Strength

Your physical strength comes from two equally important places: Your diet and your physical training. A misconception in the past used to be that physical strength came purely from diet alone. As more research was done and as more experience was gained, diet alone seemed to account less and less for the source of strength. Physical strength is also known as muscular strength. It is defined as the capability of a man or woman to exert force on a physical object by using muscles. Strength training exists specifically to increase the physical strength of people. This allows us to perform daily routines easier and therefore causing less stress and exhaustion on our body.

Longevity

It is a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. Exercise is one of the most important things you can do. Without exercise, you increase your risk of a wide assortment of chronic illnesses. Here is a list of conditions that physical activity can reduce the risk for (and how many people have them):

• Coronary Heart Disease (12.6 million)
• Heart Attack (1.1 million)
• Diabetes (17 million)
• Hip Fracture (300,000)
• High Blood Pressure (50 million)
• Obesity (50 million)
• Overweight (108 million)

One study found that the average 65-year-old can expect an additional 12.7 years of healthy life – meaning he will live disability-free until age 77.7. Highly active 65-years-olds, however, have an additional 5.7 years of healthy life expectancy – they will remain disability free until age 83.4.

Another study found that increasing physical activity after age 50 can add years to one’s life. In the study, individuals with and without cardiovascular disease were compared by the amount of physical activity they did. Men who were moderately active added 1.3 years to their lives and those who were highly active added 3.7 years. Women who were moderately active added 1.1 years and those were highly active added 3.2 years. In addition, people who exercised more also lived more years free of cardiovascular disease. While moderate exercise increases life expectancy, highly active people more than doubled the benefits.

Flexibility

Definition:

A person’s flexibility refers to the ability of your joints to move through a full range of motion. Having flexibility in your muscles allows for more movement around the joints and that means:

• Better posture
• Less muscle tension and soreness
• Reduced risk of injury
• More relaxation for the mind and body

As you age, your muscles naturally lose strength and size and can become less supple and stiffer. This can affect the range of movement around your joints, which may lead to stiffness in the muscles and joints. It is this loss of tissue elasticity that can cause muscles and joints to tighten up.

One of the key reasons that muscles lose their natural suppleness and flexibility and can become prone to tears, aches, and pains is being inactive. If the situation is not remedied in time, loss of flexibility could lead to permanent changes in posture and normal muscle function. It is therefore imperative to maintain muscle flexibility as an important component of overall fitness.

Diet

A nutritious, well-balanced diet – along with physical activity and refraining from smoking – is the foundation of good health. Healthy eating includes consuming high-quality proteins, carbohydrates, heart-healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and water in the foods you take in while minimizing processed foods, saturated fats and alcohol. Eating in this manner helps you maintain your body’s everyday functions, promotes optimal body weight and can assist in disease prevention.

The nutrients in the foods you eat support the activities of day-to-day living, protect your cells from environmental damage and repair any cellular damage that might occur. Protein rebuilds injured tissue and promotes a healthy immune system. Both carbohydrates and fats fuel your body, while vitamins and minerals function throughout your body in support of your body’s processes. Vitamins A, C and E, for example, act as antioxidants to protect your cells against toxins, and B vitamins help you extract energy from the foods you eat. Calcium and phosphorus keep your bones strong, while sodium and potassium help to transmit nerve signals. Without a healthy diet, you might compromise any of these essential functions.