3 Ways to 15 Minutes Per Day

There’s big news from the EuroPRevent 2016 meeting in Istanbul!According to Dr. David Hupin, a physician in the Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne in Saint-Etienne, France, “Fifteen minutes of daily exercise is associated with a 22% lower risk of death and may be a reasonable target for older adults.”The European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (EACPR)’s latest meeting reviewed the science from Hupin’s study, and Hupin asserts, “These two studies show that the more physical activity older adults do, the greater the health benefit. The biggest jump in benefit was achieved at the low level of exercise, with the medium and high levels bringing smaller increments of benefit.” Further, according to Medical News Today, which also reviewed the findings, “The risk of death reduced in a dose response relationship as the level of exercise increased. Compared to those who were inactive, older adults with low, medium and high activity levels had a 22%, 28% and 35% lower risk of death, respectively.”So how can you put this information to good use? Try these 3 different ways to squeeze in 15 minutes of exercise per day.Take a Walk! A 15 minute walk is a great place to start when it comes to getting enough exercise. Explore your neighborhood after dinner, or start your day with a brisk trek around the block. Adding a walk to your lunch break is a great way to squeeze in a stroll as well.Go for a Swim! Many rec centers have pools these days, as do community neighborhoods and various gyms. Find a pool you like and go for a quick dunk when you’re out and about. It’s great for your health!Hop on a Bike! Whether it’s on a recumbent bike in your home or gym or a spin around the block on your own set of wheels, biking is an easy and quick way to get some exercise. If you’ve got a stationary bike at home, try pedaling for the first 15 minutes of a TV show you like. If you’re riding around in your neighborhood, hop on your bike as a break between 2 different activities in your day.Hupin advises, “Older adults should progressively increase physical activity in their daily lives rather than dramatically changing their habits to meet recommendations. Fifteen minutes a day could be a reasonable target for older adults. Small increases in physical activity may enable some older adults to incorporate more moderate activity and get closer to the recommended 150 minutes per week.”How will you put this advice into action?By Judy Doherty, PC II, AOS, BS