Want to live longer? Try standing on one foot while reading this

Californians are no strangers to the many, many health and longevity hacks on the market. There are frigid cryotherapy chambers, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and exorbitant supplements. (New Zealand deer placenta, anyone? No, thank you.)

But it turns out that one of the most impactful things we can do to extend our lifespans is far more boring: Stand on one leg.

I’m talking about balance training. Simple exercises such as standing on one leg for 30 seconds, done regularly, can help retrain your body toward building better balance. (Hopefully, you’ll have more luck than I did at first!)

The reason that balance is so important, says UCLA Health sports medicine physician Kimberly M. Burbank, is because “it’s a real-time assessment of how well our systems are working together — our brain, nerves and muscles. That’s why it’s one of the strongest functional predictors of health, including healthy aging. It requires a ton of coordination and different brain processing centers to be well balanced.” No wonder bad balance is an early warning sign for dementia.

Cardio, strength training and stretching have long been the go-to approaches for optimizing health span and lifespan. Now, experts consider balance to be the fourth tentpole.

That’s partly because poor balance often leads to falls, which, for older adults, can initiate a domino effect of physical and mental decline. And because balance is “multifactorial,” meaning in order to keep your body steady, your brain draws on multiple sensory systems including sight, the inner ear and touch, or your awareness of where your body is in space.

Balance training is not just for older adults. At any age, improving balance improves athletic performance and lets you move through the world a little more sure-footed.

How to test, train and protect balance at any age

My five-part series on balance went live this week. In it, I explore why balance is so important, for whom, how balance works, why it declines as we age and how to improve it. I spoke to sports medicine doctors, exercise physiologists, personal trainers and physical therapists to devise simple training routines that you can do at home to improve your balance (with video demonstrations).

A good place to start? Take our balance IQ tests to see where you stand. Then try these four simple balance exercises you can do at home — no equipment needed. You may also want to consider plyometric exercises (which develop your power, reactivity and bone density). Just these four are key to your mobility.

And if you want something more gentle, the ancient martial art of tai chi is considered a modern “gold standard” for balance and fall prevention.

Don’t wait until you’re wobbly

It is never too early to start balance training. Balance helps improve athletic performance — at any age — and prevents muscle imbalances that can lead to injuries, even in non-athletes. And training your balance when you’re young helps you maintain it longer as you age.

So put your best foot forward — just one of them — and stand on one leg for 30 seconds while you’re watching TV tonight. It has to beat ingesting deer placenta.

Top stories

High wind and rough seas don’t deter beachgoers from enjoying a day at Zuma Beach in Malibu.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

California’s coast is under siege

• A rare convergence of a powerful El Niño, super king tides and sea level rise spurred by climate change could menace California with record coastal flooding this winter.
• Already, officials are observing higher tides than typical. Swells are eroding beaches, damaging parking lots and bathrooms, and even resurfacing long-buried coastal infrastructure.
• And that’s before El Niño even kicks into high gear.

L.A.’s mayoral race

• Nithya Raman’s role in tackling homelessness has come under scrutiny during the L.A. mayor’s race.
• Spencer Pratt offered a rave review of Karen Bass’ debate performance.

Hollywood crisis

Will Trump interfere in the midterms?

• Democratic leaders, election officials and civic groups are preparing responses to potential Trump efforts to intimidate voters, seize ballots or deny the outcome of November’s midterms.
• Much of the work is being done quietly to avoid revealing too much of the strategy to the Trump administration or stoking unnecessary fear among voters.

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Commentary and opinion

Editor’s pick

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Things to do

Sean Ellis is an instructor at Swordplay LA, a facility that features swordplay as exercise.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Today’s recipe

(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

Chef David Tanis’ recipe for Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad With Bitter Lettuces has a nice combination of sweet and bitter. If you like more or less of one fruit or lettuce, it’s your choice. The proportions of this delicious salad are whatever you want them to be.

Question for you

What is your favorite California song? Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.

Photo of the day

(Oakland Zoo)

Games

Here’s today’s mini crossword, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
Shi Bradley, audience intern

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