It’s no secret that exercise is good for us.

In fact, you could say that exercise is just as effective as drugs in treating many health conditions – and you’d have plenty of science to back that up.

But the big question is—and one that many folks haven’t been able to agree on in the past—is how much does it take to get some benefits?

Well, according to some exciting new research the answer to that is, not as much as you may think.

The new study has revealed that all it takes is a 15-minute brisk walk every day to substantially increase your odds of staying alive! And don’t pull the age card as an excuse to not get moving.

As Dr. David Hupin, the study author said, “Age is not an excuse to do no exercise.”

Just 15 minutes  of walking slashed death risk 22%!

The French researcher crunched the data on two groups: one with over a thousand people who were followed for 12 years after turning 65, and a much larger group of more than 122,000 subjects aged 60 who were tracked for 10 years.

And he found that even a low level of activity, that 15 minutes (which is half the usual recommended amount), “was associated with a 22 percent reduced risk of death in older adults compared with those who were inactive.”

Now, if you have the time – and energy – to do more than that, all the better. But the biggest, life-promoting gain was found at that trusty 15 daily minutes.

BIG gains were made with LITTLE effort

“These two studies show that the more physical activity older adults do, the greater the health benefit,” noted Dr. Hupin.  But “the biggest jump in benefit was achieved at the low level of exercise,” he said.

If you’re not in the habit of walking daily, the best way to start is by going out with friends or neighbors. Start slow — it’s not a marathon — and work up to a 15 minute goal.

Want to get started with walking at home? Try this great 15 minutes walking at home workout.

Another good way to make sure you keep on walking is to have a dog in your life.

Dogs will keep you moving every day — even when the weather is less than perfect. And doing that may just be the key to a longer life.

Pups aren’t called “man’s best friend” for nothing you know!

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