SMART LIVING: Small steps to improve your health

ORLANDO, Fla. (IVANHOE NEWSWIRE) - Most Americans don’t exercise enough, but even a little amount of effort can go a long way.

The CDC found that Americans have an average of five hours of free time a day. A new study showed that if you took just a sliver of that amount of time and focused on your fitness, it could make a significant difference in your health.

The study included data on more than 30 million adults and found that just 11 minutes of daily physical activity, which is roughly half the recommended amount, makes a difference.

Researchers concluded that 11 minutes a day could lower the risk of heart disease by 17%, cancer by 7%, and early death by 23%.

The type of aerobic activity that produced the benefits was described as moderate to vigorous intensity. Moderate intensity usually means you can talk but not sing during the activity. Vigorous intensity means you can’t carry on a conversation. A couple of good aerobic exercise options include bike riding, walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, running, and playing tennis.

Current guidelines suggest that adults get 150 minutes of physical activity a week, which equals about 22 minutes a day. While this amount is still thought to be beneficial, the new study reveals that spending even half the time exercising can also boost your health.

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