It’s easy to make excuses: “I’m too old to start,” or “I can’t risk hurting myself,” or “My legs don’t work very well anymore.”  And there may be some truth in these sentiments or at least some sense of logic to which we can all relate. But time and again, the research tells us a different story: No matter your age or physical condition, moving more and becoming more active will help you stay healthier, age better and keep your mind going stronger. And the latest research roundup provides even more support for this.

First, there’s new evidence that physical activity and exercise can produce major benefits for your heart and cardiovascular system. In a study just published in Heart, researchers out of Italy examined over 3000 Italians over age 65 and determined that just 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day can significantly lower the risk of heart disease in late old age (80+ years). This is especially true if you are doing these exercises at ages 70-75. So under the rubric that it’s never too late, pick up that pickleball racquet and read more here. There’s also new evidence out of the Framingham Heart Study to demonstrate the value of exercise for heart health. In a recent post from Harvard Health, it was noted that people with higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in mid-life have lower levels of plaque build-up in their blood vessels and more flexible, healthier blood vessels than those with lower levels of CRF. In essence, that’s another endorsement for moderate-to-vigorous exercise for better cardiovascular health. What would count as that? If you exercise regularly and are in reasonably good shape, it means a one-mile walk in 15 minutes. Not sure if that’s your pace? Grab a pedometer and read more here.

There’s also new evidence that your vigorous exercise may ward off chronic musculoskeletal pain. Published in PLOS One, this new study out of The University of Portsmouth reports that high levels of physical activity once a week- a vigorous swim or tennis match, for example- appears to ward off this pain, according to data collected on over 5000 participants, over age 50, for a period of 10 years. But more casual movement doesn’t seem to do the trick. The researchers make clear that “the activity needs to be not only vigorous, it needs to be done at least once a week.” So schedule that tennis match and find out more here.

Now you may object that you’re just not as strong as you used to be (that’s likely true, and there’s solid biological evidence as to why that’s the case) or that you’re afraid of injuring yourself somewhere (you can learn how to protect your various body parts here). But the reality is these excuses are easily outweighed by the value that regular physical movement can bring to your body. If it’s a choice between healthier aging or not (or aging accompanied by lots of medications), why not take a leap (carefully) and find an athletic activity that you can enjoy- you just might have a healthier and happier body to thank you.