Exercise – Probably the Best Pill of All

How Much Exercise is Enough?

If you have been inactive then the following tips may apply.

Easy does it. Better to start with a 10- or 15-minute walk daily and build this up over a few weeks as your body gets used to it. Remember, taking exercise each day does not have to involve going to the gym. Simple measures can work to increase your activity levels on a daily basis. These may include:

• Parking your car further away from your office. This can give you a chance to get a 5- or 10-minute walk each way.
• Taking the stairs where possible instead of the elevator
• Going for a walk at lunch time
• Buying a pedometer (step counter). This is an inexpensive and fairly accurate gadget that can measure how many steps you take each day. It works by detecting the motion of the hips and is thought to be accurate to within 5 to 10 per cent. Try to aim for 10,000 steps per day when you are up and at it. This can be a very useful motivational tool to help increase your activity levels.

Keeping an exercise diary can be a useful way of tracking your progress in this area. By using a weekly planner you can schedule in days and times when you plan to take exercise. Reviewing this on a weekly basis can allow you to see how well you did over the previous week, whether you achieved your target and how you can improve in the following week. This weekly diary is a great way to monitor your progress in a wide range of health parameters, especially diet and exercise.

Walking is great exercise for almost everyone. It can be a good way to stay in shape and can also be quite sociable, if you walk with a partner or friend. Remember, life is not a dress rehearsal. Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

The only rule about exercise is that there are no rules. To get the maximum health benefits from exercise this ‘magic health pill’ needs to be taken regularly, ideally on a daily basis, but at least four to five times a week. After that you are free to choose whatever works for you.

Can Exercise Be Harmful?

For most people, most of the time, exercise is very safe and only good for your health. By following the six sensible steps listed below you can minimise the risks of any health-related problems connected with exercise. Sudden death during exercise has received a lot of publicity recently. This is quite rare and more likely to occur when someone takes intense vigorous exercise after a period of inactivity, for example, a vigorous game of squash. Sudden Athletic Death Syndrome (SADS) appears to have become more prevalent in recent times and can tragically result in the loss of young life. The precise cause is unknown and is the subject of ongoing research. Sometimes it is caused by an irregularity of the heartbeat or thickening of the heart muscle (called cardiomyopathy). Screening for these conditions can sometimes lead to the early detection of possible future cardiac problems.

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