Doctor's Recommendation

On the advice of my doctor, I recently read a health-related book called Younger Next Year. The book is a pro-exercise, pro-nutrition book, written for middle-aged men who think they have lost the ability to stay fit and trim.

The book was written a few years ago by a primary care doctor and one of his middle-aged patients. What they sought to accomplish in the book was to spread the word regarding recent medical research which concludes that the aging process can be dramatically slowed if a person were to follow a daily exercise regimen.

I found the book to be very informative and entertaining. Chris Crowley, the patient, wrote of his experience in re-discovering his body through regular exercise. After several weeks of sustained, regular daily exercise, each lasting around 45 minutes of both cardio and strength training, Crowley found that not just his physique improved, but his his health, his balance and his mental sharpness. Crowley, a man now in his late 60s, writes of the joys of rowing a boat, or downhill skiing, or mountain climbing, all at a time of his life he thought he'd be confined to a sedentary, indoor existence.

Harry Lodge, the doctor, spends several chapters delving into the body's chemistry, explaining the multitudes of benefits from daily exercise. All of this may seem like common sense. I've heard all my life that exercise is good for you. But it is interesting to have it explained anew, and how much science now understands exercise, and how it can postpone the aging process while minimizing the chances of contracting many chronic diseases.

Dr. Lodge summarized the book in seven easy rules:

1. Exercise six days a week for the rest of your life.
2. Do serious aerobics exercises four days a week for the rest of your life.
3. Do serious strength training, with weights, two days a week for the rest of your life.
4. Spend less than you make.
5. Quite eating crap.
6. Care.
7. Connect and commit.

These seven rules are all meant to keep your mind and body in growth mode. According to Dr. Lodge, the decline of health with age is far more related to inactivity than time. All sorts of natural chemistries begin to work against the body if it is not exercised. It is imperative for a person to exercise more often, not less, as they grow older. Only through exercise can a person slow the aging process and maintain health.

One of the lessons I learned from the book regards heart rate. A person's maximum theoretical heart rate (in beats per minute) is calculated by subtracting his/her age from 220. Thus, at 44 years of age, my max theoretical heart rate should be 176 beats per minute.

As explained in the book, the heart rate of any good cardio workout should make you reach 65% to 70% of your max rate, and hold it there for 30 to 45 minutes.

This means that I should maintain at least 114 beats per minute when I do the treadmill or stationary bike.

The Harris YMCA has heart rate monitors on most of its cardio equipment. When I rode a stationary bike last week, I noticed my heart rate would maintain a 130 bpm rate, and reach 145 bpm when I pushed myself. This either tells me that I'm in decent shape, able to reach 80% of my max, or that my max may be higher than 176. I don't know which is which, but next time I see my doctor, I'll ask.

Lots of other good stuff in Younger Next Year. I'll write on it more later.