Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/474241
diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer – and also helps people live longer and feel more youthful. Physical activity enhances "autophagy," the process cells use to clear out debris (such as broken- down cellular components) and recycle it as fuel. Without this housekeeping process, which literally means "self-eating," cells would become choked with trash and die. Slowing down of autophagy is linked to a wide range of diseases and also is believed to play a major role in aging. Exercise also helps our cells stay young in another way: by preventing premature cellular senescence, a form of accelerated aging. Senescence, a medical term meaning cells have lost their ability to divide, is a normal aging process. As we get older, telomeres (caps at the end of chromosomes that protect DNA, much like the plastic caps at the ends of shoelaces) become shorter and shorter until the cells are no longer able to divide, leading to their death. Senescence can occur prematurely as a result of oxidative stress, the "rusting" process that produces health-damaging free radicals. is can happen to arterial cells, such as those in the endothelium and smooth muscle cells. at's dangerous, because senescence makes cells become highly inflammatory, which can drive the atherosclerotic disease process, leading to heart attacks and strokes at an unusually young age. ese biochemical discoveries add to an important insight from the Women's Health Study. Aer observing that women who exercise regularly had a significantly lower risk of developing CVD, the researchers analyzed the reasons for this benefit. While physical activity improved both cholesterol levels and blood pressure, by far the biggest benefit of keeping fit was a dramatic reduction in inflammatory markers. is finding, taken together with the new research, suggests that regular physical activity enhances natural firefighting processes at the cellular level and keeps your body young. Battle belly fat and insulin resistance with interval training If you have insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome (which oen includes too much belly fat), research shows that the best way to combat these problems is interval training, in which you alternate bouts of more intense exercise with intervals of lighter activity. For example, you might include short bursts of jogging or sprinting in a brisk walk. In one recent study of obese and overweight people, this type of exercise resulted in overall weight loss, a slimmer waist, and improved triglyceride-to-HDL ratio, and a 32.5 percent reduction in rates of metabolic syndrome. Concerned about risk for type 2 diabetes? You can reduce the threat by up to 70 percent by improving your fitness level, a recent study of nearly 5,000 men suggests. You should also realize that every extra 500 calories you burn up in a week reduces the risk of progressing to diabetes by 6 percent. Other research demonstrates that within a few months of starting a program of regular interval training, insulin sensitivity typically improves significantly. If you haven't been working out regularly, talk to your health care provider about what level of exercise intensity is appropriate for you. Sexual activity is safe and healthy for most heart patients It is very common for people with cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly those who have already suffered a heart attack or have undergone heart procedures, such as bypass surgery, to worry that engaging in sexual activity might be dangerous. Because of such fears, heart patients oen assume, mistakenly in most cases, that they must resign themselves to a celibate life. A major reason for this common misconception, the American Heart Association reported in its first-ever scientific statement addressing this issue, is that healthcare providers rarely discuss sexual matters. In fact, during the year following a heart attack, one study reported that less than 40 Abby's Magazine - March/April 2015 | Page 41