Do This: Stretch
Feeling a little stiff? Poor flexibility in people over 40 has been associated with arterial rigidity, which means your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood--potentially leading to a heart attack or stroke. Here's the good news: Researchers think that stretching your muscles may also make your arteries more flexible. Use this easy, gym-class-inspired sit-and-reach test to figure out how limber you are:
- Sit on the ground, legs extended, hip-width apart, with a yardstick positioned lengthwise between them so your heels are aligned with the 15-inch mark.
- Slowly lean as far forward as possible with your arms outstretched, sliding your fingertips along the yardstick with the goal of reaching past your feet.
- Return to starting position and relax for a few seconds. Repeat exercise to obtain the most accurate measurement. For women, a mark of 15 inches or less indicates poor flexibility.
Diabetes now strikes one in 12 people in the United States, and a person diagnosed at age 40 may lose an estimated 14 years from life, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Pack your diet with fiber--which can moderate the release of glucose into your bloodstream--and you might reduce your risk of getting the disease by up to 60 percent.
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