Dr. Woliner's weekly health tip

[Guest guest]

Docs:

Here is Dr. Woliner's health tip for the week.

Lyndon McGill, D.C.

EvolvHealth Wellness Advisory Council Member

Salem, Oregon

www.SalemSpineClinic.com

www.EvolvingDaily.com

Delay the Effects of Aging by Up to 12 Years

Ted* paused at the top of the stairs, gasping for breath. He was

doubled over, heart pounding. He clutched his chest. No matter how

hard he inhaled, he just couldn’t get enough oxygen.

He was barely 50.

Ted was lucky. He was climbing a steep set of stairs cut into a

hillside in Yellowstone National Park. At more than a mile above

sea level, this was just a warning. Twenty years before, Ted could

have run up those stairs without a problem.

Like most people, you probably don’t think much about our lungs

from day to day. But they’re second only to the heart when it

comes to your quality of life. And – as Ted found out – neglecting

your lungs is not a good idea.

A study I read recently reminded me of this in a big way.

Scientists at the University of Michigan tested two groups of

animals. They discovered animals with a high exercise capacity

lived 28% - 45% longer than those who could tolerate the least

exercise.

Earlier, a team reported a similar situation for humans in The

British Journal of Sports Medicine. These researches noted

that lung capacity was closely linked to human health and

lifespan.

The team calculated that one type of exercise could boost

lungpower by 25% over time. And that translated to lungs that

worked as if they were as much as 12 years younger.

Why is that important? Because the health of your lungs is a

fairly good measure of your overall health… and your risk of a

whole laundry list of serious problems.

In fact, scientists in Norway have calculated that just a 5% drop

in your ability to assimilate oxygen increases your risk of

important signs of heart trouble by 60%!

And here’s the thing. Your lungs’ capacity shrinks as you age –

by about 5% with every decade after your 20’s. And that’s if you

remain as active. The more you slow down, the worse it gets.

Fortunately, fighting back doesn’t mean you have to kill yourself

at the gym, sweating for endless hours on the treadmill.

Working out is important. But the key to building the kind of

lungpower you had when you were younger is different. The key is

intensity.

The British Journal of Sports Medicine study found that

high-intensity exercise could boost exercise capacity by 25%.

And the Norwegian team I mentioned recently put a number on it.

4 minutes.

That’s right. They key to helping your lungs perform like younger

lungs appears to be just 4 minutes of high-intensity exercise a

week.

Of course, you need more exercise than that… but just 4 minutes

at 90% of your capacity should help rebuild the kind of lungpower

you used to have.

You should talk to your doctor before you attempt any exercise

plan. He can help you understand what “90% of capacity” means to

you. And as you build greater lung capacity and heart strength,

that will grow.

But the minimum you need to help build the kind of lungpower that

keeps you healthier longer won’t. Here’s the full workout, as

suggested by the Norwegian researchers.

Warm up for 10 minutes… Work out at 90% of your capacity for 4

minutes… Warm down for 3 minutes. Do this just once per week.

The rest of the week, you can jog, ride your bike, visit the gym…

Whatever you usually do to stay in shape.

Unless, of course, you want faster results. Then you might want

to add a second high-intensity workout per week.

Either way, it could help you avoid an unpleasant wake-up call

like Ted’s. And keep your lungs working at a level you thought

you’d never see again.

Yours in continued good health,

Dr Woliner, M.D.