Health Check Ep 74: Fight ageing with exercise

15:18 mins

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

It's almost the end of the year, and nearly two years since the coronavirus emerged and changed the way we work, live and play. If you haven't been exercising, it's time to start. If you have been taking short walks now and then, it's time to walk a bit more on a regular basis.

This is because every step you take will help to keep you physically - and mentally - younger. Ageing is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases. An ageing body is just less able to fight diseases, but if you can do something about your ageing body and brain, you may be able to delay the onset of these diseases.

In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Professor Andrea Maier, the co-director of the National University Health System's Centre for Healthy Longevity, who is passionate about researching functional ageing and healthy longevity. Prof Maier is also the Oon Chiew Seng Professor in Medicine and Functional Ageing at the National University of Singapore.

Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

00:48 Reasons to exercise and how it can slow down ageing

03:15 Can exercise prevent memory loss and improve thinking skills? What exactly happens in the brain when we exercise?

07:44 Minimum exercise duration and/or the number of steps recommended in order to see its health benefits

10:01 Does the intensity of the exercise matter?

11:46 How can exercise help immune systems of the aged and help the elderly clear up the Covid-19 virus if they're infected?

*Joyce Teo will return with her next episode on Jan 19, 2022.

Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Ernest Luis and Fa'izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv 

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN

---

Discover ST's special edition podcasts:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2

Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa

Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn

---

Discover more ST podcast series:

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas

Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#healthcheck

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.