Let's pause for a moment and consider wild animals. Despite the many distinctions between humans and wild animals, many health principles are applicable to both humans and other animal species.
Consider a lion or lioness, for instance. In most cases, unless they fall victim to another animal or are afflicted by a rare genetic disorder, they exhibit both physical and mental strength for the majority of their lives. Their physical capabilities do not deteriorate quickly, and they are not as prone to diseases as humans, particularly Americans, commonly are. This resilience in animals is largely due to their active lifestyle and ability to retain muscle mass and cardiovascular health throughout their lifespan. If animals can enjoy a better quality of life for a longer duration, why does achieving the same seem so challenging for humans?
It appears that many people hold onto the misconception that experiencing aches, pains, and illnesses is a natural consequence of getting older. However, for most individuals, this belief couldn't be further from reality. By implementing appropriate strategies, issues like limited mobility, decreased energy, weight gain, metabolic disorders, heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions like dementia could be postponed or prevented altogether.
Today we are going to focus on cardiovascular health.
Were you aware that increasing exercise from 0 to 90 minutes per week for a sedentary individual could reduce the risk of mortality by 14%? Now, consider the impact of following a comprehensive exercise routine that includes strength training, cardiovascular workouts, and mobility exercises for 45-60 minutes, 4-5 days a week.
Here's some facts:
VO2 Max - the amount of oxygen your body can absorb and how optimally it's used during exercise. The higher your cardiovascular fitness, the more optimal your body's ability to utilize oxygen is.
The Journal of American Medical Association conducted a 120,000 person study that suggests the higher an individual's VO2 Max is, the lower the chance of mortality is.
Lower than average VO2 Max for age and sex double the risk of all-cause mortality rate compared to that of higher average
Low percentile VO2 Max nearly 4x more likely to die than someone in top quartile and 5x more likely to do than someone at an elite level
By climbing from bottom quartile to even 50th percentile will cut odds of dying nearly in half
Aerobic exercise prompts the body to create brain derived neurotropic factor which play a direct role in memory and brain volume preservation.
To sum up, Cardiovascular health plays a crucial role in preserving the quality of life (healthspan) and extending lifespan. Establishing and implementing a personalized cardiovascular routine is simple and does not necessitate investing in a gym membership. Begin at your current fitness level and gradually intensify your workouts to witness positive changes in your health and physique!
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