Secret Test of Health

Is the measure of our health our blood pressure? Is it our cholesterol level? What about weight? As it turns out, the best health marker is not some secret lab test, and it doesn’t require a scale. The best measure of our health is our fitness level.

Pushup to Health

A few fitness tests have been shown to predict a longer life. One of them is the number of pushups you can do. This can be either the standard or the easier knee pushups. This was discovered when Swedish firefighters were tracked over many years. Those who could do the most pushups lived the longest. It was a better predictor than any lab test.

Speed Walk to a Better Future

Another predictor of health is walking speed. Faster natural walking speed among seniors was linked to longer life. If you can walk fast, your heart and lungs are probably in good shape. Our heart and lungs need exercise to stay healthy. They don’t work as well if we just sit on the couch.

Good Grip on Life

A final marker of health is grip strength. A firm grip for 80-year-olds is a good predictor of who lives to be 100.

Healthy Heart, Healthy Life

Pushups, walking, and grip are linked to longer life mainly because they are a visible marker of heart health. If your grip is strong, you are probably active and healthy. Pushups are an exercise that engages almost your whole upper body and core, as well as your heart and lungs.

Go Vertical

If you can’t do regular pushups, don’t worry, you can start with modified pushups. You can try bent-knee pushups where you rest on your knees instead of your toes. Or you can do wall pushups. Stand a few feet away from the wall and do a vertical pushup against the wall.

Get a grip on your health by staying active. It’s the key.