Anti-age wake-up call. Exercise and well-being.

“A 5-minute workout in the morning can take 10 years off your life”. That’s what the scientists say: exercise helps the body produce irisin, a hormone which protects the bones and muscles and reduces the synthesis of substances which have an ageing effect on the skin and neurons. Just a bit of daily exercise, which can be light but must be regular, slows down ageing. But you already knew that. What you might not have heard is that the scientific world has just confirmed that the most powerful medicine we have to fight ageing is physical exercise. This revelation is backed up by two studies, one carried out by a team at the Polytechnic University of the Marche coordinated by Saverio Cinti, and the other by a research group at the University of Bari, led by Maria Grano. Both studies have been published in the journal Scientific Reports and confirm that physical exercise stimulates the body to produce more irisin: this hormone (also known as the “exercise hormone”) protects both muscles and bones and appears to help prevent and reduce the symptoms of osteoporosis. If the thought of going to the gym, the pool or for a run fills you with fear, no worries, just try these simple exercises every morning when you wake up. They only take 5 minutes and if you stick to them, you’ll notice the benefits after just one week! All you need is your watch… 1) Wakey wakey. Open the window and fill your tissues with oxygen. Duration: 1 minute. The best way to stimulate and reactivate anti-ageing hormones is to improve your breathing, as this encourages cell oxygenation. When you wake up in the morning, open up your nose and lungs and get some fresh air inside you, just like you would your home. Stand in front of an open window, breathe in deeply through your nose then breathe out through your mouth. Continue for at least one minute. Benefits. If your cells receive more oxygen, they regenerate more quickly. And when you expand your chest, your internal organs are less squashed so work better. 2) Stand up Move your shoulder joints. Duration: 1 minute. Now close the window, stand up straight and spread your feet slightly. Lift your arms up above your head, bend them and place your hands on your shoulders. Now stretch your arms out in front of you and back to your shoulders, now out to the sides and then put your hands back on your shoulders. Repeat the whole sequence (arms up, to the front and to the sides) and then do 10 arm circles first forwards then backwards. Continue for one minute. Benefits. This exercise helps loosen your shoulder joints, expand your rib cage, improve your posture and tone your arm muscles. 3) Sit down. Loosen your neck muscles. Duration: 2 minutes. Now sit on the bed, keep your back straight and tip your head forwards then backwards, to the right and then the left. Repeat 10 times then roll your head completely clockwise and then anticlockwise. Repeat the stretching routine 10 more times and then roll your head again. Continue for 2 minutes. Benefits When you loosen your neck muscles, your back, shoulders and arms feel less stiff. When your neck muscles contract, they can block the spinal column, increase the risk of pulling a muscle and, last but not least, stop your thoughts from flowing freely... 4) On the floor. Tone your back, glutes, abdomen and legs. Duration: 1 minute. Lie on your back on a rug or a mattress; from here, lift yourself up onto your elbows, contract your buttocks and lift your chest, hips and legs off the floor. Lower your head so your whole body is in a straight line. You are basically holding yourself up by your elbows and the tips of your toes. Hold this position for one minute without lowering your body to the floor. The first couple of times you might not be able to but persevere! Benefits. In this position you improve your blood circulation and increase your lean body mass. And you also reduce fat deposits on your abdomen and glutes. And now round off this workout with a simple yet effective anti-age breakfast: soya yoghurt and blueberries. It will give your body a boost of proteins, vitamins and mineral salts, as well as a generous and healthy dose of antioxidants. Strawberries, melon and mango are also allowed as they contain beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. And if you feel like pampering yourself, why not have some wholemeal bread and jam? Wholemeal bread is an excellent source of fibre and bran, whose trace elements have a great effect on hair, nails and the stratum corneum. And don’t forget your best friend for lovely-looking skin: water. It is an essential part of any beauty breakfast because it stimulates diuresis and helps keep your skin hydrated.