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• Old Age: Strong and incessant exercise in the open air
  Martin Hofmeister
  Published on: 21 October 2015
• Re: Old Age: Medicine is activity (Do not forget Susruta of India)
  Martin Hofmeister
  Published on: 5 October 2015
• Old Age: Medicine is activity
  Pankaj Jorwal
  Published on: 16 October 2014

• Published on: 21 October 2015

  Old Age: Strong and incessant exercise in the open air

  • Martin Hofmeister, Martin Hofmeister, Nutrition Scientist (Dr. oec. troph.)

  Dear Editor,

  I read with interest the article "Physical activity is medicine for older adults" by Taylor in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (1). I agree that physical activity is and remains an organismic necessity and the best buy for public health (2-3)!

  The German physician Christopher William Hufeland (1762 - 1836) wrote in his famous work 'Art of Prolonging Life' in 1797: "Harmony in the movements...

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  Dear Editor,

  I read with interest the article "Physical activity is medicine for older adults" by Taylor in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (1). I agree that physical activity is and remains an organismic necessity and the best buy for public health (2-3)!

  The German physician Christopher William Hufeland (1762 - 1836) wrote in his famous work 'Art of Prolonging Life' in 1797: "Harmony in the movements is the grand foundation on which health, uniformity of restoration, and the duration of the body, depend; and these certainly cannot take place if we merely sit and think. The propensity to bodily movement is, in man, as great as the propensity to eating and drinking. Let us only look at a child. Sitting still is to it the greatest punishment. And the faculty of sitting the whole day, and not feeling the least desire for moving, is certainly an unnatural and diseased state. We are taught by experience, that those men attained to the greatest age, who accustomed themselves to strong and incessant exercise in the open air. I consider it, therefore, as an indispensable law of longevity, that one should exercise, at least, an hour every day, in the open air."(4)

  References:

  1. Taylor D. Physical activity is medicine for older adults. Postgrad Med J 2014;90(1059):26-32. 2. Morris JN. Exercise in the prevention of coronary heart disease: today's best buy in public health. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1994;26(7):807-14. 3. Chase JA. Interventions to increase physical activity among older adults: a meta-analysis. Gerontologist 2015;55(4):706-18. 4. Hufeland CW. The art of prolonging life. Transl. from the German. London: Bell; 1797.

  Conflict of Interest:

  None declared

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  Conflict of Interest:
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• Published on: 5 October 2015

  Re: Old Age: Medicine is activity (Do not forget Susruta of India)

  • Martin Hofmeister, Nutrition Scientist (Dr. oec. troph.)

  Dear Professor Jorwal,

  In history of exercise physiology is often forgotten that Susruta of ancient India was the first physician to prescribe physical activity for health reasons. He promoted dietary changes and daily exercise of moderate intensity such as brisk walking to minimize the consequences of diabetes and obesity (1). Today, elderly people are very likely to benefit even from simple, full-body exercise...

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  Dear Professor Jorwal,

  In history of exercise physiology is often forgotten that Susruta of ancient India was the first physician to prescribe physical activity for health reasons. He promoted dietary changes and daily exercise of moderate intensity such as brisk walking to minimize the consequences of diabetes and obesity (1). Today, elderly people are very likely to benefit even from simple, full-body exercises, such as rising from a chair and sitting back down again (10 repetitions, two to three times a day).

  1. Tipton CM. Susruta of India, an unrecognized contributor to the history of exercise physiology. J Appl Physiol 2008;104:1553-6.

  Conflict of Interest:

  None declared

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  Conflict of Interest:
  None declared.

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• Published on: 16 October 2014

  Old Age: Medicine is activity

  • Pankaj Jorwal, Assistant Professor of Medicine
  • Other Contributors:
    • Rohit Verma

  Sir,

  This article points out the well documented fact that increased physical activity has clear-cut protective effect from all cause mortality(1). Developing countries like India are also acknowledging such facts and are issuing guidelines for the same so as to promote health care of elderly even at primary health care level(2).

  With development and prosperity the average individual age is increasin...

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  Sir,

  This article points out the well documented fact that increased physical activity has clear-cut protective effect from all cause mortality(1). Developing countries like India are also acknowledging such facts and are issuing guidelines for the same so as to promote health care of elderly even at primary health care level(2).

  With development and prosperity the average individual age is increasing which is attracting focus of governments and policy makers towards growing need to cater to such population. The root cause of major physical impairment in old age is physical inactivity and its consequences, this fact need to be projected in a clear and concrete way in the midst of general population specially the elderly and their families.

  The physician, individual concerned and community all should work in synchronization towards promoting health and vitality to the elderly. There needs to be greater involvement of elderly into accepting increasing bodily movements as a part of life. Another area of concern will be ways to protract such activity and devote greater manpower and political will towards this often neglected but inevitable phase of life.

  References :

  1. Ueshima K, Ishikawa-Takata K, Yorifuji T, et al Physical activity and mortality risk in the Japanese elderly. A cohort study. Am J Prev Med 2010;38:410-18.

  2. www.mohfw.nic.in/WriteReadData/l892s/NPHCE.pdf Ministery of Health and Family Welfare, Government Of India, New Delhi, India. 11/11/2013.

  Conflict of Interest:

  None declared

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  Conflict of Interest:
  None declared.

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