“After making changes in the diet, the second major factor affecting lifespan is physical activity.” Dr. Valter Longo 

 

How many times have you been urged by some coach or expert to “move” more – yes, I mean exercise?  I just don’t like using that word as it gets most people thinking about grueling workouts at the gym.

That’s not what I’m talking about.

 

Shaking Your Cells Awake!

 

Kris Verbergh, MD, and author of The Longevity Code, says it this way:

(Exercise) “. . . shakes our cells awake and prompts them to repair and better protect themselves for the next time you go for a bike ride or dive into the pool.”

Surprisingly, it also protects us from the damage of aging.

Movement is one of my longevity tools. We must move to stay vital and youthful. Stop moving . . . you start to decline. 

I know what you’re thinking . . . “Must I? Really?”

The answer is yes – you must. Especially if like me you want to live long and well.

But you don’t need hours and hours of it.

 

How much is enough?

 

Verburgh says we just need a little. Especially High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which sounds more complicated than it really is.

He cites a study of sedentary people who were put on a HIIT regime – 20 minutes, three times a week. After two weeks they experienced improvements in metabolic health and insulin sensitivity.

Another study done of middle-aged people who started exercising by walking 30 minutes a day, twice a week showed a 62% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. (Note – a key point here is this – it’s never too late. Even if you’ve been a couch potato until now, just getting off your butt can restart your engines and make a world of difference. Here’s a little of the science.)

That might motivate even the most sluggish of us to move more.

Here’s a simple formula – especially if you have little time. Go 30 seconds maximum effort (and this will be different for everyone) followed by 30 seconds recovery. For example, a 30-second sprint (or walking fast enough to get your heart rate up) followed by 30-second rest. Do 5 rounds and you’re done. That’s about 5 minutes in total.

 

Four Minutes a few times a day . . .

 

Here’s another I learned from Dr. Zack Bush, a triple-board certified doctor and brilliant advocate of health. He calls it “the 4-minute workout“.

It’s easy. Anyone can do it. And it takes – yes – 4 minutes! The beauty of this one is that it stimulates the production of nitric oxide in the body, which is one of those natural chemicals that improve blood flow and heart health.

Here’s a link for you. 

Let me know how it goes! Once you’ve done it consistently one or two times a day for one week, leave us a comment below.

 

With love and health ♥,