🏁 Axios Finish Line: The "flamingo test"

Plus: Your favorite exercise | Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Open in app View in browser     Axios Finish Line By Mike Allen, Erica Pandey and Jim VandeHei ·Jun 28, 2022 Jun 28, 2022 Welcome back. Keep sending us your thoughts, questions and tips. Smart Brevity™ count: 370 words ... 1½ mins.     1 big thing: The new longevity test Aïda Amer/Axios   🦩 Want to live longer? Strike a flamingo pose. Why it matters: Yes, you read that right. Balance is a strong indicator of our overall health — and keeps us from falling and hurting ourselves, especially as we get older. In a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers asked people between ages 51 and 75 to balance on one leg with their heads up and their arms at their sides for 10 seconds. 20% of them failed. And when the scientists followed up after 7 years, those who had failed the test were 84% more likely to have died than those who had passed. The one-legged pose is key because we encounter it all the time in our lives, such as when we step out of cars or climb stairs. Remember: Falling is the leading cause of injury-related death once we cross 65 years old. Try the flamingo test! If you're struggling with it, here are some simple ways to improve your balance. Practice, practice, practice. Start trying to balance on one leg while holding a chair or leaning against a wall for support. Then work your way to a free-standing position. Walk or jog. It strengthens your legs and your core. And as Finish Line has reported, for those over the age of 60, walking just 7,000 steps a day can dramatically lengthen life. Bike. If you're able, biking is an even more effective way to find your balance than walking, jogging or running, Harvard Medical School advises. Practice tai chi. The ancient Chinese martial art can be light on the body and excellent for balance. There are often reasonably priced group classes at local parks or senior centers. Share this story.     A message from Axios 6 steps for clearer business communications     Axios HQ's checklist shares six elements of Axios' Smart Brevity® method – simple steps to help you think more clearly, communicate more effectively and keep busy readers engaged. It works for all your vital updates, from internal team priorities to client or community communications. Get the free checklist     🏃🏽‍♀️ Work out with us! Catch up quick: Here are the exercises we've reported on in Finish Line so far... 🏋🏼 The power of squats. ✋🏾 Building stronger hands. 👟 Daily walks for a longer life. Do you have a favorite exercise we haven't covered yet? Let us know at finishline@axios.com, and we'll pick a selection of submissions to feature.   Thanks for reading. Invite your friends to sign up. Are you a fan of this email format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 300 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: