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Exercise is good for the heart, muscles, and bones ... but its benefits may also show up in your DNA. Hi, I'm Dr. Cindy Haines, host of HealthDay TV. In recent years, experts have found that chronic stress may harm your health through faster aging in your cells. They can get a sense of your cells' age by measuring certain markers found at the ends of your chromosomes. If these markers get too short, it's not a good sign for your cells. In a new study, researchers from the University of California San Francisco studied 63 postmenopausal women. The women reported how much stress they had felt in the past month, and for three days they reported how many minutes they engaged in vigorous physical activity. They also gave a blood sample, and the researchers measured the length of the markers on their chromosomes. In women who didn't exercise enough, greater stress was associated with a dramatically higher chance of having shortened markers on their chromosomes. But in women who exercised, stress didn't appear to be related to the length of the markers.
For health benefits, experts recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a mix of the two each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities.
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I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV, with the news that doctors are reading; health news that matters to you.
