Of course, it’s ideal to eat healthily and stay active throughout your life. But even if you start being more active later in life, the benefits are clear: people who begin exercising from middle age onward can halve their risk of strokes.
This exercise doesn’t need to be intense. A walk with the dog, getting off the bus one stop earlier, parking the car farther away, or a short bike ride all count.
The key is consistency. You can’t rely on the fitness you had years ago. According to the 2017 Dutch physical activity guidelines, adults should engage in at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity per week. That sounds like a lot, but it adds up quickly: doing groceries can easily take 30 minutes of walking, and if you cycle or walk there, that adds another 20–30 minutes. If you have a dog you walk three times a day for 15 minutes, you’re adding 45 minutes just like that.
For older adults, strength training is also recommended. As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass—but strength training can slow this decline. Exercise also helps prevent falls by improving balance, and even when falls do happen, the consequences are less severe—bones become stronger and are less likely to break.
So once you’ve finished reading this newsletter: go enjoy a nice walk!