Thousands of years ago, we lived in caves, venturing out to gather berries and hunt. Later when we learned to build shelters, we learned to till the land and tend to our flock for sustenance. We did not have the advantage of medications (including antibiotics) or life-saving procedures. But we did have one thing that helped us to live - our lives were ACTIVE.
One could go through Modern Life without nary breaking a sweat. We can now order our food and supplies by phone and with a click. Many of our workdays are spent sitting in a chair with our eyes transfixed onto a computer screen. Our only motion is our tapping fingers across the keyboard.
And to use yesterday's car analogy, it's as if we've parked our car on a busy, polluted street while hail falls from the sky. The car gets older faster from its disuse. The vehicle that is our body and brain needs to be WORKED to keep it healthy - and it's not only the knees and hips that benefit from the physical workout. Motion, exercise, and challenging our body every day benefits our cognitive sharpness and our emotional happiness. If you're a chronic couch potato, start small. Walk 5 minutes per day, then 10, then 20. Consult with your doctor about an exercise program that builds both strength and heart health. If you're 65 or older, share what you've learned at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/turning-65.
