Panacea

Dolors & Sense

by Sanford Rose

KISSIMMEE, FL—(Weekly Hubris)—2/14/11—Well, it doesn’t quite cure everything, but it’s about the most cost-effective tool around.

I’m talking about exercise. Not just walking, but something dubbed high-intensity interval resistance training.

Most of our economic problems stem from the deteriorating health of an aging population. The problems usually manifest themselves as metabolic syndrome, which is a constellation of cardiovascular disorders including high-blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia (low HDL, high triglycerides and high LDL).

The real culprits are poor diet and insufficient physical activity, which together promote premature apoptosis (cell death) and mitochondrial exhaustion.

Even those who retain health and vigor until their late 60’s generally succumb during their early to mid-70’s. Post age 75, the rate of decrease increases. Legs stop churning. Muscles gelatinize.

There is now a growing body of literature postulating that this need not occur quite so rapidly and so disastrously.

Of course, eat a diet consisting primarily of legumes, grains, fruits and vegetables—with some B-12 supplementation. But that’s all anodynia.

Less well known is the need for strenuous, not just moderate, resistance and weight training. Such activities have been closely correlated with delayed cellular senescence (immune system stays revved up) and enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis (muscles stay harder and fitter longer).

The literature on strenuousness is not unanimous. But the consensus is that while champion power lifters may be at risk for shorter cell life, most of the rest of us will stick around longer the more push-ups and pull-ups we can execute.

So my cure for metabolic ills. Gradually (and very deliberately) train up to the following routine every day: elevate a treadmill to its maximum, set the speed at 3.5 miles and run uphill for five minutes. Pause for one minute. Redo. Then, after four cycles: go to the pull-up bar, do ten repetitions (pronated position) twice. (Though it is a myth that women can’t do pull-ups, substituting push-ups and lat pull-downs is a lot less strenuous.) Then hit the shower

It works for me: I’m 78. Blood pressure: 100/60; heart rate: 46.

Dick Cavett once said that old age had one redeeming feature: “It won’t last long.”

I’m trying to disprove him.