The film "Gerry," staring Casey Affleck and Matt Damon, tells the story of two boys who wander - and wander and wander - in the desert without food or water. The movie bewildered film critic Roger Ebert, who said the more he watched it, the less he liked it and the more he admired it.
What we admire is folks who know how good it is to walk - and walk and walk - but who are smart enough to stay well-hydrated. Those qualities are the keys to a longer, healthier life according to two new studies.
The first followed almost 16,000 folks ages 44 to 66 for 15 years and found that staying well-hydrated every day prevents chronic elevation of blood sodium levels in midlife, which can damage your heart structure and function, and are associated with heart failure 25 years later. To stay hydrated, women need at least 54 to 71 ounces of water a day and men at least 68 to 101 ounces.
The second study looked at 33,000 heart patients, average age 62 at the start, for around seven years, and found that folks who finally got active (for at least 150 minutes weekly) later in life lowered their risk of death from all causes by 45% and for death from cardiovascular disease by 27% compared to folks who were never active.
So make sure you're drinking plenty of water and, whatever your age, start a walking routine, heading for 10,000 steps daily. Then you won't miss a beat as you head into older age.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer Emeritus at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into "The Dr. Oz Show" or visit sharecare.com.
(c)2021 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
King Features Syndicate