Last issue we looked at what was for me the biggest challenge to a healthy lifestyle, eating clean. This issue, we’ll explore the second secret to healthy aging: Do some form of exercise every day.

Note I said every day. One of the biggest challenges for me was finding that right combination of cardio and resistance training…and making it a consistent part of my life.

Therein is the crux of the matter for true change. Doing it for a while, then stopping and picking it back up again only to stop again is a surefire recipe for failure. It had to become part of my everyday life . . . where I lived and breathed.

Consistency is the secret!

Let’s take a look at some studies concerning exercise and a few other lifestyle factors that are important.

Exercise, then exercise some more. Even a bare minimum 15 minutes a day of exercise can significantly reduce your cardiovascular risk. Up that to 150 minutes (moderate intensity) per week, and research suggests you’ll lower your risk by 14% over someone who does no exercise. Double it to 300 minutes per week, and your risk is 20% lower. Increase to 750 minutes per week, and you reduce your risk by 25%. Obviously, the biggest bang for your buck in the mortality department is going from doing nothing to doing something. But believe me, the more you exercise, the better you’re going to feel.

Keep fit to prevent diabetes. Being physically fit can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Why? An effective exercise regime increases muscle mass, decreases body fat, reduces insulin resistance and improves glucose levels.

Maximize the health benefits of exercise by keeping at it, day after day, year after year. The long term is where exercise really pays off.

A Japanese study compared men’s fitness levels over a seven-year period with their likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Not surprisingly ,they found that those who increased their fitness level over the seven years were much less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those whose fitness level declined.

Include interval training. Most health studies revolve around moderateintensity exercise. However, short bursts of high-intensity training can provide health benefits that lower-intensity exercise alone can’t give. A Norwegian study looked at interval training for metabolic syndrome, a major factor for cardiovascular disease.

Two groups with metabolic syndrome exercised for about 45 minutes, 3 days a week for 16 weeks. One group did moderate-intensity (70% max heart rate) training only. The other group added four 4-minute intervals of high-intensity  exercise (90% max heart rate).

While both groups lowered their blood pressure and body weight, the intervaltraining group had more improved insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels. The interval trainers’ aerobic capacity improved by more than twice that of the moderate exercisers, and their HDL levels increased by 25%, whereas the other group saw no improvement at all in HDL. The improvement in aerobic capacity is especially significant because research indicates low aerobic capacity is the deadliest cardiovascular risk factor.

Brush your teeth. Not exercise-related, but still important. A healthy mouth promotes a healthy heart. In the national Scottish Health Survey, subjects who reported brushing their teeth less than twice a day had a 70% increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared with those who brushed at least twice a day, even after adjusting for other factors.

Systemic inflammation caused by periodontal disease is the probable culprit, leading to raised C reactive protein and other inflammatory markers. And the main cause of periodontal disease? Poor oral hygiene. So don’t skip out on brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist regularly.

Laugh, relax, listen to music. Finding ways to reduce your mental stress can directly benefit your heart. Stress can lead to vasoconstriction—contraction/narrowing of the blood vessels which reduces blood flow and raises blood pressure.

Researchers at the University of Maryland found that 30 minutes after subjects listened to music they enjoyed, their arterial dilation increased 26%, which means music has as much effect on vascular constriction as statin therapy or aerobic exercise!

Watching a humorous video improved dilation by 19% and listening to relaxation tape increased it by 11%. The key factor is finding enjoyable activities that cause the brain to release endorphins that positively affect your cardiovascular health.

Secret #3. Last issue I said there were three secrets to healthy aging. Curious  about the third? Check out my book, TheLife Plan.