Your physical fitness, life expectancy & health span

As a holistic health practitioner I've seen how vital movement – both cardio and strength based – is for healing, health and quality of life.

Here's a summary of a meta-analysis called 'Training Strategies To Optimize Cardiovascular Durability & Life Expectancy' by James H. O’Keefe, Evan L. O’Keefe, Ryan Eckert, Carl J. Lavie published in the March-April 2023 issue of Missouri Medicine…

Physical fitness is the single best predictor of life expectancy and health span. Try to achieve and maintain a high level of physical fitness throughout life.

Some key points

• For moderate-intensity exercise more is better with respect to cardiovascular health and life expectancy.

• Vigorous exercise is also beneficial for optimizing life expectancy and health span, but maximal benefits are achieved at 150 minutes/ week

• HIIT or high intensity exercise is a time-efficient strategy for attaining and maintaining high-level cardiovascular fitness. Regular participation in team sports or other forms of physical interactive play is associated with good mental health and longevity

• Aim to spend at least 2 hours each week outdoors in natural settings (green (trees) or blue (water) spaces). Gardening and adopting a dog are practical strategies for accomplishing this goal

• Also aim for two sessions per week of strength training for a cumulative time of about 40 to 60 mins, ideally not exceeding 150 mins per wk

• Incorporate flexibility and balance training sessions like yoga or tai chi

• Allow ample time for rest, relaxation, recovery, and sleep after strenuous exertion

The key message, we humans NEED to move and keep strong!