New research in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA) has found that exercise does not have to be prolonged in order to be beneficial.  It just has to be frequent. Most of us are familiar with the recommendation that we should be getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five times per week in order to reduce the risk of developing many chronic diseases. The recommendation also recommends that we accumulate those 30 minutes in bouts of at least 10 minutes at a time.  As a mom of young children, I know how hard this is.  Yes, I am moving all day, but probably not in the moderate zone most of the time.  Scientist have found that moving strongly influences longevity.  Those who move more often over the course of the day (especially if they could manage about an hour in total of physical activity), cut their mortality risk in half.

The best part about this is that it doesn’t matter how these active minutes are accumulated. Walking continuously for five minutes or longer, or sporadic activity (like climbing a flight of stairs), would gain you the same benefits as long as you are moving often.  All physical activity counts! The little things that you do everyday like walking from your car to work or into a store, or climbing a flight of stairs will add up, make you feel better and reduce the risk for disease.

Book an appointment today, and we can discuss different ways to use things you are already doing in your everyday life to get more physical activity.