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Movement
Is Medicine
Nine
Steps To Help Harness the Healing Power of Physical Activity |
by Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff, M.D.
(Reprinted with permission)
When most people think
of medicine, they visualize something material like a pill to be
popped, a liquid to be swallowed or an injection to be endured. Some
might also consider surgery, tests or procedures to be medicine
since these high-tech maneuvers can help diagnose and treat disease.
But one of the most potent forms of medicine isn't something you can
buy at a pharmacy or get at the doctor's office. No one else can
give you this medicine or perform its magic for you. It's movement,
simple physical activity that can have profound healing effects. And
it's something only you can do for yourself.
"Exercise is medicine" has become a popular slogan among
health and fitness professionals. In "Healing Moves: How to
Cure, Relieve and Prevent Common Ailments with Exercise," we
explore the latest scientific findings about exercise's therapeutic
power and present nine "healing moves" programs to help
treat a wide range of common medical conditions including diabetes,
depression, asthma, arthritis, high cholesterol, heart disease,
osteoporosis and cancer.
Our theme is that, in many ways, movement is an ideal medicine. It's
extremely effective, free (or at least inexpensive), low risk,
abundantly available, socially acceptable and simple to do. When
compared to traditional treatments, such as drugs and surgery, the
risk/benefit profile frequently is far superior. In our
remote-control culture, movement is a perfect prescription for
prevention and treatment of America's epidemic of inactivity-related
diseases.
Unfortunately, most adults approach movement with the same aversion
they express towards a hypodermic needle or the stinky,
awful-tasting medicine we sometimes have to swallow to "feel
better." As children we didn't feel this way about moving our
bodies. Kids typically view physical activities like skipping,
jumping and running as exciting play to be enjoyed. That's why we
emphasize the importance of making movement fun, taking the
"work" out of workout and viewing exercise as enjoyable
play.
But even with this attitude adjustment, becoming active in our
sedentary society can be a challenge. In our hyper-busy,
car-oriented culture, barriers to exercise abound. It's not uncommon
for neighborhoods to have no sidewalks or bike paths, for buildings
to prohibit the use of stairs, for parks and playgrounds to be
unsafe and for electronic devices to automatically do everything for
you--from open doors to compact trash. Long workdays, difficult
commutes and balancing family/job obligations leave many Americans
chronically exhausted, with little energy for anything more
demanding than channel surfing.
We're not saying that becoming fit and healthy is easy. But with the
right attitude and the proper information, it can be fun. In fact,
the time you spend moving is generally repaid in full by the energy,
relaxation, and pleasure that physical activity brings. Daily
movement is much more than a health responsibility, like brushing
your teeth. It's a pleasurable, precious gift that people can give
themselves. Taking 30 minutes each day to be present in your body,
to breathe deeply, and to propel yourself through space is one of
life's great joys, enriching body, mind and spirit
.
To help you become--and stay--physically active, here are nine
simple steps:
1. Recognize that your body needs movement to be healthy. We
know that when we're hungry we should eat, and when we're tired we
should sleep. But when we get stiff, achy and sluggish, we generally
don't recognize these signals as cues that our body craves movement.
Instead, we misinterpret them as a need for rest, which makes us
stiffer, achier and even more sluggish. In our sedentary society,
many adults have smothered their body's natural "move me!"
impulses and have forgotten that exercise is essential to health. So
instead of always living "in your head," learn to take
your awareness of out your mind and into your body, so you can
recognize the signals it sends you.
2. Make the active choice. In general, when you're faced with
the choice of moving more or moving less, move more. For example, if
you approach an escalator alongside a staircase, choose the stairs.
If you have a choice between a leaf blower or a rake, choose the
rake. Get rid of the negative mindset of trying to expend as little
energy as possible and adopt a "pro-active attitude" that
eagerly looks for opportunities to move: Park in the farthest spot,
walk to the store, turn off the TV and dance.
3. Make a commitment to movement. Design your own personal
physical activity program, based on movement you enjoy, and schedule
it into your week.
4. Understand the importance of attitude. If you say, "I
can't," you won't. Belief in your ability to achieve your goals
is one of the most important predictors of success.
5. Avoid sitting for prolonged periods. Whenever you must sit
for an extended length of time, take regular stretch breaks and
quick "walk-abouts."
6. Consider an exercise buddy--human or canine. People who
exercise with a partner are more likely to stick with their program.
Friends and family members make great activity buddies, or you can
avoid the "human hassles" by walking with a dog. If you
don't have a canine companion, borrow a neighbor's pet or just walk
your "inner dog."
7. Strive for balance. While it's important to keep moving,
it's also crucial to strike a healthy balance between exercise and
rest. As with any medicine, it's possible to overdose on movement by
doing too much. How much is "too much" varies widely,
depending on your health status and fitness level. In general, it's
better to do a modest amount of movement daily rather than knock
yourself out with a big bout of exercise once a week.
8. Remember that doing something is better than doing nothing.
Many people think that if they don't have at least 30 minutes to
exercise it's not worth moving. Not true! Five minutes of
calisthenics, three minutes of stretching, a two-minute walk, even a
30-second deep breath all can contribute to better health.
9. Find the joy. Let go of thinking how you're going to look
from the exercise you're doing today, and just go outside--or
inside--and play.
© 2002 Carol Krucoff and
Mitchell Krucoff, M.D.
Carol Krucoff is an award-winning journalist and founding editor of
the Health Section of The Washington Post. Certified as a
personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise, she holds a
second-degree black belt in karate, runs, lifts weights and
practices yoga. Mitchell Krucoff, M.D., F.A.C.C., is an
associate professor of cardiology at Duke University Medical Center
and is internationally recognized for his pioneering research in
computer-assisted heart monitoring, new modalities of coronary
revascularization and applications of alternative and complementary
therapies in patients with heart disease. The Krucoffs are
authors of Healing Moves: How to Cure, Relieve and Prevent
Common Ailments with Exercise. For more information,
visit their web site at www.healingmoves.com
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