IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START

Of course, the ideal time to begin swimming is when you are young. A lifetime of swimming will yield a lifetime of benefits. But research has shown that it is never too late to begin, even if you already have heart disease. My good friend Dr. Dean Ornish, of the University of California Medical School at San Francisco, has demonstrated conclusively that moderate exercise combined with a low-fat diet and meditation can actually reverse severe hardening of the arteries. Other studies have produced similar evidence attesting to the benefits of exercise for people with cardiovascular illness. In fact, properly prescribed swimming can help even if you have had a heart attack. Of course, you should get good medical advice before you begin.