Family Doctor 2008

EXERCISE healthy living Exercise: The elixir of life By Sarah J. West Too busy to exercise? That’s like saying you’re too busy to breathe. Both are key to your health. Exercise is so beneﬁcial that it’s worth getting started now — no matter your age. E xercise is powerful medicine. It’s one of the most important ways you can improve your health. So why is it so to put you well on your way to better health and a greater sense of wellbeing. challenging to get started? New habits are hard to make, and old habits are hard to break. That’s a daunting combination. But exercise is worth the effort! Read on to ﬁnd out about the different types of exercise you can try on for size. Involve the experts Before you get started, check with your family doctor, especially if you’re just starting out, have health problems or are pregnant. Then, depending on your exercise plan, talk to another expert. A good trainer or exercise physiologist can help you create and follow a program that’s right for you. Kickboxing is a high-impact activity that gets your blood pumping. Knocking down roadblocks Why isn’t exercise already part of your lifestyle? Maybe you feel so overloaded both at work and at home that exercise seems like just one more chore. Perhaps you have health issues that limit what you’re able to do, or you feel so out of shape that it seems hopeless to even start. When you make exercise part of your lifestyle, you’ll be amazed at how these reasons simply disappear. Working out eases life’s stresses. It helps you lose weight and feel better about your body. And it helps you perform better and more conﬁdently, both in sports and in life. Bottom line: you’ll be glad you started! Get moving! Dance. This is an often-overlooked exercise option that deserves consideration. Dance can be highly aerobic — or less so — based on your preferences and abilities. Sports. Competitive or recreational sports are a great way to stay in shape and stay motivated. Choose a sport you really enjoy. Some people ﬁnd that team-oriented sports add extra incentive because of the connection with other people, similar to exercise classes where groups of people participate. Walking. Often touted as one of the best exercises, walking provides low-impact aerobic activity at a low cost with a great deal of schedule ﬂexibility. You can ﬁt it in just about anywhere, whether it’s a structured walking schedule or simply an effort to ﬁt more walking into your daily routine. Be sure to invest in a good pair of walking shoes. Water workouts and swimming. These provide a form of resistance training in which the water acts as resistance. At the same time, the buoyancy of your body in water reduces stress on joints, bones and muscles. Just about anyone can beneﬁt, even if Just about any activity is better than none. A good goal initially is simply to increase your level of activity from its current level. Think creatively. Do light ﬂoor exercises as you’re watching TV. Squeeze in 9 holes of golf at the end of the day. Opt for the stairs instead of the elevator. Take Fido for a walk. Put your child in a stroller and go. You get the idea just get up and move! Aerobics, step classes, kickboxing. All of these are aerobic activities that are designed to get your blood pumping. They are typically high-impact, though some classes may focus on low-impact variations. Be sure to match your skill level with the right class. The instructor should be happy to help you make sure the class is the right ﬁt for you. Biking. This is a terriﬁc, non-impact form of exercise. You can opt for biking outdoors (be sure to wear a helmet!) or use a stationary bike indoors. When purchasing your bike, be sure to get a good ﬁt, as that helps to reduce the likelihood of injury. ‘No Pain, No Gain’? Pshaw! Common misperceptions about exercise include that it must be painful to be effective and that you must do it for long periods of time. Not so! While a good workout should present a bit of a challenge, it shouldn’t cause pain. And just 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity 5 or more days a week, or 20 minutes of vigorous activity 3 or more days a week — enough time for a brisk walk, perhaps, or a quick game of hoops — adds up over time familydoctor 2008 35

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Family Doctor 2008

Family Doctor 2008 Foreward Introduction Contents What Do You Want From Health Care? Confident Communication Need a New Doctor? Understanding Your Health Insurance OTC Safety as Simple as 1-2-3 The Fight Against Resistance Drug Interactions Prevention is Better than Cure Hitting a Home Run 'The Herbalist Will See You Now' Healthy Eating to Boost Your Heart and Health Exercise: The Elixir of Life Back from the Brink Taking Control Up All Night Vitamins and Minerals 101 Allergies: Combating the Causes Protect Yourself From Colds and the Flu Diabetes: Assessing Your Risk Dealing with Diabetes The Cholesterol Count Getting a Grip on Hypertension Facts About CKD Banish the Burn Easing the Pain Stop the Pounding Urinary Tract Infections: Common and Preventable Skin Essentials The ABCs of COPD Impotence: Tackling the Old Taboo Taking Responsibility for Your Health Prostate Cancer Screening: Is it For You? Protecting Your Prostate Heart Disease and Women: Know the Risks Birth Control to Suit You Maneuvering Through Menopause Help for PMS Infertility: Problems Having a Baby Preventive Health: What Women Need to Know Pregnancy: Taking Care of You and Your Baby Eating for Two Postpartum Mood Disorders The Basics of Breast Milk Newborn Screening Tests: Possible Lifesavers Common Newborn Conditions Childhood Vaccines: Why They're Necessary Food Allergies: The Facts Facing Your Acne Raising Grades Staying On Your Feet Age Gracefully: Take Care of Your Bones Battling Osteoarthritis Tackling Anxiety Beating the Blues

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