"Move it or lose it."

Those five words sum up the latest research on how important it is at every age to get plenty of physical activity — from walking and gardening to sweating it out at the gym or on the pickle ball court.

Want to avoid risking death from the flu or pneumonia? Meet the minimal physical guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity weekly and two-plus sessions of strength-building activities weekly.

That, according to a new study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, will lower your risk of death from those infections by 48%. And get vaccinated against both flu and pneumonia.

Do you have Type 2 diabetes? You may know exercise is important for control of your blood sugar and weight — but did you know that timing matters?

A study in the journal Diabetes Care found that people who got moderate-to-vigorous activity in the afternoon saw the greatest reduction in blood glucose levels, were able to maintain the reduction, and were most likely to stop taking glucose-lowering diabetes medications. (But anytime is better than no time.)

Don't mistake joint pain from osteoarthritis for a signal that you should stop moving. Experts at the UT Southwest Medical Center in Dallas say it actually means you need to get more exercise. They recommend low-impact swimming, bicycling, Pilates, yoga, and walking on level ground for at least 15 minutes continuously (aiming for 60 minutes daily).

That builds cartilage, strengthens muscles, and improves joint function and bone mass — all ways to ease joint pain.