Most healthy people can increase the amount of moderate exercise they do without danger. However, if you consider yourself to be something of a couch potato, or if you have respiratory problems, suffer from chest pains, experience dizziness—or have any history of heart problems or medical conditions that might interfere with effective exercise—then it’s imperative that you check with your primary care physician to determine whether the workout program can present problems.
For anyone concerned that they are too old to do serious exercise, don’t be. It’s just not true. Older people who haven’t exercised for a long time do need to be careful, especially if they also have health-related conditions, but moderate exercise is good for you at any age, according to the CDC. The usual reservations apply: If you intend to make a dramatic change in your level of exercise, consult with your doctor first.
If you already are fairly active, and you make an effort to get at least some weekly exercise, then it’s time to ramp up your exercise level. Even for this group, it’s worth visiting your doctor to see just how far you can go, and how quickly.
In every case, appropriate exercise can benefit your heart, skin and joints, but you need to be sensible and ramp up exercise in a way that doesn’t do harm. Here are some notes about the possible impact of exercise on your heart, skin and joints.
Your Heart
One of the tests you should request from your physician is a cardiac stress test. This will give you a measured figure for your “maximum heart rate,” which is the safe limit for you to reach during exercise. Knowing your maximum heart rate is the way to set safe limits on your exercise and to gauge how intensive each type of exercise is for you.
If you haven’t had a cardiac stress test, you can refer to a chart provided by the American Heart Association, which provides typical maximum and resting heart rates for different age groups. I have adapted that chart to provide some simple beats-per-minute guidance, this way you can check that you are raising your heart rate adequately, while also staying within safe limits for your age, especially during vigorous exercise.
The maximum heart rate for exercising in the table (Heart Rate Exercise Zones) is based on chronological age. Some people are physically younger than others of the same age, as we know. Nevertheless the maximum heart rate for your age is a reasonable guide to setting yourself limits and targets for exercise. If a trainer or medical advisor suggests different limits for you, no problem: Everyone is a bit different.
Moderate aerobic exercise is intended to increase your circulation and move your muscles and joints without causing excessive breathlessness. The target zone for heart rate during moderate exercise is between 50 percent and 65 percent of the Maximum Heart Rate for the age group.
Vigorous aerobic exercise is intended to increase your circulation and give all your muscles a strenuous workout, including the muscles of the heart. You should breathe heavily during these exercises, or you’re not working hard enough. The target zone for heart rate during vigorous aerobic exercise is between 70 percent and 85 percent of the Maximum Heart Rate for the age group.
To avoid exceeding your maximum heart rate, you need to know exactly what your heart rate is at any time. You can measure your heart rate the old-fashioned way by counting your pulse beats for a measured minute; but you may find it more convenient and more accurate to use a device that constantly monitors your heart rate. You can buy a device that is just a heart monitor, or you can buy an activity tracker that includes heart monitor capability. These are now widely available, and there are plenty from which to choose, depending on how much you want to spend. This is a worthwhile and cost-effective investment if you’re serious about fighting the aging process with exercise.
Start by measuring your normal resting heart rate. This will allow you to time how long it takes for your heart rate to return to normal after exercise. To work out a benchmark for your resting heart rate, measure your pulse (or check your heart rate monitor) two or three times at different times of the day, each time at least 15 minutes after you have stopped exercising (or wait longer if you still feel out of breath), and after lying down in a quiet place for at least 10 minutes. Average the results and write it down.
As you go through the exercise program you should measure your average resting heart rate again, say every four weeks. You may find that it goes down slightly. That means your exercise routine is having some benefit.
Your Skin
Exercise generally improves skin health and condition. For example, improved circulation often helps reduce acne or eczema.
For a few people the combination of greater blood flow to the skin, higher skin temperature and more perspiration may at times cause moreirritation. People with conditions such as acne, eczema, rosacea or psoriasis should be aware that this could occur.
Nevertheless, the benefits of exercise are so great that you should not allow these conditions to get in the way. You may have to ramp up your exercise level gradually, staying with light to moderate activities and increasing as your skin quality improves. You should moisturize before vigorous activities, as well-hydrated skin is more resistant to the salt in perspiration, which is sometimes the cause of irritation. Avoid exercising in overheated places.
Activities like tai chi and yoga can provide many health benefits and may be less likely to trigger skin inflammation in those with pre-existing skin conditions. Yoga and other moderate types of exercise are shown to reduce stress, which has been linked to certain skin conditions.
Finally, please note that there’s no rule saying that you have to wear tight clothing for exercise. If you are more comfortable wearing looser natural fiber clothing, do so.
Your Joints
Your joints will benefit from exercise, but only if you ensure the exercise doesn’t damage them first. If you have pre-existing joint conditions, and are just embarking on a workout program, start by engaging in low-impact exercises.
Elliptical machines, and cycling or walking on level ground might be good ways to get started if you have knee or hip problems. People in this category should avoid the following: stair-climbing (as an exercise), running and jumping. Exercises involving stretching may be helpful, as long as you start gently and gradually increase as you discover what your body is capable of doing.
People who stress their joints aggressively on a regular basis, such as football players, competitive skiers and tennis players, need well-developed muscular systems (and sometimes joint braces) to help protect their joints from serious injury. Learn from those professionals. Before engaging in activity that has a high impact on any joint, first build up the muscles that support that joint and hold it in position. If you have a serious joint problem, consider working with a therapist or trainer until you’ve built up both your muscles and the integrity of your joint.
Dr. Marc Ronert - Age Later 