Exercising after the age of 50 can help prolong life, but please avoid these 3 kinds of exercise, or it may accelerate aging
If you want to be healthy, you need to exercise. What about those middle-aged and elderly people who insist on exercising? Let the facts tell us the answer -
The impressive expert and academician in the fight against the epidemic is in his 80s and is still fighting on the front line of medicine. He once said, " I feel that age doesn't have much impact on me , and I can still undertake all the daily work at present, which has a lot to do with insisting on physical exercise."
And academician Wang Longde, who often appears on the podium where health knowledge is popularized, is in his 70s, but he is still in high spirits, which is inseparable from his persistence in exercising.
1. It is not too late to start exercising in middle age, and it still helps to prolong life
Sometimes, people start to pay attention to health and exercise when they are middle-aged and old. Is it too late at that time? Studies have shown that exercising even after the age of 50 is not too late to help prolong life.
The authoritative medical journal Neurology published a study conducted by a team from Columbia University in the United States and concluded that a high amount of moderate-to-high-intensity exercise during leisure time can reduce the risk of brain damage in old age.
The study analyzed data from more than 1,600 participants in the classic Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. The average age at this time was around 51.6 years, and when they were followed up 25 years later, the participants were in their 70s.
The final findings: Compared with participants who did not engage in moderate-to-high-intensity exercise, participants who exercised a high volume of activity were examined with fewer lacunar infarcts and greater white matter integrity .
In other words, even if you start exercising consistently in middle age, it is still beneficial to maintain the normal structure of the brain.
Additionally, a study published in JAMA Network tracked the health and exercise patterns of more than 315,000 members over their lifetimes.
The final finding: Compared with people who exercised very little, people who continued to exercise throughout their lives had a 36% lower risk of death; and even if they did not exercise much when they were young, but started exercising in their 40s and 50s, the risk of death was higher than that of those who did not exercise. 35% lower .
In addition, persistent exercise can bring many benefits to the body, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, increasing bone density, preventing dementia, enhancing digestion and absorption, and eliminating loneliness.
In conclusion, whether you start exercising when you are young or when you are old, it is good for your health and helps you live longer. But it needs to be reminded that although starting to exercise in middle age can also reduce the mortality rate, it does not mean that exercise is unnecessary when you are young.
2. These 3 kinds of sports or injuries should be done as little as possible
After the age of 50, the physical function has begun to decline, and it may be difficult to do some exercises, which is normal. However, some programs are not only unhealthy for middle-aged and elderly people, but also may hurt the body and lead to accelerated aging, which should be avoided.
1. "Zombie Crawling"
That is, it is similar to walking on all fours and crawling interactively. It is rumored that this can lower blood pressure and cure heart disease.
The fact is that there is no scientific basis to prove these effects, and these actions will increase the pressure on the waist, wrist, and knee, and increase the risk of fractures in the elderly .
2. The body hits the tree
That is to say, using the shoulders, back, left and right arms, and even the head to hit the tree hard, it is rumored that it can stimulate acupuncture points, cure diseases and health care.
Whether it can stimulate the acupuncture points is not to say for the time being, the risk of collision in the elderly is very high, ranging from skin injuries to internal organs.
3. Do sit-ups with your hands on your head
This kind of exercise can increase the force on the cervical spine and the soft tissues of the neck. Once the force is uneven, it is easy to cause muscle and ligament strain, and in severe cases, it can lead to acute intervertebral disc herniation and even paralysis.
In addition, sit-ups are not suitable for everyone, such as patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, which can easily lead to spinal damage and compress the lumbar intervertebral disc; patients with severe heart disease and high blood pressure should also be avoided to avoid physical discomfort.
What kind of exercises are suitable for middle-aged and elderly people? Xiaojiu recommends 3 to you here:
- Tai Chi: It can improve the balance of the body, enhance the strength of the leg muscles, and prevent falls;
- Swimming: It can exercise the muscles of the shoulders, back, waist and legs, and enhance muscle strength and coordination;
- Brisk walking: It can effectively enhance myocardial contractility, exercise cardiopulmonary function, and promote blood circulation, which helps to prevent cardiovascular disease.
3. Is it better to exercise in the morning or in the evening? Different groups of people are particular about
Some people are used to getting up in the morning to exercise in the morning, thinking that the air in the morning is fresher, but for some office workers, they choose to exercise after get off work. When is the best time to exercise?
Recently, a study conducted by Skidmore College and California State University in the United States included 56 volunteers (30 women and 26 men) between the ages of 25 and 55 for 12 weeks. The coach training was randomly assigned to 2 groups, one group exercised at 6:30-8:30 in the morning, and the other group exercised at 18:00-20:00 in the evening.
Ultimate finding: The optimal time of day to exercise varies by gender .
For men: Exercising at night is more effective , burns more fat, lowers blood pressure, and lowers heart disease risk.
For women: different exercise times can achieve different results. Exercise in the morning can better reduce fat and blood pressure; exercise in the evening can better build muscle and improve mood.
It is necessary to remind middle-aged and elderly people that they must keep these 3 points in mind before exercising, otherwise they will easily hurt themselves:
Before you start exercising, you must do a good job of warming up for 5 to 15 minutes, which will help reduce sports injuries and relieve muscle soreness after exercise.
Exercise should be done gradually, according to one's ability, and more importantly, insist.
Exercise time is also important. According to the "Chinese Adult Physical Activity Guide", it is recommended that the elderly exercise 5 to 7 times a week, and the time should be 40 to 60 minutes before or after meals.
Note: If you experience dizziness, nausea, dizziness, etc. during each exercise, stop exercising immediately.
Summary: Exercise at any time, as long as you stick to it, is beneficial to your health, but the premise is to master the correct way of exercise. Did you exercise today?
References:
[1] "Do people start exercising in middle age? It's never too late! Still helps to prolong life". China Biotechnology Network. 2019-03-12
[2] "Maintain moderate-to-high-intensity exercise in middle age, and the brain is less injured in old age! 25-year follow-up study shows that high levels of moderate-to-high-intensity physical activity during leisure time are associated with less evidence of brain damage in old age
[3] "The Doctor's Business Card | Beware of "fancy sports" that will not hurt your body! 》.Healthy China.2020-08-08
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