During the next 14 years, and until the end of the study, they underwent physical, cognitive, and mental health assessments.

Women were considered “successful survivors” if they were alive and free from the following health problems during the study period:

• Major illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart failure.
• Cognitive decline.
• Physical limitations.
• Mental health problems.

Exercise and Aging Well

To find out if physical activity was linked with successful survival, women were grouped into five activity levels and compared with those who were the least active. Women in the least active group spent less than one hour per week doing light activity, such as walking at an easy pace.

The study showed that women who were more physically active had better odds of being healthy at age 70. In fact, the odds for being a successful survivor were nearly double for the most active women. These women got the equivalent of at least 3.3 hours per week of vigorous activity, such as jogging, biking, or swimming.

But even moderate-intensity activity, such as walking, was linked with successful aging. Women who walked the equivalent of at least two hours at a modest pace each week had 50 percent higher odds to be successful survivors than those who walked the least.

In fact, the more time spent walking and the faster the pace, the better the odds were of staying healthy. Those who walked at a moderate pace were almost twice as likely to be healthy at age 70 as those who walked at an easy pace. Those whose pace was brisk were almost three times as likely to be successful survivors.

A pace below 2 miles per hour (mph) was considered easy. A moderate pace was 2 to 2.9 mph, and a brisk pace was at least 3 mph.

Physical Activity and Health

Cooper internist Rosemarie A. Leuzzi, MD, Medical Director of the Ripa Center for Women’s Health and Wellness, notes that regular exercise of any kind is what contributes to better health — both now and in later years.

“Physical activity has been shown to improve cardiac status and lower the risk for diabetes and stroke, as well as delay cognitive decline in the elderly. I certainly recommend to patients that they try to do some form of exercise for 30 minutes per day, 4 to 6 times per week. This can also be broken down into several shorter periods throughout the day. Exercise can be any physical activity, including housework, yard work, walking/dancing, or an exercise DVD/WII program. I encourage patients to find activities that they enjoy and that can be easily incorporated into their daily schedules,” Dr. Leuzzi said.

If you do choose to start a walking program, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Keep it safe. Bring a friend along or walk with a group. Wear a reflective vest or bright colors when walking at dusk, dawn, or night.

Start slowly. Gradually work up to walking at least 30 minutes on most days. Each time you walk, warm up for five minutes by walking slowly. Then, pick up the speed until your heart is beating faster and your lungs breathing deeper. Finally, cool down by walking slowly for another five minutes.

Calculate your pace. To figure out your walking pace, divide your distance walked in miles by your time spent walking in hours. For example, your pace would be 4 mph if you walked 2 miles in 30 minutes (2 miles ÷ 0.5 hrs = 4 mph).

Always consult your physician for more information.

Related Links:

• Rosemarie A. Leuzzi, MD
• Ripa Center for Women’s Health and Wellness

To help you gain health benefits through appropriate physical activity, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published science-based guidelines for Americans of all ages. The department’s publication, “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,” offers guidance for all age groups—children and adolescents aged 6 to 17, adults aged 18 to 64, and older adults aged 65 and above. Physical activity guidelines also are included for pregnant and post-partum women, and for children, adolescents and adults with disabilities.

In its review of the scientific studies on physical activity for adults and older adults, the department reports strong evidence for:

Get regular exercise, particularly aerobic, which can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, boost your immune system (who wouldn’t like to have fewer colds?) and help you alleviate effects of stress or depression. Consider making physical activity a priority by scheduling time during your daily routine, such as first thing in the morning before everyone in your household wakes up or pencil in some time during your lunch hour for a walk. As little as three 10-minute sessions of exercise a day is beneficial to your health.Maintain your weight. Many physicians suggest we should focus on avoiding weight gain because it’s often harder to lose.

Lose weight. Reducing your body weight by just 10 percent can substantially decrease the risk for osteoarthritis, heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. Start by eliminating a few hundred calories a day and slowly increasing exercise. Studies show that adding 60 to 90 minutes a day of activity, which can include doing the laundry, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further from an entrance, can help you lose weight.

Eat a healthy diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture generally advises women to get 2½ cups of vegetables a day, 1½ to 2 cups a day of fruits, 3 cups of dairy foods, 5 ounces from meat and beans, and 5 to 6 ounces of grains. Women need 400 micrograms of folic acid, which can be obtained through a multivitamin.

Tune into your hunger cues and eat until you feel full. Pack healthy snacks to keep with you during your day. By minding your body’s signals, you’ll also be able to sustain energy throughout your day.

Schedule regular screenings. They can help save your life. When you schedule doctor appointments for your children or husband, use this as a reminder to make your own as well. Or use your birthday to help you remember. A list of regular screenings can be found on our Cooper for Women web site: www.cooperforwomen.org.

Be aware of breast health. Through regular breast self-exam, you will learn the feel and look of your breasts and be able to detect something unusual. Annual mammograms starting at age 40 and breast self-exams can provide early detection.

Consider the cervical cancer vaccine. GARDASIL® is for girls and women ages 9 to 26 and works when given before any contact with human papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18. It is the newest tool in the fight against cervical cancer.

Know your numbers. Routine checks of your cholesterol and blood pressure can guide you and your doctor in monitoring your health. Even better, this knowledge can help motivate you to care for yourself and can help you avoid or reduce the risk of complications.

