“No one outruns death, but hunter-gatherers come closest” and “People weren’t so lazy back then” are two enticing, interrelating, and motivating articles from the Harvard Gazette to get folks physically moving.
The first article reports that physical activity, particularly as people age, increases blood flow, resulting in better cellular and DNA repair processes along with a lower risk of diabetes, obesity, cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and depression. Even COVID-19 resistance is related to movement. Avoiding obesity, controlling blood pressure, preventing diabetes, enjoying normal lung function, exercising regularly, and having lower levels of anxiety and stress—all add up to resilience. These facts, according to “Community Resiliency to COVID-19 in a Subset of US Communities,” are being reported this week at the Movement is Life national conference in Washington, D.C.
Sitting idly in ancient times was as noxious as it is today. Active people in both ancient and modern times live longer and enjoy life more than sedentary folks. Hunter-gatherers foraged every day of their lives or else they starved. Nowadays, formal exercise programs abound—home interconnected stationary bikes and other internet facilitated activities overcome business and home office sedentary behavior.
Unfortunately, just 20% of Americans get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise weekly. Walking works well—another reason why dog owners live longer than non-pet owners. Dog owners have a higher level of physical activity by walking at least twice a day whether they are in the mood to walk or not.
Interestingly, going to the gym is a modern-day concept in Western, wealthy, industrialized societies. In most of the world, activities of daily living—gathering and preparing food, cleaning and maintaining a home, working and staying solvent—all involve physical activity. Thus, in these locales, extra exercise at the gym (with or without a trainer), jogging, biking, and swimming all become redundant to health but still are useful for socialization.
Countering senescence and disease vulnerability depends on physical activity and mental sharpness. Before discarding gym attendance when daily living activities suffice for the positive effects of moving naturally, please know that any physical activity benefits psychological and emotional health.
The second article reveals that our ancestors from two centuries ago had about 30 minutes more physical activity daily. This conclusion was reached by comparing body temperatures as a proxy for physical activity. Higher normal temperatures for individuals and entire groups correlate with more activity. The current average American’s body temperature is 97.5; two hundred years ago the average temperature was 98.6. Noting this extrapolation may not be perfect, most everyone agrees that modern conveniences have made living physically easier while perhaps not better in extending healthy years of life.
Get or keep moving to improve your health!
