Nothing like good jeans!
Wait! Not those jeans – I mean genes.
We all want good genes so we can live long, healthy lives, right?
I’ve used the expression, “keeping the wolf on the other side of the door,” to describe how we can avoid inherited tendencies for disease by adopting life-style choices favorable to health.
This is another way to describe regulating our gene expression. The study of changes in gene expression not caused by changes to the DNA itself is called epigenetics.
Very heady stuff – and certainly hopeful for those with genes leading to health issues.
Dr. Eric Topol, a leading cardiologist who is now working with the California-based Scripps Research Translational Institute, enrolled people who were healthy and 85 years old and older in a research project, (“A Doctor’s Science-Backed Formula for Aging Better,” May 8, 2025, at the WSJ) that is now twenty years old.
In addition to their advanced age, participants had none of the common age-related diseases of cancer, heart disease, and neuro-degenerative disease.
He was studying the genes of these ‘super-agers’ to determine if they had genes that would lead to any enhanced abilities to maintain their health longer.
Meh. Not so much.
Their genes were not remarkable for anything that would set them apart from others!
But they were different from others of similar ages in that they were thinner, exercised more, and were better educated. They maintained an active lifestyle – even at advanced ages.
This has caused Dr. Topol to modify his lifestyle in the areas of exercise, sleep, and diet. Today, we will touch on exercise.
Dr. Topol is almost 71 years old and wants to be a super-ager. He is making the biggest changes with his exercise routine. Citing his study, he sees exercise being the #1 most important thing we can do to favor a long, healthy life.
Previously, he relied heavily on aerobic exercise; but these studies showed that resistance training was also a key ingredient. He now incorporates resistance training using bands to round out his routines – along with balance and strength training.
See our recent article in FoodTalk4You about simple balance training (Flamingo Style – April 4, 2025).
Because of these modifications, he says he is stronger and fitter than he has ever been.
Not long ago, a Physical Therapist on the Today Show video spoke about four target categories of exercise that will improve strength and mobility as we age:
Endurance – as in walking with the goal of gradually increasing distances.
Flexibility – which will help with common complaints of low back pain. Accomplished with simple stretches.
Balance – take standing on one foot and adding arm movements.
Functional Strength – through squats and lunges.
You can view examples of each exercise by clicking on the link above.
We will be covering more about Dr. Topol’s findings, and how Dana Santas – a health and wellness expert from CNN – has simplified adding exercise into daily life in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, your’s truly got up and left writing this post to go to the gym, where I chanted, “This is endurance,” as I worked up a sweat on the treadmill! Along with, “Take THAT cholesterol!” and, “Go stronger bones, go!”
Following my own advice and feeling in control!
In health –
Deidre