Know your family history. Certain conditions such as diabetes and some cancers run in families. You may need to be screened earlier in life or more often. Consider talking with family members to create a family health tree so that everyone can share this vital information with their physicians.

Be a role model. Studies show modeling good eating habits for your children can help them understand their own nutritional needs and habits.

Relax. Turn off the TV a few minutes earlier so you can relax before bed – read a book or take a bath. Pay attention to your breathing. Scientists have found that when we are under stress, we unconsciously breathe less often. Practice diaphragmatic breathing – slow, deep breathing using your abdominal muscles – while sitting at a traffic light or at your desk.

Prioritize your activities. Deciding on which projects can wait allows you to prioritize healthful activities such as playing Frisbee in the park with your family and taking a walk after dinner.
Seek medical attention for depression. Women experience depression twice as often as men. Many hormonal factors may contribute to this higher rate; however, depression is highly treatable.

Appreciate your body. Your body is amazing, performing an astounding number of functions. Your entire blood supply makes a complete circuit from your heart, lungs and vessels in 60 seconds. Nerve impulses carrying images from the eyes to the brain travel at almost 400 feet a second. Take care of your body by making healthy decisions.

Visit Cooper for Women. This is a unique health and wellness program just for women. This program is specifically designed to meet the needs of women at different stages of life and is unlike any other in the region. The program provides access to the network of world-class doctors at Cooper so women and their families can get expert medical attention, enroll in comprehensive educational programs and seek wellness guidance from recognized leaders. We are located at 1011 Main Street Promenade in Voorhees, New Jersey. Check out our web site at http://www.cooperforwomen.org.

For more information about Cooper for Women or to make an appointment with a Cooper University Hospital physician, please call 800-8-COOPER (800-826-6737).

This is an excellent first step, says Daniel Hyman, D.O., an internal medicine physician at Cooper University Hospital. For your next move, see your doctor.

“We always talk to our patients about getting plenty of exercise, especially if they have been sedentary for years. We give them encouragement and guidance for getting started. Being physically active reduces your risk for a host of diseases and increases your lifespan and quality of life,” Dr. Hyman said.

But Dr. Hyman cautions you may need to check in with your doctor before embarking on your new habit. This is especially important if you have:

• A heart condition
• A family history of heart disease
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• A history of smoking

You should also talk to your doctor if you have ever injured a joint at some point during your life or are obese. People who are 50 and older should also consider a visit with the physician.

“When you come for an appointment, we first take a medical history. So we’ll ask you questions about whether you have chest pains or shortness of breath. For instance, can you carry groceries up two flights of steps without getting out of breath?” he said.

Reporting any symptoms that you may have can help your doctor diagnose and treat you. However, high blood pressure and high cholesterol generally do not have symptoms. If left unchecked, these conditions can eventually increase your risk for heart attack, stroke and other problems. The likelihood for developing these conditions increases as you age.

“Certain cardiac conditions need to be fully evaluated prior to an exercise program,” Dr. Hyman said. “If someone has coronary disease, heart valve problems or arrhythmias, then these should be diagnosed and treated before beginning an exercise program. Often they will need to be seen by a cardiologist.”

Another problem you should have diagnosed before starting your exercise program is osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease, which sometimes isn’t diagnosed until a bone is broken or fractured.

Equally as serious is type 2 diabetes, which affects 21 million Americans. One third of these individuals don’t know that they have it. Certain factors such as being overweight and having a family history of the condition increases your risk. To control your diabetes, you need to carefully plan your meal and exercises.

If you have asthma, you should be certain that your condition is well-controlled. To be sure, check in with your doctor.

Getting started

The idea is to go slow, Dr. Hyman says. For most people, a walking program is the best way to get started. Swimming and cycling can also be good choices. With whichever exercise you choose, slowly build the time and the intensity you spend doing it from week to week.

Be sure to monitor your target heart rate so that you aren’t pushing yourself too hard. Taking your pulse to determine your heart rate is easy: To take your pulse, you don’t need fancy gadgets. Use your index and pointer fingers and place them on your wrist or on either side of your windpipe until you feel a pulse. Count the beats for 30 seconds using a watch with a second hand. Then double these results to get your beats per minute. The usual resting pulse for an adult is 50 to 100 beats per minute.A goal heart rate can be calculated by taking 80 percent of 220 minus your age. If you are 40 years old, your goal would be 144. The equation would be: (220 – your age) x 0.8.

“Once you have worked your way up to your target heart rate after a few weeks, an excellent aerobic workout would be to maintain this heart rate for 20 minutes,” Dr. Hyman says.

When you do get the go-ahead from your doctor, be sure to pay attention to your body.

Symptoms that warn you to stop exercising and see your doctor include:

• Chest tightness
• Dizziness
• Arm pains
• Confusion
• Any unusual pains or symptoms that you don’t normally experience during routine workouts

Here are some exercise tips:

• Drink plenty of water before, during and after your activity. Stay away from the high-calorie energy drinks.
• Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing and shoes.
• Keep a list of any medications as well your name and emergency contact information with you.
• Carry a cell phone or walkie-talkie.
• Enlist a walking buddy to help you stay motivated.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a Cooper University Hospital physician, please call (800) 8-COOPER.