2) Renal system— from birth to about age 30 the kidneys actually increase in weight, then a reversal of that process begins to take place. A cumulative decline of 20 to 30 percent is not unusual by age 80. In simpler terms, the kidneys filter waste more slowly as we age. Some women in their 40s who have had children may begin to experience a leakage of a few drops of urine whenever they cough or sneeze. That problem can be corrected with some basic exercises which strengthen the stretched pelvic muscles.
3) Coronary heart disease— after the age of 45, the leading cause of death is heart disease. According to research scientists, one American man in five develops symptoms of heart disease by the age of 60. Statistics show that from the age of 40 to the age of 60, heart disease claims more lives than does stroke, bronchitis, and cancers of the lung, stomach, and breast, combined.
Up until menopause women are far less vulnerable to coronary heart disease than men. Estrogen may work as a protector by affecting the “good” cholesterol (HDLs) which keeps the “bad” cholesterol under control. By age 65, women begin dying of heart disease as often as men do.
Studies have shown that a lifelong low-fat diet and exercise program can help prevent coronary heart disease. And it is never too late to change. Regular exercise and good eating habits can give both men and women protection from heart disease, even in the most vulnerable years.
4) Functional capacity— as we get older, our ability to generate energy for work and play decreases. By age 40, many men and women find that hills seem a little steeper and that they run out of energy quicker. While the aging process plays a part in this “slowing down”, sedentary lifestyles are also often at least partly to blame. Many people in their 40s are under more pressure and stress than they were at 20, and they devote less time to exercise. Research has shown that stress can lead to lethargy and that regular exercise can help people cope better with stress.
As part of a decade-long study, sedentary women from 35 to 65 were enrolled in a program of aerobic exercise. At the end of 10 years, their functional capacities were a full 6 percent higher than when they began.
In another study, a group of men and women with an average age of 90 worked with weights and increased their muscle sizes by 10 percent and nearly tripled their strength. The results seem to indicate that proper training can build muscle and increase or maintain functional capacity at any age
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