or rest?

Professor Xu Zaichun once said: "You must exercise before the age of 40, exercise properly before the age of 50 , and do not exercise and take care of yourself after the age of 60. Especially the elderly , don't wait for chronic diseases to start exercising hard. At that time, it was already That's too late."

Recently, Zhong Nanshan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, gave an online public lecture at Nankai University in Tianjin. The 85-year-old specially emphasized the importance of persevering in sports. "I realized from a young age that having a good body is very important, so I have not stopped exercising since I was young, and my classmates are now either on crutches or lying in bed .

In middle-aged and old age, is it better to rest or keep exercising? Xiao Jiu made it clear to everyone today.

1. Lazy people live longer? Maybe life is movement

Some people may think that as people get older, their bones begin to become brittle, their mobility also declines, and various chronic diseases start to increase. But is this really the case?

When talking about an 85-year-old man, everyone may think of terms such as gray hair and lethargy, but these terms do not apply to Academician Zhong Nanshan at all. At the age of 86, he still maintains a strong physique and abundant energy. All thanks to his consistent workouts.

What is the impact of persistent exercise on middle-aged and elderly people? A randomized controlled trial published in "Sports Medicine" conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology involving more than 1,500 elderly people between the ages of 60 and 70 has once again confirmed the effect of exercise on health after tracking for 5 years. importance.

The study pointed out: No matter what form of exercise, as long as you keep exercising, you can improve physical fitness and cardiopulmonary function ; the stronger the physical fitness, the better the brain function, and the lower the risk of cognitive impairment; the stronger the cardiopulmonary function, the brain atrophy. the slower the speed.

In addition, a study published in "The Lancet - Healthy Longevity" analyzed the relationship between physical activity indicators and physical fitness in more than 10 million participants aged 60-92, and finally found: Step count Compared with other physical activity indicators, the correlation is strongest with the major physical fitness indicators, which means that even if you take a few more steps per day than sitting, it is better for your health.

It can be seen that exercise can benefit the body. Of course, this does not mean that the more exercise the better, especially the elderly, the most important thing is to do what you can.

2. If you insist on exercising after the age of 60, your body may reap these 4 benefits

If you can keep exercising, especially after the age of 60, you can still do this, then the body can reap multiple benefits:

1. Create a "tumor suppressing environment"

A study published in Sports Medicine and Science included 10 prostate cancer patients with an average age of 73 years who underwent a 3-month exercise intervention at 300 minutes per week.

The final discovery: exercise can not only improve overall health, but also create a "cancer suppressor environment" for the body , which can fight cancer.

2. Prevention of cardiovascular disease

A study of more than 1 million people in South Korea showed that if the elderly aged 60 and above can continue to participate in exercise, they can not only slow down the heart rate and reduce systolic blood pressure, but also reduce platelet aggregation , increase fibrinolysis and reduce blood lipids, thereby protecting Cardiovascular health, prevention of cardiovascular disease.

3. Prevent Alzheimer's

Continuing to participate in physical exercise can keep the cerebral cortex excited, make people feel energetic, delay memory decline, and prevent neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

4. Increase bone density

Persistent exercise can not only promote the circulation of blood pressure throughout the body, including bones, thereby increasing material metabolism and reducing calcium loss; at the same time, it can also enhance the flexibility and flexibility of joints, enhance bone density, and prevent senile arthritis.

If the elderly persist in exercising, the body will also give some good feedback to reward your efforts, so you can do more of this kind of work that pays off.

3. Zhong Nanshan's health regimen is to insist on exercising

Academician Zhong Nanshan, who is nearly 90 years old, is often asked about the secret to keeping healthy because of his good figure and condition. And Zhong Nanshan's most respected way of health preservation is exercise . For middle-aged and elderly people, what sports did Academician Zhong Nanshan recommend?

• running

Running is one of the best ways to improve the physical fitness and resistance of office workers and young students, so everyone can run more when you have nothing to do. After all, this is a cost-effective exercise that can obtain various benefits, such as reducing all-cause death. Take risks, make people happy, improve your body shape , etc., all for a small amount of money, all you need is a field and a pair of sneakers.

But when running, you must pay attention to safety, and warm-up work must not be less, so as not to cause muscle and tendon injury. If you experience dizziness, vertigo, arrhythmia and other discomfort during exercise, you should stop in time to avoid accidents.

• swim

Zhong Nanshan mentioned his 106-year-old old friend, saying, "He insists on swimming every day. Now that he is 106 years old, he still swims 200 meters every day..."

Because swimming has many benefits, it can improve cardiorespiratory endurance, reduce the load on joints, help lose weight, enhance resistance, relieve constipation , etc., so interested friends can try it.

But note that swimming is not suitable for everyone, such as otitis media, epilepsy and patients with severe cardiovascular disease and tuberculosis are not suitable, otherwise it may bring other serious consequences.

The elderly should exercise in moderation. Appropriate "lazy" can also help the body to be healthier. For example, taking a nap is good for heart health; drinking a cup of hot tea can activate the brain and help keep the mind sharp; sunbathing can improve immunity Get up and move; stay in a daze for 5 minutes, you can strengthen the alpha brain waves in the brain, and make your attention and mind more concentrated.

Summary: The beginning of everything is difficult, especially sports, but as long as you take the first step and feel the benefits it brings, I believe you will have the motivation to continue to persevere. Take a few steps to get started!

References:

[1] "The old man is strong and his brain is healthy! No matter what form of exercise, as long as you stick to it, it will be effective! ". Health Times. 2022-03-14

[2] "Exercise can really fight cancer! People who insist on exercising have a "cancer suppressing environment" in their bodies". Life Times. 2021-12-16

[3] "The 85-year-old academician Zhong Nanshan advises you to keep exercising: My classmates are either on crutches or lying in bed! ". Health Times. 2022-04-10

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