ShouldaCouldaWoulda

Reasons you NEED to be active
By Stacey Nolan Young

Close your eyes. Imagine yourself on your death bed. You are sick. You’ve been sick for a long time. Perhaps you’ve been battling some disease for awhile. Your quality of life hasn’t been particularly great for the last few years. When first diagnosed with this disease, all you’d wanted to do was pack in whatever you could for the remainder of your days. Anything that you’d always wanted to do.

Maybe you wanted to spend more time with your children or grandchildren. But you were too tired. You were too incapacitated to do all of these things. You have many regrets and not much time to dwell on them.

What would you do if I told you that you could have possibly prevented this tragic end?
Would you want to reverse time? Would you have done things differently? Are you now a person consumed with “shouldacouldawoulda’s”?

I SHOULD HAVE done this.

I COULD HAVE done that.

I WOULD HAVE but…

The good news is that I have had you think about this before it has occurred. You have it in your power to prevent this from happening to you. This is within your control. You can increase your quality of life. You can thwart certain diseases and disorders. You can make the decision to make your life better and to do all of the things that you have wanted to do. You can rise above the majority of the population.

STOP EXISTING and START LIVING!

I realize that there are many people who believe that life and its twists and turns is out of our hands and in the hands of a higher power or fate. Okay…I can accept that. BUT there are things that are within our control when it comes to our health. Many deaths today are highly preventable. Don’t believe me?

Consider these facts:

-In 1996 the Office of the Surgeon General released its report on Physical Activity and Health. It stated that it strongly supports the role of physical activity for good health and for the prevention of major health problems.

-The American Heart Association included low fitness levels and inactivity as primary risk factors along with hypertension, smoking and high cholesterol.

-In 2004 Stats Canada reported that an outstanding 23% of the adult population was obese. That’s 5.5 million Canadian adults! This number is growing. This is not just a problem but an epidemic.

-In 2004 Stats Canada reported that more than a quarter of 2-17 year olds were either overweight or obese. Think about this. As parents, it is our job to educate and nurture our children. How does this happen if we are doing our job?

I could bore you to death with statistics that prove my point, however, what does that do for you?  We know that some disorders and diseases are preventable but HOW?

The answer is simple:

Exercise + Nutrition = A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

I am going to focus on exercise in this article. Not only will I be providing you with an array of health related conditions that can be prevented with activity but also medical problems that can be controlled or partially treated by exercise.

HEART DISEASE – Exercise lowers the risk of heart disease by decreasing body fat, decreasing LDL (bad cholesterol), blood pressure, lowering your heart rate and increasing the efficiency of your heart and lungs.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE – Exercise reduces the level of stress-related chemicals in the bloodstream that constrict arteries and veins. It lowers your resting heart rate. It increases the release of endorphins and raises your level of HDL (good cholesterol) in your bloodstream which can help reduce plaque in your arteries caused by build up of LDL (bad cholesterol). Your blood pressure can be reduced with bodyweight management.

HEADACHES – Exercise forces the brain to secrete endorphins and other pain-dampening chemicals.

OSTEOPOROSIS – Exercise promotes bone density which lessens the chances of fractures and breaks.

ARTHRITIS – Exercise promotes the manufacture of synovial fluid when a joint moves which forces it to circulate throughout the joint space. This decreases pain.

LUNG DISEASE – Exercise helps strengthen the lungs and it aids in increasing the oxygen level in your blood.

ALLERGIES – Exercise controls nasal congestion.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME – Exercise helps build up muscles in the wrists and forearms which in turn reduces the stress on the arms, elbows and hand.

INSOMNIA – Exercise helps reduce muscular tension and stress which can promote healthy sleep patterns.

DIABETES – Exercise helps to strengthen the heart. It improves circulation, lowers stress and more importantly it helps lower excess blood sugar levels.

DEPRESSION – Exercise speeds up your metabolism and delivers more oxygen to your brain which can enhance your mood. It can also reduce bodyweight which can lead to a better sense of self worth.

BACK PAIN – Exercise helps to strengthen the abdominal muscles as well as the lower back extensor muscles which can result in a decrease of back pain.

CANCER – Exercise can help people keep an ideal body weight and decrease fat storage which is a risk factor for the disease.

KNEE PROBLEMS – Contrary to popular opinion exercise can actually decrease knee pain and sometimes alleviate it by strengthening the structures surrounding the knee joint. This can help the knee withstand stress.

POSTURAL PROBLEMS – Exercise can actually improve postural issues by both strengthening and stretching the muscles and improving mobility in the joints.

MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS AND PMS – Ladies- you should love this one! Exercise helps to control the hormonal imbalances associated with PMS by increasing the release of beta-endorphins.

AND FINALLY…

OBESITY AND WEIGHT PROBLEMS – Exercise increases metabolic rate to facilitate fat loss. It increases lean mass and burns fat. It is an appetite suppressant and it improves self-esteem.

I’ve provided you with plenty of reasons to get off your butt and get moving. Don’t be one of those people who accept things the way they are. Do something that is going to make you healthier. Do something that is going to allow you to live out the remainder of your days in good health.

Don’t become one of those people singing their “shouldacouldawoulda’s” to anyone who will listen. Do something about this now and LIVE to tell and inspire those people in your life to do the same thing.

For more information on HOW to go about this check out Fit in “The Hammer” and How to Find a Good Personal Trainer.
 

Add comment January 29th, 2008