South Africa’s ‘boxing grannies’ juke and jab their way to healthier lives

"My life was on and off, you know — sometimes good, sometimes bad," said 80-year-old Constance Ngubane, who's been coming in to box since the Boxing Gogos (another name for "grandmother" in South Africa) program began in 2014. "But since I started boxing … I feel young, like I'm 16. But I'm not 16; I'm 80!"For these women, boxing is as much a social activity as it is a physical one, and it is that combination that can boost the benefits of exercise. A study from the Mayo Clinic found that physical activities with more social interaction were associated with a longer lifespan."I love to mix with the other grannies," Ngubane said. "They are like family."The social aspect of longevity has long fascinated researchers, gaining attention alongside more tangible measurables like diet, exercise and smoking."What we're beginning to realize is that it isn't just food and exercise, which is important; the social world we live in is really important," said Sarah Harper, professor of gerontology at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, previously told CNN. "Social connectivity both within one's own peers, within a family, between generations — we know that in many ways, that can have almost the same effect as living a good life, eating well, not smoking, not drinking too much alcohol. A lot of research is now looking at social relationships and how social networking, like avoiding loneliness for example, can help somebody live a longer life."Mable Makhosi, 68, has seen it, too. She has noticed a change in her health since she started coming to the gym to box four years ago; in particular, she has seen improvements with her diabetes and blood pressure."When I come here, I found my sugar can be controlled, even my high blood [pressure]," she said. "When I go to the hospital for a check-up, my doctor [asked] me, 'What did you do? You used to have a problem with diabetes!' I said, 'No, I've done my exercise.' My doctor told me I'm doRead More – Source

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