If you've been following the Olympics recently, you may have been inspired to get more involved in physical activity yourself.

We already know how great exercise is for our heart, but a new study carried out by Stanford University School of Medicine showed that regular running slows the aging process.

The study investigated 538 older runners, comparing them with 423 non-runners, to look at the differences in their health and activities over a period of 19 years. The study also took into consideration their everyday activities such as walking, dressing, getting out of a chair, and gripping objects.

The study found that:

• Runners are less likely to have disabilities, and reached the onset of disability later than non-runners.
• Runners are more active when they reach their 70s and 80s.
• Runners were 50% less likely to die early.
• After almost 19 years, 34% of the non-runners had died, while only 15% of the runners had died.

Researchers conclude that regular running reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, and neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's.

Isn't vigorous exercise unsafe for older folks?

It's true that many people still believe vigorous exercise can do more harm than good in the older generation. When this study began in 1984, many scientists were of the same opinion.

However, James Fries was sure that regular exercise would extend high-quality, disability-free life. He speculated that keeping the body moving wouldn't necessarily extend longevity, but it would compress the period at the end of life when people couldn't carry out daily tasks on their own. That idea came to be known as "the compression of morbidity theory."

This team of researchers previously published a study, which showed that running was not associated with greater rates of osteoarthritis in elderly runners.

James Fries also states that running appears to be safer on the joints than other high-impact sports such as football, or standing in unnatural motions for example in ballet.

James Fries, MD, and senior author said, "The study has a very pro-exercise message...if you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age, it would be aerobic exercise."

Aerobic exercise

This is exercise that conditions the heart and lungs by increasing the efficiency of the body's oxygen use. For an effective workout you should be exercising enough to raise your heart rate, but still able to carry on a conversation.

Aerobic exercise examples include:

• Speed walking
• Biking
• Swimming
• Aerobics classes
• Climbing stairs
• Dancing
• Skipping
• Housework

If you'd like to be a little more active, check out this 1-hour plan:

Warm up:

• 5 minutes - Slowly walking (biking/swimming etc)
• 5 minutes - A little faster
• 5 minutes - At a pace just below your intended workout

Aerobic exercise:

• 30 minutes speed walking
• With bursts of sprinting at intervals throughout

Cool down period:

• 5 minutes - At a pace just below your workout
• 5 minutes - A little slower
• 5 minutes - Slowly walking

Stretch to finish the routine