Good Genes, Good Health?
3. "I'm thin, so I don't have to exercise."
Being slim doesn't necessarily mean you're fit: A recent Italian study found that 20 percent of women with a healthy body mass index had an unhealthy amount of body fat -- 30 percent or more. A level this high increases your risk for inflammation, which is a factor in many serious diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. (Ask your doctor to run a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein test to assess your inflammation level.) "It's not a matter of fitting into a size 6," Calderon says. "With exercise, you can be healthy at many sizes." The benchmarks of good health are a blood pressure below 120/80, normal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, normal blood sugar, and a resting heart rate of 80 to 90 beats per minute.
Exercise is also a powerful weapon against aging and disease. "Arteries have muscles in their walls that allow them to open or constrict. When we exercise, we strengthen those muscles so the heart pumps more efficiently," says metabolism and nutrition expert Jana Klauer, MD, of New York City. "As we age, our respiratory capacity diminishes, and exercise counteracts that too." It also keeps bones strong as we approach menopause. "Daily weight-bearing exercise, like walking and jogging, maintains bone mass and balance," Klauer says. "We start to lose balance perception as we get older, so falls and fractures become more likely."
4. "Serious diseases don't run in my family."
Good genes are a plus, but they're not an insurance policy. Surprisingly, genes have little to do with longevity. Knowing how long your mother or father lived cuts the uncertainty about when you'll die by just three percent. "Just because your ancestors didn't have heart disease or cancer doesn't mean you're off the hook," Burlen says. "Women over 40 are faced with more risk factors than their ancestors, like stress, inactivity, and eating processed foods."
Moreover, there are newly documented sources of risk. According to the American Lung Association's State of the Air report, particle pollution (soot) and ozone pollution (smog) are linked to heart and lung disease, as well as premature death. Breast cancer has also been linked to environmental causes. "The vast majority of breast cancer has no family history, so women over 40 need annual mammograms, no matter what," says Cheryl Wesen, MD, director of breast care services at St. John Hospital and Medical Center, in Detroit.
