Sweat at the Fountain of Youth

Increasing snowdrifts of studies point to the same conclusion: Among all other lifestyle factors, movement is the linchpin to good health. People who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, dementia, diabetes, depression, and osteoarthritis. They’re also more likely to maintain a stable, healthy weight and less likely to be obese, which is itself a risk factor for those diseases.

Now a series of compelling independent studies published in an early 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine underscores the message that exercise can stave off many diseases. An analysis from the large Nurses Health Study, for example, found that women who jogged three hours a week or walked briskly for five hours a week were 76 percent more likely to age successfully, with less chronic disease or mental impairment, an effect that held among all ages and weights.

Rethink your idea of “exercise” as “movement” of all kinds. Aim for a three-way mix of aerobic exercise (such as walking and running) for the heart, lungs, and circulatory system; resistance training (with free weights, weight machines, or exercises such as squats and lunges) for muscular and bone strength; and balance work (such as tai chi or yoga) for bone density and overall strength.

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