According to a new British study involving 2,400 twins—as reported by The Washington Post—physical exercise actually slows the shriveling of protective tips on bundles of genes inside cells. It’s a molecular change that could keep people healthier, longer.

“These data suggest that the act of exercising may actually protect the body against the aging process,” said Tim D. Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College in London who led the study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Research has long confirmed that a nutritious diet and exercise are essential to a healthy lifestyle, but this is the first time there is proof that it slows the aging process. And here we thought Jack La Lanne was just a freak of nature.