Exercise has many, many benefits. How about aging more slowly? While walking a few miles won’t make you look twenty years younger, it could slow the aging process by up to nine years. That’s right-nine years!

A recent study of almost six thousand adults revealed that those who exercised the most -equivalent to five jogs of 30 to 40 minutes weekly had significantly longer telomeres compared with their peers who did not exercise.

I can hear it now: Who cares? What are telomeres? Well, you should care because telomeres are essentially extensions at the end of each and every chromosome in your body. And these chromosomes are contained in each and every cell of your body.

Cells are constantly dividing. Each time a cell divides there are some minor imperfections. Given time (in other words as you age) these imperfections accumulate and voila! all of the pleasantries of older age begin.

Telomeres offer some protection as they duplicate some of the genetic material, kind of like replacing parts on a used car. So the longer the telomeres, the slower the aging process.

By no means is this a fountain of youth, but heck if I can age up to nine years less than my couch potato friend just by getting off my behind a few hours weekly- why not???