by Ejiga Benjamin Idoko

Created on: January 16, 2008

EXERCISE:THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

As we age, we tend to get heavier, weaker, slower and more prone to injury, disability and chronic disease
"Many of the chronic health conditions we experience as we age come from disuse rather than aging, and exercise can retard the onset of many of those conditions,"
Regular exercise can reduce the risk of chronic disease such as heart trouble, diabetes, even cancer and keep you feeling and looking younger as you age.

This type of exercise involves the use of progressive resistance to increase one's ability to exert or resist force. The resistance can come from free weights, weight machines, elastic tubing or even your own body weight.
Resistance exercise works your muscles at loads greater than they are accustomed to. When this happens, your muscles adapt by getting stronger and bigger.
It is now widely accepted that resistance training should be included as an important part of any overall fitness program. For those wishing to prevent or reverse the loss of muscle, strength training is imperative. Adults who do not incorporate resistance exercise lose between five and seven pounds of muscle every decade.
What's So Good About Muscle? Weight Loss
The ubiquitous struggle to lose weight can be aided by increased muscle mass. Skeletal muscle will increase your body's energy requirements. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn.
Perhaps an important reason for improving your muscle mass and strength is the carryover effect it has on everyday life. Strength training enhances your ability to carry groceries, climb stairs and keep up with children or grandchildren. You will feel better and be able to do more when you are stronger. You can remain independent throughout your life.
The muscles you build and maintain with resistance training can help ensure that you will be lean, strong and agile and will help you to maintain your functional capacity and remain active
Outlined here are ten signs of aging and how exercise can help muscle mass, strength, basal metabolism, body fat, aerobic capacity, blood sugar tolerance, total cholesterol, bone density, body temperature and blood pressure. Each are discussed as to how they are affected as you age and how exercise can be a solution to the aging process.
1. Muscle mass decreases up to 6.6 pounds of muscle with each decade after young adulthood with even greater losses beginning in the mid 40's.
The Solution:
Adding resistance training, such as weights, resistive tubing or bands,

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