Remember the days when campaigns like Participation would encourage us to exercise 3 times a week for 20 minutes? Well, now research emphatically shows it is not enough. The World Health Organization and the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines now recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense activity per week.
One of our local fitness experts Ron Zalko, now 64, affirms that exercise can help prevent many diseases including diabetes and cancer. He also points out that a landmark study published in the Lancet Neurology last year showed that even just one hour of exercise per week can help prevent dementia in eldership years.
While in Ontario last year I read an article quoting a study in the Journal of Preventative Medicine which found that those 150 minutes per week can extend longevity by up to 5 years. What’s more, several studies have confirmed that aerobic exercise is as effective in treating mild to moderate depression as medication.
In his book Spark: The Revolutionary Science of Exercise and the Brain, John J. Ratey outlines thoroughly that exercise actually makes people smarted and help to prevent conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. So, if you are not already active, I hope this info will help motivate you to get moving.
