The Easiest Exercise in the World
Doc's note: Our bodies, our very biology, demand movement.
At the most basic level, we need to contract our muscles for our circulatory system to do its job of delivering oxygen to all of our tissues and organs.
Just how crucial is movement for health? Well, for example, we need movement because it...
- Keeps our blood vessels free of dangerous clots
- Stimulates gut muscles to contract to digest food
- Builds muscle to rev up our metabolism
- Makes our skin look better and healthier thanks to increased blood flow
- Squishes lubricating joint (or synovial) fluid into our joints to prevent cartilage degeneration
- Helps circulate immune cells on patrol for pathogens through blood and lymphatic vessels
As for me, I like to regularly move my body in primarily three different ways. They're exercises anyone can do. And I'll be sharing them this week, collected from my favorite past Health & Wealth Bulletin articles.
We're kicking the week off with one of the most beginner-friendly ways to move your body...
During the pandemic, we all adjusted to a new normal.
For many of us, that meant trying to find motivation to get up and moving. But even without a pandemic, the anxiety and 24/7 news cycle of doom and gloom can make anyone feel like getting off the couch is a futile effort.
That's why today I want to revisit the easiest exercise in the world. Take a few minutes every day to try this practice and see how your core, your aching back, and your stress all improve...
The easiest exercise in the world is yoga.
People have practiced its many forms for centuries. Even though it's simple, it protects your heart just as well as aerobics.
Yoga grew out of a Hindu religious philosophy of uniting the mind and the body. But yoga as it's practiced today in the U.S. generally leaves out the religious overtones. More often, people use yoga to exercise as a way to control their breathing, strengthen their core, and stretch their muscles.
Over the past three decades, the research on the health benefits of yoga has piled up. Here are the big three...
1. Yoga reduces stress.
Stress takes a big toll on cells, especially on the protective caps on the ends of your DNA, called telomeres. These caps wear down each time your cells divide, so they disappear as you age. When the telomeres are gone, the cell stops dividing and dies. Stress makes telomeres shrink faster than normal, which leads to a host of age-related diseases.
Yoga protects your telomeres. In a 2020 study, researchers studied telomere length in a group of women with higher-than-normal stress levels: breast cancer survivors. Participants who practiced yoga maintained the length of their telomeres over an eight-week period... while those who only had a one-day seminar on stress had shorter telomeres.
(I also shared a unique way to destress in this month's Retirement Millionaire issue. It's my flagship newsletter which features more health and wellness tips – plus actionable investment recommendations to grow your wealth. So whether you're trying to scrounge up a last-minute .)gift for a loved one or want to treat yourself, I'm offering a special gift subscription right here.)
2. Yoga protects your heart.
In a comprehensive review of random-controlled trials published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers analyzed 37 clinical trials that focused on yoga. They found that participants who practiced yoga saw decreases in blood pressure and heart rate that were equal to the decreases seen from aerobic exercise. The scientists attributed the findings not only to the physical strength yoga builds, but also the stress-relieving practices it uses.
And another study done at the University of Kansas showed that yoga cuts your risk for atrial fibrillation. This condition is an irregular heartbeat that can lead to strokes and blood clots in the heart.
3. Yoga helps arthritis.
Yoga relieves stress on your joints, providing relief from arthritis. In an Indian study from 2001, researchers tested grip strength – a common measure in arthritis studies – before and after yoga. Their participants included people with and without rheumatoid arthritis. After at least two weeks of practicing yoga, both groups saw improvements in grip scores.
And a study in the Journal of Rheumatology introduced yoga to people with either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. People from both groups practiced yoga once a week for eight weeks. And both yoga groups saw improved flexibility, physical activity, and walking capacity.
Right now, finding an in-person yoga class is tricky. Luckily, we're in an age of online everything. I love the YouTube channel Yoga with Adriene. (You can watch all of her free videos here.)
Many gyms and yoga studios have moved to online offerings now, too. Companies like Peloton offer a range of workout videos, including yoga. Some places also offer senior-focused practices as well, like the YMCA. So check in with your local yoga studio, gym, or even senior center to see what they offer. It's time to get off the couch and get moving!
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
December 23, 2024
P.S. Tomorrow and Wednesday, our team is taking a short break to celebrate the holidays with our families and friends. We'll be back in your inbox this Thursday afternoon with another one of my favorite ways to get moving. Happy holidays!